Monday, December 19, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Game 16: Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3.1 AFC Totton (Friendly) 28.11.11
Browsing the Sport4Salisbury website on Sunday I discovered that AFC Totton had arranged a friendly at Bemerton Heath Harlequins ahead of their big FA Cup match against Bristol Rovers next weekend. Seemed like a good excuse to watch some football so after preparing for a cold night on the terraces I stepped out of the house to discover it was warm and wet! The rain was quite heavy when I arrived at the ground and I was grateful for cover in the darkened ground. I was charged £2 for admission to go towards the cost of the officials which was a bargain.
The match was due to kick off at 7.30 but the teams didn't enter the pitch on time and kick off was a couple of minutes later than scheduled. The game started at a great pace, both teams having an attack in the first minute. I recognised a few of the AFC Totton team as first teamers, noticeably Jon Davies who started his career at Salisbury and Grant Porter who was with Bemerton a couple of seasons ago. Bemerton's keeper had to be careful when sliding into a tackle outside the area in the wet conditions, conceding a corner in the process. The first was cleared, the second a few moments later was wasted when Davies slipped when taking the kick and limped away having tackled himself. The visitors came close again with another corner on 5 minutes, the ball bouncing down and wide from a header.
Despite the near constant pressure on the Bemerton goal, the wet conditions seemed to favour the home team as Totton didn't produce the ball control necessary to break down the defence. When they did, shots were either hit wide or directly at the keeper to make some straightforward saves. Bemerton didn't have a clear chance until the 35th minute when Sanger broke through but his shot was deflected over the bar for a corner. The next chance fell to Young a couple of minutes later after he flew down the left wing from a Sanger flick on and put a shot past the keeper but narrowly wide of the far post. It looked like the half would finish goalless but in the 43rd minute a Totton player went down in the box near the goaline and the referee awarded a penalty kick. The ball was hit hard past the Bemerton keeper to give Totton the lead their earlier play had deserved. There was still time for a nasty challenge on a Bemerton defender which drew blood and he had to limp off as the referee blew for half time. If this had been a competitive league or cup game then a card probably would have been shown but the referee was content to talk to the player instead and exercise a bit of common sense.
After 55 minutes both teams made changes to their strikeforces with both Totton strikers being replaced and Slade coming off for Bemerton. The change seemed to work to Bemerton's advantage. They won a corner a couple of minutes later when a defender misjudged a long ball and put it out of play. The ball was crossed into the centre with pace and while a defender blocked Mankin from getting a header, the deflection fell to Gallacher who controlled the ball and hit a shot past Porter. It took Bemerton a minute to win a corner, putting pressure on 3 different defenders to keep the ball in the Totton box before it went out. The corner was sliced and span towards the near post where it bounced off a defender's shin and out. He made no attempt to clear the ball, which allowed Mankin to smash the ball into the top of the net. An unlikely lead!
The Totton players weren't happy to be behind and it required a world class save to keep the score at 2.1 in the 69th minute. The ball was whipped into the box from the right and a Totton striker curved a first time shot towards the post at close range. The Bemerton keeper dived low and his reflexes were quick enough for him to get a hand to the ball and put it wide for a corner. Things got worse from Totton in the 75th minute as Bemerton carved open their defence with some quick passing. Sanger burst forward into the box and crossed it low for Eves to slam the ball past Porter. Despite further pressure from the visitors, the home defence kept the ball out of the net to give Bemerton a good win against a strong side.
The match was due to kick off at 7.30 but the teams didn't enter the pitch on time and kick off was a couple of minutes later than scheduled. The game started at a great pace, both teams having an attack in the first minute. I recognised a few of the AFC Totton team as first teamers, noticeably Jon Davies who started his career at Salisbury and Grant Porter who was with Bemerton a couple of seasons ago. Bemerton's keeper had to be careful when sliding into a tackle outside the area in the wet conditions, conceding a corner in the process. The first was cleared, the second a few moments later was wasted when Davies slipped when taking the kick and limped away having tackled himself. The visitors came close again with another corner on 5 minutes, the ball bouncing down and wide from a header.
Despite the near constant pressure on the Bemerton goal, the wet conditions seemed to favour the home team as Totton didn't produce the ball control necessary to break down the defence. When they did, shots were either hit wide or directly at the keeper to make some straightforward saves. Bemerton didn't have a clear chance until the 35th minute when Sanger broke through but his shot was deflected over the bar for a corner. The next chance fell to Young a couple of minutes later after he flew down the left wing from a Sanger flick on and put a shot past the keeper but narrowly wide of the far post. It looked like the half would finish goalless but in the 43rd minute a Totton player went down in the box near the goaline and the referee awarded a penalty kick. The ball was hit hard past the Bemerton keeper to give Totton the lead their earlier play had deserved. There was still time for a nasty challenge on a Bemerton defender which drew blood and he had to limp off as the referee blew for half time. If this had been a competitive league or cup game then a card probably would have been shown but the referee was content to talk to the player instead and exercise a bit of common sense.
After 55 minutes both teams made changes to their strikeforces with both Totton strikers being replaced and Slade coming off for Bemerton. The change seemed to work to Bemerton's advantage. They won a corner a couple of minutes later when a defender misjudged a long ball and put it out of play. The ball was crossed into the centre with pace and while a defender blocked Mankin from getting a header, the deflection fell to Gallacher who controlled the ball and hit a shot past Porter. It took Bemerton a minute to win a corner, putting pressure on 3 different defenders to keep the ball in the Totton box before it went out. The corner was sliced and span towards the near post where it bounced off a defender's shin and out. He made no attempt to clear the ball, which allowed Mankin to smash the ball into the top of the net. An unlikely lead!
The Totton players weren't happy to be behind and it required a world class save to keep the score at 2.1 in the 69th minute. The ball was whipped into the box from the right and a Totton striker curved a first time shot towards the post at close range. The Bemerton keeper dived low and his reflexes were quick enough for him to get a hand to the ball and put it wide for a corner. Things got worse from Totton in the 75th minute as Bemerton carved open their defence with some quick passing. Sanger burst forward into the box and crossed it low for Eves to slam the ball past Porter. Despite further pressure from the visitors, the home defence kept the ball out of the net to give Bemerton a good win against a strong side.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Game 15: Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3.1 Saltash United (FA Vase) 19.11.11
This was my first visit to Bemerton this season, partly due to the number of away games they've had to play in a row. The FA Vase draw had been kind and thrown up a home tie against Cornish side Saltash United from the South West Peninsula league.
Bemerton have been in good form, top of the Wessex League and on a 16 game unbeaten run (5 home, 11 away) but the form book was thrown out of the window in the early minutes of the game. In the 2nd minute they put a free header past the far post from a corner. In the 4th minute they took the lead with a break down the right and a cross from the touchline. The keeper was guarding the near post but couldn't prevent the ball going across the box and to a player at the far post to tap past the defender's challenge.
Both teams had opportunities to score and it was defensive blocks and clearances off the line that saved the day. Saltash were playing some tidy football and it took a special move from Sanger to equalise. He twisted his way though the defence before burying a shot from distance past the keeper. Three minutes later and Bemerton took the lead from a corner. The Saltash keeper pulled off a great double save from close range shots but the ball fell kindly for Mankin to bundle home. Slade came close to a third with an unmarked header at the far post that went wide. In the last minute of the half, Bemerton appealed for a penalty when Slade was taken out by the visiting keeper but it wasn't given.
Bemerton killed the game off in the 48th minute with their third goal of the afternoon. Williams gambled on winning the ball on the left wing and took the ball forward before placing an excellent cross past the keeper to Sanger on the far post who knocked the ball into the empty net. Slade came close to adding a fourth after 55 minutes when his shot came off the inside of the post, hit the bar and then was cleared for a corner. In the 68th minute it took an unconventional save to deny Williams. He walloped the ball from outside the area and the keeper saved it by chesting the ball out in mid-air, the follow up shot striking the post and going wide.
Both teams suffered as the referee got very picky and started to dish out yellow cards alongside some strange decisions. Saltash didn't give up hope and came close with a couple of late efforts. In the 85th minute a long cross dropped over the Bemerton keeper's head but landed in the top netting by the crossbar. In injury time a good pass to the backpost saw the ball flicked up into the air but the Bemerton keeper was alert and pushed it away before anyone else could make contact. A good win for the home team to keep them unbeaten for 17 games.
Bemerton have been in good form, top of the Wessex League and on a 16 game unbeaten run (5 home, 11 away) but the form book was thrown out of the window in the early minutes of the game. In the 2nd minute they put a free header past the far post from a corner. In the 4th minute they took the lead with a break down the right and a cross from the touchline. The keeper was guarding the near post but couldn't prevent the ball going across the box and to a player at the far post to tap past the defender's challenge.
Both teams had opportunities to score and it was defensive blocks and clearances off the line that saved the day. Saltash were playing some tidy football and it took a special move from Sanger to equalise. He twisted his way though the defence before burying a shot from distance past the keeper. Three minutes later and Bemerton took the lead from a corner. The Saltash keeper pulled off a great double save from close range shots but the ball fell kindly for Mankin to bundle home. Slade came close to a third with an unmarked header at the far post that went wide. In the last minute of the half, Bemerton appealed for a penalty when Slade was taken out by the visiting keeper but it wasn't given.
Bemerton killed the game off in the 48th minute with their third goal of the afternoon. Williams gambled on winning the ball on the left wing and took the ball forward before placing an excellent cross past the keeper to Sanger on the far post who knocked the ball into the empty net. Slade came close to adding a fourth after 55 minutes when his shot came off the inside of the post, hit the bar and then was cleared for a corner. In the 68th minute it took an unconventional save to deny Williams. He walloped the ball from outside the area and the keeper saved it by chesting the ball out in mid-air, the follow up shot striking the post and going wide.
Both teams suffered as the referee got very picky and started to dish out yellow cards alongside some strange decisions. Saltash didn't give up hope and came close with a couple of late efforts. In the 85th minute a long cross dropped over the Bemerton keeper's head but landed in the top netting by the crossbar. In injury time a good pass to the backpost saw the ball flicked up into the air but the Bemerton keeper was alert and pushed it away before anyone else could make contact. A good win for the home team to keep them unbeaten for 17 games.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Game 14: Salisbury City 3.1 Arlesey Town (FA Cup) 12.11.11
After sitting through a nerve wracking draw waiting for Salisbury's ball to appear, it was great to see a home tie but perhaps a little disappointing not to see a Football League club preparing to head to the Ray Mac. However the visit of Arlesey Town of the Southern Premier league did give the Whites an opportunity to progress to the second round of the FA Cup for only the second time in my lifetime. Arlesey had beaten Forest Green from the Conference Premier in the last round and a couple of Conference South sides in earlier rounds so not a team to be underestimated.
I walked over to the ground at 2.15 and got through the turnstiles in a couple of minutes. The ground seemed fairly empty and didn't start to fill up until 2.45 when I had finished reading the programme. That reading time was slightly spoilt by the realisation that I wouldn't be able to make the next round unless Salisbury were lucky enough to get a Friday or Sunday TV game. An announcement came over the tannoy that due to big queues outside the turnstiles, the kick off would be delayed until 3.15. With the England friendly against Spain due to kick off at 5.15 there were a few groans as people realised that they wouldn't have much time to get back home. I could still see cars coming up to the ground at 3 and the terrace behind the goal was much busier by the time the teams came out. The final attendance was later confirmed as 1298. As it was the nearest game to Remembrance Sunday, two serving soldiers led the teams out with a couple of poppy wreaths that were laid in the centre circle for the minute's silence.
As Salisbury were kicking towards the Portway end for the first half I decided to wander round and took up a spot near the goal. A number of Arlesey supporters had stayed down this end and it was nice to have the unsegregated freedom to wander around the ground. Arlesey looked well organised and I recognised David Perpetuni from his time in the league at Watford.
The first goalscoring opportunity fell to Salisbury in the 10th minute from a corner. As a couple of players ran forward towards the corner taker, the ball was played to the back post where Salisbury's number 3 headed it just over the bar. In the 12th minute Salisbury took a throw on the left side and a pass was played to Fitchett in the area. His first touch looked a little strong but it took the ball past the covering defender. From an acute angle he placed a high shot away from a defender's sliding leg, over the keeper and under the crossbar at the near post- a fantastic finish!
There weren't many chances after that, the closest to a goal came in the 26th minute when Reid overran the ball and it went out of play before his cross to Adlesbury. His shot found the back of the net and many supporters further away thought that Salisbury had extended their lead. It was a shame that the low drive was disallowed as it was a great controlled finish but the assistant called it right. Salisbury came close to adding a second when Knight flicked a shot from outside the area over the keeper's dive, only to see the ball crash down off the crossbar. Quick reactions saw a Salisbury player reach the bouncing ball ahead of the defence but the header was straight to the goalkeeper.
Arlesey had forced a couple of corners early on but didn't have a clear goal attempt until the 35th minute when Smith had to be alert to tip a dipping shot over the crossbar. From the corner, the next shot cleared the top of the stand and flew out of the ground but the intent from the visitors to get back into the game was clear. In the 40th minute a good run down the right wing saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Salisbury area. Some good passing then found a fullback in space on the left side and he put a dangerous cross to the far post. An Arlesey player hit his shot straight onto a Salisbury player's boot and the ball cannoned up into the air. A Salisbury player got a head to it but his header was weak and didn't clear the ball away from danger. Instead it went back to an Arlesey player who hooked a shot over Smith and in. It later turned out to be Dean Sinclair, brother of ex-Salisbury player Rob Sinclair. In the final moments of injury time Arlesey won a corner which was flicked on at the near side of the area and flew across goal and off the top of the crossbar with Smith stranded. From looking down and out, the visitors were back in the game and unfortunate not to be in the lead at the interval.
For the second half I decided to wander around to the touchline and watch from the opposite side to the main stand. The earlier warm weather had me wondering whether I just needed a shirt on but I was glad that I had opted for the fleece jacket as it started to get cold once the sun went down. The half didn't kick off until 4.21 at a time when most of the other ties were three quarters of the way through. There were a couple of potential upsets I noted, including Maidenhead United leading Aldershot by a goal to nil.
The first chance of the half fell to Salisbury, a lucky bounce of the ball after Reid lost it in the box fell to Fitchett and his shot looked in from my angle but went just past the post. Two minutes after this Arlesey had a great counter-attacking move as they played a long ball down the right side for a player to chase. He beat a defender then played the ball to a team mate who ran onto the ball in the area. With one touch he played it back to the first man who continued his run into the area. He dummied a shot to take the covering man away from the ball, then hit a shot that Smith had covered.
Smith threw the ball out to Adlesbury who had plenty of space to run forward. As he approached the halfway line he played a long ball up towards Reid and Fitchett who were on the edge of the area. Fitchett ran across to the left side and behind the defender who mistimed his header and allowed the ball to fall behind him. Fitchett ran onto the ball while the defender recovered and ran back towards the touchline. Fitchett dropped his shoulder and tried to get the ball round the defender. His second touch put the ball past the defender's foot before leg's made contact. Although the keeper had grabbed the ball, the referee had already blown and was pointing to the spot for a penalty. He booked the defender for the challenge and after a few protests, Reid stepped up and blasted the ball low to the right, just beating the keeper's dive.
It summed up the drama of the FA Cup - moments before the underdogs had come close to scoring and now they found themselves behind. They didn't let their heads drop and took the game to Salisbury. In the 56th minute they came close again to equalising. Another good move saw the ball played into the area and the striker managed to get the ball round Smith only for the keeper to use his leg to tap the ball away to a team mate to clear.
We were being treated to an end to end game as both teams decided to attack. Reid saw a shot from a tight angle tipped over the bar, Adlesbury had a trademark thump at a freekick punched out by the keeper and substitute Kelly saw a clearance balloon off him towards goal, only for the keeper to push it over the bar. In between those Salisbury chances Arlesey thought they had an equaliser but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Kelly in the buildup to the disappointment of the away support. Both teams looked to have one more goal in them and it finally came in the 89th minute. Reid took the ball down the left wing before passing to Anderson. He looked to be about to shoot only to roll the ball across the edge of the penalty area to an unmarked Kelly in space. He hit an exquisite high curling shot that bounced into the net via the post to kill the game off. It could have gone either way but the Whites were into round 2, 90 minutes and 1 win away from joining the Premier League superstars in the hat.
I walked over to the ground at 2.15 and got through the turnstiles in a couple of minutes. The ground seemed fairly empty and didn't start to fill up until 2.45 when I had finished reading the programme. That reading time was slightly spoilt by the realisation that I wouldn't be able to make the next round unless Salisbury were lucky enough to get a Friday or Sunday TV game. An announcement came over the tannoy that due to big queues outside the turnstiles, the kick off would be delayed until 3.15. With the England friendly against Spain due to kick off at 5.15 there were a few groans as people realised that they wouldn't have much time to get back home. I could still see cars coming up to the ground at 3 and the terrace behind the goal was much busier by the time the teams came out. The final attendance was later confirmed as 1298. As it was the nearest game to Remembrance Sunday, two serving soldiers led the teams out with a couple of poppy wreaths that were laid in the centre circle for the minute's silence.
As Salisbury were kicking towards the Portway end for the first half I decided to wander round and took up a spot near the goal. A number of Arlesey supporters had stayed down this end and it was nice to have the unsegregated freedom to wander around the ground. Arlesey looked well organised and I recognised David Perpetuni from his time in the league at Watford.
The first goalscoring opportunity fell to Salisbury in the 10th minute from a corner. As a couple of players ran forward towards the corner taker, the ball was played to the back post where Salisbury's number 3 headed it just over the bar. In the 12th minute Salisbury took a throw on the left side and a pass was played to Fitchett in the area. His first touch looked a little strong but it took the ball past the covering defender. From an acute angle he placed a high shot away from a defender's sliding leg, over the keeper and under the crossbar at the near post- a fantastic finish!
There weren't many chances after that, the closest to a goal came in the 26th minute when Reid overran the ball and it went out of play before his cross to Adlesbury. His shot found the back of the net and many supporters further away thought that Salisbury had extended their lead. It was a shame that the low drive was disallowed as it was a great controlled finish but the assistant called it right. Salisbury came close to adding a second when Knight flicked a shot from outside the area over the keeper's dive, only to see the ball crash down off the crossbar. Quick reactions saw a Salisbury player reach the bouncing ball ahead of the defence but the header was straight to the goalkeeper.
Arlesey had forced a couple of corners early on but didn't have a clear goal attempt until the 35th minute when Smith had to be alert to tip a dipping shot over the crossbar. From the corner, the next shot cleared the top of the stand and flew out of the ground but the intent from the visitors to get back into the game was clear. In the 40th minute a good run down the right wing saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Salisbury area. Some good passing then found a fullback in space on the left side and he put a dangerous cross to the far post. An Arlesey player hit his shot straight onto a Salisbury player's boot and the ball cannoned up into the air. A Salisbury player got a head to it but his header was weak and didn't clear the ball away from danger. Instead it went back to an Arlesey player who hooked a shot over Smith and in. It later turned out to be Dean Sinclair, brother of ex-Salisbury player Rob Sinclair. In the final moments of injury time Arlesey won a corner which was flicked on at the near side of the area and flew across goal and off the top of the crossbar with Smith stranded. From looking down and out, the visitors were back in the game and unfortunate not to be in the lead at the interval.
For the second half I decided to wander around to the touchline and watch from the opposite side to the main stand. The earlier warm weather had me wondering whether I just needed a shirt on but I was glad that I had opted for the fleece jacket as it started to get cold once the sun went down. The half didn't kick off until 4.21 at a time when most of the other ties were three quarters of the way through. There were a couple of potential upsets I noted, including Maidenhead United leading Aldershot by a goal to nil.
The first chance of the half fell to Salisbury, a lucky bounce of the ball after Reid lost it in the box fell to Fitchett and his shot looked in from my angle but went just past the post. Two minutes after this Arlesey had a great counter-attacking move as they played a long ball down the right side for a player to chase. He beat a defender then played the ball to a team mate who ran onto the ball in the area. With one touch he played it back to the first man who continued his run into the area. He dummied a shot to take the covering man away from the ball, then hit a shot that Smith had covered.
Smith threw the ball out to Adlesbury who had plenty of space to run forward. As he approached the halfway line he played a long ball up towards Reid and Fitchett who were on the edge of the area. Fitchett ran across to the left side and behind the defender who mistimed his header and allowed the ball to fall behind him. Fitchett ran onto the ball while the defender recovered and ran back towards the touchline. Fitchett dropped his shoulder and tried to get the ball round the defender. His second touch put the ball past the defender's foot before leg's made contact. Although the keeper had grabbed the ball, the referee had already blown and was pointing to the spot for a penalty. He booked the defender for the challenge and after a few protests, Reid stepped up and blasted the ball low to the right, just beating the keeper's dive.
It summed up the drama of the FA Cup - moments before the underdogs had come close to scoring and now they found themselves behind. They didn't let their heads drop and took the game to Salisbury. In the 56th minute they came close again to equalising. Another good move saw the ball played into the area and the striker managed to get the ball round Smith only for the keeper to use his leg to tap the ball away to a team mate to clear.
We were being treated to an end to end game as both teams decided to attack. Reid saw a shot from a tight angle tipped over the bar, Adlesbury had a trademark thump at a freekick punched out by the keeper and substitute Kelly saw a clearance balloon off him towards goal, only for the keeper to push it over the bar. In between those Salisbury chances Arlesey thought they had an equaliser but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Kelly in the buildup to the disappointment of the away support. Both teams looked to have one more goal in them and it finally came in the 89th minute. Reid took the ball down the left wing before passing to Anderson. He looked to be about to shoot only to roll the ball across the edge of the penalty area to an unmarked Kelly in space. He hit an exquisite high curling shot that bounced into the net via the post to kill the game off. It could have gone either way but the Whites were into round 2, 90 minutes and 1 win away from joining the Premier League superstars in the hat.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Game 13: Corsham Town 1.2 Street (Western Prem) 29.10.11
I've been meaning to visit Corsham for a match for some time now and when I discovered that they would be playing their 500th Western League match it seemed like a good opportunity to tick off the ground. I had arranged to meet Paul at the ground and after I missed the entrance and taken a brief detour I saw a familiar car pulling in ahead of me. Paul and I parked up along the touchline and had a chat while reading the programme from the warmth of our cars.
As kick off approached we wandered around to the teabar and picked up a free teamsheet from the official's entrance - something Paul advised was a regular occurrence. I had hoped that the afternoon would bring a home win given the occasion but Street were reading a different script and took the lead in the first minute. The ball was played up from the back and a header set a striker in past the defence. He carefully chipped the ball over the keeper and into the net. Corsham equalised in the 13th minute with a chance from nothing. Ledgister took the ball in the centre of the half and hit a long shot across the goal. He got the angle just right to beat the scrambling goalkeeper and put it inside the far post.
We wandered round behind the goal for a while but there really wasn't much entertainment on offer as neither team seemed capable of getting an effort on target. Paul was wondering if this lack of goal attempts would be a record for a first half of a game he'd been too. Street put a shot over the bar from the edge of the area and just before half time Corsham had a couple of opportunities. The first was a freekick that just needed a touch from an onrushing player as it flew along the goalmouth and wide. The second was a header from a corner which also fell wide.
For the second half we took another position opposite the main stand and next to the dugouts and hoped that the match would improve. It did - slightly - as Corsham's near misses continued, a cross in the 48th minute inches away from being converted by the onrushing striker. Street retook the lead in slightly bizarre circumstances. The ball was played to the left side of the area and there was enough space for their player to get a shot on goal before the defence got back. While it was on target, the keeper looked to have it covered until he moved his hand and allowed the ball to bounce off his fingers and in.
Corsham pressed for the equaliser but they couldn't get the final pass right or headers on target. Street were prepared to play counter-attacking football to defend their lead and both teams came close in the last 15 minutes to another goal. Corsham managed to get a shot past the keeper but it went just wide. Street had a good opportunity as a player took the ball round the goalkeeper but the angle was too acute for a shot so he brought it back past the keeper to line up another shot. While team mates in better positions screamed for the ball so they could shoot at an unmarked goal, the cutback and delay allowed the keeper to recover and push the ball out for a corner. Street resorted to time wasting at the end and Corsham's frustration came out as a bad tackle took a Street player out. The final whistle quickly followed to Paul's relief.
As kick off approached we wandered around to the teabar and picked up a free teamsheet from the official's entrance - something Paul advised was a regular occurrence. I had hoped that the afternoon would bring a home win given the occasion but Street were reading a different script and took the lead in the first minute. The ball was played up from the back and a header set a striker in past the defence. He carefully chipped the ball over the keeper and into the net. Corsham equalised in the 13th minute with a chance from nothing. Ledgister took the ball in the centre of the half and hit a long shot across the goal. He got the angle just right to beat the scrambling goalkeeper and put it inside the far post.
We wandered round behind the goal for a while but there really wasn't much entertainment on offer as neither team seemed capable of getting an effort on target. Paul was wondering if this lack of goal attempts would be a record for a first half of a game he'd been too. Street put a shot over the bar from the edge of the area and just before half time Corsham had a couple of opportunities. The first was a freekick that just needed a touch from an onrushing player as it flew along the goalmouth and wide. The second was a header from a corner which also fell wide.
For the second half we took another position opposite the main stand and next to the dugouts and hoped that the match would improve. It did - slightly - as Corsham's near misses continued, a cross in the 48th minute inches away from being converted by the onrushing striker. Street retook the lead in slightly bizarre circumstances. The ball was played to the left side of the area and there was enough space for their player to get a shot on goal before the defence got back. While it was on target, the keeper looked to have it covered until he moved his hand and allowed the ball to bounce off his fingers and in.
Corsham pressed for the equaliser but they couldn't get the final pass right or headers on target. Street were prepared to play counter-attacking football to defend their lead and both teams came close in the last 15 minutes to another goal. Corsham managed to get a shot past the keeper but it went just wide. Street had a good opportunity as a player took the ball round the goalkeeper but the angle was too acute for a shot so he brought it back past the keeper to line up another shot. While team mates in better positions screamed for the ball so they could shoot at an unmarked goal, the cutback and delay allowed the keeper to recover and push the ball out for a corner. Street resorted to time wasting at the end and Corsham's frustration came out as a bad tackle took a Street player out. The final whistle quickly followed to Paul's relief.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Game 10: Pewsey Vale 4.3 Stockbridge (WESS 1) 11.10.11
A rare midweek trip with Alan saw us heading up the A345 to Pewsey Vale for their Wessex league match against Stockbridge. We made good progress following the X5 bus for most of the route and arrived in the main car park with plenty of time before kickoff. After paying £4.50 for entrance and a programme we wandered around the ground and found a vantage point near the halfway line.
I hadn't paid too much attention to the team's recent league form but a quick browse in the programme gave an indication that Stockbridge were the favourites for the win as Pewsey were 3rd from bottom with only 1 win in their first five league matches.Stockbridge had played four more games and recorded 3 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats.
The first period of play was fairly open with both teams pushing forward but there were few incidents of note other than a great headed clearance by the Stockbridge "sweeper keeper" who was a good 10 yards out of his area at the time. Stockbridge took the lead after 16 minutes when the home defence let a cross drift past them to an unmarked Stockbridge player who headed the ball low into the right hand corner. Three minutes later and it was 0.2 when a Stockbridge player was tripped in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. The keeper guessed wrong as he dived to his left only to see the ball nestle into the other corner.
The play was all down at the Pewsey end and their keeper made a fantastic save to push a close range header over from under the crossbar. Stockbridge even managed to pull off a maneuver that I've been waiting to see for a long time - usually all the outfield players traipse to one side when the keeper takes a kick, leaving half the pitch empty. On this occasion the winger stuck to his side of the pitch and was able to move the ball quickly up the empty section when the keeper passed to him. Stockbridge added a third goal on the half hour with a great dribble into the area and a placed shot low past the keeper.
Alan had a great welcome in the clubhouse at halftime, enjoying a huge cup of tea and a pasty for £1.50. He felt that Stockbridge had done enough to win the game and perhaps that's what the visitors felt too. Pewsey had different ideas and in the 50th minute pulled back a great goal. The ball was crossed from deep and a Pewsey player powered a header in from a central position. Three minutes later and it was game on - a freekick was awarded on the right side and when the ball came in it was headed back to a player in space near the penalty area. He took his time to place a shot to the right of the keeper and in to make the scoreline 2.3
The game settled a little after this flurry of goals but it was certainly Pewsey who were the dominant team. They saw an on target header cleared off the line from a corner and a fantastic close range save from the Stockbridge keeper deny them the equaliser. Stockbridge had lost their way although they did appeal for a handball in the area on a rare attack.
The equaliser finally arrived in the 76th minute when a well placed backheel set up a Pewsey player to smash the ball into the top corner. I thought that both teams would be satisfied with a draw at this point but Pewsey had other ideas and completed the most unlikely of comebacks by scoring again in the 86th minute. A quick pass and move put one player in for a shot in the area. The keeper did well to get down and deflect the ball to his right only to see a Pewsey player in space receive the ball with an empty net to aim at. He didn't miss and the game ended 4.3 to the home team.
It wasn't until the following day that I spotted a report of Stockbridge's match at Ringwood on the previous weekend. On that occasion they were also 3.0 up at half-time only to see the home team come back to win 4.3. It will be interesting to see how they get on at home to Portchester on Saturday!
I hadn't paid too much attention to the team's recent league form but a quick browse in the programme gave an indication that Stockbridge were the favourites for the win as Pewsey were 3rd from bottom with only 1 win in their first five league matches.Stockbridge had played four more games and recorded 3 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats.
The first period of play was fairly open with both teams pushing forward but there were few incidents of note other than a great headed clearance by the Stockbridge "sweeper keeper" who was a good 10 yards out of his area at the time. Stockbridge took the lead after 16 minutes when the home defence let a cross drift past them to an unmarked Stockbridge player who headed the ball low into the right hand corner. Three minutes later and it was 0.2 when a Stockbridge player was tripped in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. The keeper guessed wrong as he dived to his left only to see the ball nestle into the other corner.
The play was all down at the Pewsey end and their keeper made a fantastic save to push a close range header over from under the crossbar. Stockbridge even managed to pull off a maneuver that I've been waiting to see for a long time - usually all the outfield players traipse to one side when the keeper takes a kick, leaving half the pitch empty. On this occasion the winger stuck to his side of the pitch and was able to move the ball quickly up the empty section when the keeper passed to him. Stockbridge added a third goal on the half hour with a great dribble into the area and a placed shot low past the keeper.
Alan had a great welcome in the clubhouse at halftime, enjoying a huge cup of tea and a pasty for £1.50. He felt that Stockbridge had done enough to win the game and perhaps that's what the visitors felt too. Pewsey had different ideas and in the 50th minute pulled back a great goal. The ball was crossed from deep and a Pewsey player powered a header in from a central position. Three minutes later and it was game on - a freekick was awarded on the right side and when the ball came in it was headed back to a player in space near the penalty area. He took his time to place a shot to the right of the keeper and in to make the scoreline 2.3
The game settled a little after this flurry of goals but it was certainly Pewsey who were the dominant team. They saw an on target header cleared off the line from a corner and a fantastic close range save from the Stockbridge keeper deny them the equaliser. Stockbridge had lost their way although they did appeal for a handball in the area on a rare attack.
The equaliser finally arrived in the 76th minute when a well placed backheel set up a Pewsey player to smash the ball into the top corner. I thought that both teams would be satisfied with a draw at this point but Pewsey had other ideas and completed the most unlikely of comebacks by scoring again in the 86th minute. A quick pass and move put one player in for a shot in the area. The keeper did well to get down and deflect the ball to his right only to see a Pewsey player in space receive the ball with an empty net to aim at. He didn't miss and the game ended 4.3 to the home team.
It wasn't until the following day that I spotted a report of Stockbridge's match at Ringwood on the previous weekend. On that occasion they were also 3.0 up at half-time only to see the home team come back to win 4.3. It will be interesting to see how they get on at home to Portchester on Saturday!
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Game 9: Blackfield & Langley 5.1 Downton (WESS PREM) 08.10.11
In previous seasons I've tried to use Saturday's games for longer trips to new grounds but I'm now finding that a 75-100 mile round trip for a new ground is becoming the norm. I hadn't spotted anything with particular appeal for this Saturday's match and was tempted to watch the Amesbury v Westbury fixture in the Wiltshire Senior Cup until I got a text from Paul to advise he was looking at doing a new ground in the Wessex League. After comparing notes of where he hadn't been and what time he could arrive for a lift, we narrowed the options down to matches at Fawley or Blackfield & Langley. With local side Downton the visitors at Gang Warily we agreed on a trip to Blackfield.
I recalled that on my last trip to Blackfield there had been a local league match on the outside pitch and when we pulled up in the car park we found this was the case today as well. The game kicked off a later than expected but we were able to watch a couple of goals from a team. A bit of investigation later and it turned out to have been a Southampton Saturday league match between Forest Town Reserves and AFC Gulf Western that finished 2.5 - both goals we saw had been scored by the visitors.
After leaving the warmth of the car for the grey and chilly pitch at Gang Warily we saw Downton take a 5th minute lead when the ball was played high into the box from a freekick and found an unmarked defender who jumped up and volleyed the ball past the keeper. Blackfield won a few corners after that and should have done better in the 15th minute when the ball was flicked back from the near post and ran along the goalmouth before going out for a corner. When they managed to get an effort on target, Downton's keeper was well placed to make the save.
The equaliser arrived in the 23rd minute from a free kick on the edge of the area awarded for a high footed challenge. The Downton keeper set up his wall but was unable to do much when the shot was curved low into the bottom corner. Another defensive mistake allowed Blackfield to take the lead in the 28th minute. A good high cross came in from the right but it looked like the keeper had it covered to make an easy catch. He over stretched and didn't manage to gather the ball which dropped onto an attacker's head and bounced into the net.
Downton were unlucky in the 32nd minute when Turpin won the ball from the last defender and moved in on goal only to hear the referee's whistle for the challenge. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it and a good chance to equalise was lost. Blackfield had a couple more chances towards the end of the half, seeing a shot cannon back off the underside of the bar and the Downton keeper atone for his earlier error with a dramatic save. With two minutes left to play they added a third goal when a well worked pass into the middle was swept past the keeper.
Downton rearranged their team with a couple of substitutions at the start of the half and we moved under the makeshift shelter as it started to rain. Despite the change the style of play was unaltered and the midfield continued to overhit passes for the strikers and fail to support play further up the pitch. Blackfield were stretching the play and putting the Downton defence under a lot of pressure. They had already put one shot wide and another into the side netting when they won a penalty in the 70th minute. The Downton keeper came out to try and win the ball in the area but ended up taking the attacker's feet. Again he atoned for an error by guessing the right way and diving to the left to save the ball but he was unable to hold it and it rebounded back to the penalty taker to control and shoot into an empty net.
At 4.1 down Downton's heads were starting to sink and with four minutes to go Blackfield wrapped up the game with a close range header that gave the visiting keeper no chance as the ball had been crossed with such pace. The match finished 5.1 and we were soon back in the car and listening to an earlier than usual Non League Show on Radio Solent on the drive back up the A36.
I recalled that on my last trip to Blackfield there had been a local league match on the outside pitch and when we pulled up in the car park we found this was the case today as well. The game kicked off a later than expected but we were able to watch a couple of goals from a team. A bit of investigation later and it turned out to have been a Southampton Saturday league match between Forest Town Reserves and AFC Gulf Western that finished 2.5 - both goals we saw had been scored by the visitors.
After leaving the warmth of the car for the grey and chilly pitch at Gang Warily we saw Downton take a 5th minute lead when the ball was played high into the box from a freekick and found an unmarked defender who jumped up and volleyed the ball past the keeper. Blackfield won a few corners after that and should have done better in the 15th minute when the ball was flicked back from the near post and ran along the goalmouth before going out for a corner. When they managed to get an effort on target, Downton's keeper was well placed to make the save.
The equaliser arrived in the 23rd minute from a free kick on the edge of the area awarded for a high footed challenge. The Downton keeper set up his wall but was unable to do much when the shot was curved low into the bottom corner. Another defensive mistake allowed Blackfield to take the lead in the 28th minute. A good high cross came in from the right but it looked like the keeper had it covered to make an easy catch. He over stretched and didn't manage to gather the ball which dropped onto an attacker's head and bounced into the net.
Downton were unlucky in the 32nd minute when Turpin won the ball from the last defender and moved in on goal only to hear the referee's whistle for the challenge. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it and a good chance to equalise was lost. Blackfield had a couple more chances towards the end of the half, seeing a shot cannon back off the underside of the bar and the Downton keeper atone for his earlier error with a dramatic save. With two minutes left to play they added a third goal when a well worked pass into the middle was swept past the keeper.
Downton rearranged their team with a couple of substitutions at the start of the half and we moved under the makeshift shelter as it started to rain. Despite the change the style of play was unaltered and the midfield continued to overhit passes for the strikers and fail to support play further up the pitch. Blackfield were stretching the play and putting the Downton defence under a lot of pressure. They had already put one shot wide and another into the side netting when they won a penalty in the 70th minute. The Downton keeper came out to try and win the ball in the area but ended up taking the attacker's feet. Again he atoned for an error by guessing the right way and diving to the left to save the ball but he was unable to hold it and it rebounded back to the penalty taker to control and shoot into an empty net.
At 4.1 down Downton's heads were starting to sink and with four minutes to go Blackfield wrapped up the game with a close range header that gave the visiting keeper no chance as the ball had been crossed with such pace. The match finished 5.1 and we were soon back in the car and listening to an earlier than usual Non League Show on Radio Solent on the drive back up the A36.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Game 3: Tintinhull 1.4 Hamworthy Recreation (Dorset Prem) 13.08.11
Photolink: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvELtcM
For the first competitive match of the season I decided to make the most of the dry forecast and drive down to Tintinhull to watch their first Dorset Premier League match against Hamworthy Rec, league champions for the past two years. The drive was straightforward, a turn off the A303 led into the village where the ground parking is found at the end of a lane, helpfully signposted. I managed to squeeze the car into one of the few remaining spaces which was blocked in for a short time after the match as latecomers had parked behind me.
Wandering through a gateway in the fence with the teabar prices on display, I took up a spot close to the dugouts. The changing rooms, tea bar and practice pitch were behind the main pitch which looked to have had metal railings installed recently around it's sides. The teams were out early and the referee blew to kick off the season a few minutes before 3pm. The first few minutes of the match summed up the game - Hamworthy pressing forward, seemingly a step ahead of their opponents, keeping the home keeper busy. They won two early corners, one shot wide and one header over. Tintinhull had one opportunity very early on, a high ball towards goal ended up just over the bar. In the 10th minute Hamworthy took the lead following a break down the left. The winger pulled the ball back to space outside the area and a teammate hit a powerful drive past the dive of the Tintinhull keeper. A minute later and it was almost 2.0 when a deflection fell kindly and allowed a chipped effort that the keeper did well to push over the bar.
The attacks seemed never ending as Tintinhull found it difficult to get quality possession in their opponents half. Hamworthy were trying to play the ball into space behind the defence to allow players to beat the offside trap and take the ball on. This was often successful but didn't translate into goalscoring opportunities as often as it should have done. The home keeper was still kept busy, pulling off a couple of saves at full stretch when the ball looked destined for the back of the net. Tintinhull made a couple of naive defensive mistakes with passes going astray or being telegraphed and easily intercepted by the alert Hamworthy forwards. The second goal finally arrived in the 35th minute, a player taking the ball from diagonal pass into space to the right side of the area. Before a defender could get back to cover he hit a low shot past the keeper into the far corner via the post. Tintinhull were unlucky not to get a goal back just before the end of the half when a freekick found a player on the right side of the area. He hit a first time shot but misdirected it slightly and it ended up wide of the post with the keeper beaten.
After a quick halftime break, the second half kicked off at 3.55pm. I moved round to the other touchline where there was a lovely scenic view of the fields in the background. The play was similar to the first half as Hamworthy would win the ball in their half and play it quickly upfield. On occasion I wondered if they overcomplicated matters by trying to play a pass rather than keeping the ball and trying to beat the defence for pace to get behind them. They were close to extending their lead in the 54th minute when a high backpass caught out the home keeper. He did well to take the ball down on his chest near the edge of the area but the bounce took the ball out of the area where a Hamworthy player ran onto it. He took a heavy touch in trying to bring it under control and round the keeper, who tripped him as he went by. The referee awarded a free kick but nothing more, deciding that the heavy touch meant the ball wasn't under control. The freekick didn't come to anything but the third goal wasn't long in coming. Following a corner two minutes later, the ball was deflected into the box, allowing a Hamworthy player to smash a shot past the keeper from close range.
The Tintinhull keeper had been lucky not to see a yellow card for his challenge outside the area but learnt from his mistake on the hour. The same Hamworthy player took the ball in space in the area with just the keeper to beat but again played the ball with a heavy touch. This time the keeper held back from a challenge and the ball went out of play for a goal kick. His luck was out when Hamworthy added a fourth goal after a defensive mix up in the 65th minute. The keeper was forced to come out to try and win the ball, leaving his goal unguarded. A low cross into the middle set up a Hamworthy sub with an easy tap in. He was also kept busy in the 70th minute, a spectaular reflex save pushing the ball over the bar.
Despite the scoreline, Tintinhull didn't give up and were playing some nice one touch football. They managed a consolation goal in the 80th minute, exploiting space on the right side to draw the keeper out. His dive slowed the ball down but deflected it towards goal where a Tintinhull sub tapped the ball in to make the final score 1.4. Both teams made this an enjoyable game to watch with little for the referee to do - to his credit, his common sense decisions assisted.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Game 2: Salisbury City 2.1 Hayes & Yeading United (Friendly) 30.07.11
Photolink: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvwd9R2
After last weekend's mix-up on kickoff times,I had considered going to Melksham v Amesbury for a new ground tick but decided to play safe and take the short trip up to the Ray Mac for a confirmed 3pm start. It turned out to be a good choice, partly as it later transpired that Amesbury pulled out an hour before kickoff and partly as this was a really entertaining match.
I wasn't expecting many at the ground and was able to park fairly close to the turnstile for a change. I decided to watch from the sideline rather than an end and this put me in a good position to get a teamsheet when they appeared before kickoff. The Salisbury team was made up of a couple of trialists alongside the first team. I recognised a few of the names of the Hayes & Yeading team and it appeared that they had brought down a strong team.
The first half was the most entertaining no goal half of football I've seen in a long time as both teams came as close as you can get to scoring without the ball crossing the line. Hayes almost scored in the first minute when Salisbury lost possession in the area but the shot was blasted into Puddy, the trialist keeper. In the 7th minute the ball was chipped over Puddy but a defender got back in time to clear - a similar story two minutes later when the ball looked to be in but was hooked off the line by the other trialist, right back Pattison.
Salisbury had the next effort in the 10th minute, Wright getting a header on target that the Hayes keeper had to stretch to tip onto the crossbar. After these initial efforts, the game settled down with the next clear chance in the 32nd minute when an unmarked Hayes player put a header wide of the goal. The game was played in a good spirit apart from the Hayes number 3 who was pulled up for late tackles and on one occasion for leaving his knee in Kelly's face when he moved away. Just before halftime Hayes were again unfortunate not to score. A shot in the area was deflected by a defender's leg and rolled onto the post before the Whites defence cleared it. Moments later Puddy missed his attempt to catch the ball from a corner and another header had to be cleared off the line.
I was hoping that the second half would bring a goal and it wasn't long in coming. In the 55th minute Hayes made a number of substitutions and before they had time to settle they were a goal down. Kelly received the ball on the left side, cut in past one defender and from outside the box hit a quick shot before the next defender could get a tackle in. The ball flew into the goal before the keeper's dive could reach it to give Salisbury an unexpected lead.
Hayes continued to press and were denied a penalty when the referee ignored their shouts of handball as the ball was crossed into the box at the far end. It was too far away for me to see but the bench were indicating that the ball had hit the Salisbury player on the arm when it was deflected out for a corner. Salisbury had a couple of half chances, Clarke almost getting onto a through ball after coming on as a sub, but the team was defending more and more. Smith had replaced Puddy in goal and was forced into several smart saves before Hayes hit the post again in the 65th minute.
The equaliser finally came in the 77th minute when substitute Agyemang picked up the ball on the left side, span round his marker and fired home from close range. I thought that Hayes would press on to win the game and it was only a fine reflex save from Smith that kept the ball out of the net from a close range header in the 86th minute. The ball went for a corner which Smith gathered before sending the ball upfield for Reid. He took the ball down the left wing and won a throw near the corner flag. Before the Hayes defence could get organised he played a quick throw to Fitchett who passed back to the centre of the D where Clarke hit a belter into the top left corner. Somehow Salisbury were in the lead again!
There was still time for Smith to thwart Hayes with another diving save before the referee brought the game to a conclusion. The crowd of 294 had certainly witnessed an exciting game but perhaps not the expected outcome as Salisbury got their first pre-season win.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Game 1: Downton 0.0 Amesbury (Friendly) 19.07.11
Photolink: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvANx29
For the first game of the season I decided to take the short drive down to Downton for a local fixture against Amesbury Town. My record at Downton wasn't great last season - while the team won 27 home games on their way to the Wessex 1 title, I managed to see both their defeats in the FA Cup competitions and the best league performance I witnessed was a draw. It was a nice surprise to bump into Mike Turner on the gate and discover he's been appointed as Downton's secretary for the forthcoming season.
While I've seen some high scoring friendlies in the past at this ground, this match went the way of the last competitive game I saw here and finished in a 0.0 draw. Both teams looked a little rusty with passes going astray and heavy first touches giving the ball away. When there were chances, neither team had the killer instinct from close in and efforts from distance were either well saved or well over the bar.
The best chance of the first half fell to Amesbury when a Downton player hit a backpass too short without considering the players around him. The Downton keeper rushed out but wasn't able to beat the onrushing Amesbury player to the ball. However his race out of the box led to the Amesbury player pushing the ball too far ahead and wide, allowing the Downton defender to get back and put a tackle in. This was enough pressure to see the Amesbury player hit the ball wide of the far post. Downton for the most part were in control of the game but their shots were mostly daisy cutters that the Amesbury keeper dealt with easily.
The second half was similar fare, enjoyable to watch as both teams created chances and kept the keeper's busy. After a multitude of substitutions while the sun set, it was Downton who controlled play and came close with a Gain shot that flashed wide. Amesbury had the best chance to win the match midway through the half with a stunning shot that the Downton keeper did well to get a hand to.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
2010-2011 Season Summary
Games seen: 60
Goals scored: 226
Highest Scoring Game: 7 - Longwell Green Sports 5.2 Odd Down, Bemerton Heath Harlequins 5.2 Lydney Town (aet)
Lowest Scoring Game: 0 - Downton v AFC Portchester
Goal Average: 3.76
Grounds Visited: 33
New Grounds Visited: 22
Goals scored: 226
Highest Scoring Game: 7 - Longwell Green Sports 5.2 Odd Down, Bemerton Heath Harlequins 5.2 Lydney Town (aet)
Lowest Scoring Game: 0 - Downton v AFC Portchester
Goal Average: 3.76
Grounds Visited: 33
New Grounds Visited: 22
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