Cleeve given 6 of the best
Wrington redhill reserves visited unbeaten Cleeve on the back of their first clean sheet of season and a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Portishead in their last league game.
Wrington were without former captain Nick Buck due to an impromptu visit north, Louis Rouvrais due to family commitments and goal scorer last week Joe Moore for his 8th holiday of the calendar year. However, the return of Phil Hartnup and the slick haired Tom Brewster were a welcome sight for manager Moss who had suffered a few recruitment issues prior to kick off.
Moss, for the 4th game in a row altered the formation of the side to 3-5-2 spearheaded by Chris Vowles and James Marshall for his first start of the season. This change however didn’t affect the away side from starting very brightly and but for the frame of the goal could have been 2 up inside 5 minutes, firstly through Selman and then a free kick from Edmunds who was suffering from the “sniffles”. This didn’t dishearten the visitors who took the lead on 16 minutes with the home sides defence parting like the red sea allowing Hartnup to drill an effort from the edge of the box into the far corner. The goal seemed to spark the visitors into life, playing some fine football but without being able to find the cutting edge in the final third thanks to some fine defensive work from Williams, Curtis, Briggs and goalkeeper Vowles. With half time approaching, the industrious Hartnup drove through heart of the Cleeve midfield, played in Vowles who shot could only be parried by the keeper and the rebound was tucked in neatly by Marshall at the back post for his second of the season.
HT 0 – 2
The second half started in similar fashion to the first with the away side on top and knocking the ball around with relevant ease, especially in midfield through Edmunds, Hartnup and Burnett ably supported by their two flying wingers of Johnson and Selman. This good work resulting in the frame of the goal taking another battering from a curling Hartnup effort and a rasping header from Vowles who deserved a goal in front of his new female fans. The reprieve was short lived by the home side after a raking ball from Selman set Johnson free to fire in a the near post on 56 minutes. Fifteen minutes later the game was put beyond doubt with another fine finish, this time from the left foot of Selman after another quick break. Moss made 2 substitutions bringing on Brewster for the tireless Marshall and Blake for Hartnup and this didn’t stop the rampant away side creating further chances and leaving keeper Vowles as a virtual spectator. A fifth was added on 76 minutes by Curtis who stabbed home following a quickly taken corner and a shot from Vowles that may or may not have been on target. 6 minutes later, Dan Burnett who had been industrious in midfield all day got his reward nodding it at the back post for his second goal for the club after fine Johnson work on the right. Despite the 6 nil score line Wrington wanted “Moore bang for their Buck” and in injury time were awarded a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Vowles. Stalwart Williams was granted permission to take the spot kick but his tame effort was easily saved and the follow was prodded wide with the final whistle shortly after.
It was a fine display from a reshuffled side with a score line that was certainly not flattering. Man of the match was given to Curtis, although there were a number of candidates who put in fine performances.
FT 0 – 6
- J Volwes – 7
- C Briggs – 6
- N Curtis – 8
- P Williams – 7
- K Selman – 7
- D Burnett – 8
- P Hartnup – 8
- M Edmunds – 7 (Pints of Cider)
- T Johnson – 8
- C Vowles – 8
- J Marshall – 8
Subs –
- T Brewster – 6
- A Blake – 6