Selkirk 2 Wrington Redhill reserves 2
On a day when everyone was just pleased to get back to football, both teams will be disappointed at the result and will feel they dropped two points. Wrington have had a busy off season and both their first team and reserves have deep squads with players fighting for starting roles whilst Selkirk have several good youngsters looking to make their mark. Wrington were disappointed to loose key starters Callum Briggs and Jake Betts to knee injuries in the lead up to the game.
It was Wrington who started quicker and even in the tricky windy conditions looked to play some good passing football. Kyle Selman and Tommy Johnson looked lively up front whilst Paul Burnett and Paul Faulkner controlled the midfield realising ‘Dutch’ Holland to made a number of surging runs from midfield. After ten minutes, Wrington pressure led to a throw in which found Holland 25 yards out and his dipping shot gave Jordan Allen in the home goal no chance. The visitors grew in confidence with Johnson hitting the post and a lovely move saw Burnett and Johnson again release Holland but this time a wicked bobble saw him miss his chance. As so often happens, immediately from the resulting goal kick the game changed in an instant. A long kick by Allen sailed on the wind and the retreating Dean Rix unfortunately saw his header lob his own keeper to level the scores after 20 minutes. This seemed to knock some of the stuffing out of the home side and Selkirk grew in confidence. All of a sudden they were pressing more effectively and Wrington started to give the ball away. New recruits Tom Cleeves and Adam Cox look solid in defence but having looked so dangerous in attack the visitors failed to get the ball forward enough quickly enough and Selkirk were now in the ascendant. The visitors also lost Burnett to a hamstring injury to be replaced by Curtis. Before he had time to settle, a hopeful cross came at an awkward height and all he could do was chest it into the path of Scott Chapman whose shot crept in off the post to give Selkirk an unexpected lead at halftime.
Straight from the kick off Curtis almost redeemed himself when chasing a through ball, he robbed the goalkeeper and looked certain to score only for a goal line clearance from Bracey to deny him. Both teams seemed to struggle in the second half and neither came to terms with the wind and bobbly pitch. I cannot recall a clear chance from either side and frustration set in. Faulkner was replaced by James Marshall (which was not surprising as he had been at work for 36 hours straight before the game) as Wrington reverted to two up front. However, neither side looked like scoring apart from a set piece. Wrington started to give away some cheap free kicks around their box but keeper James Williams was never really tested. Wrington finally forced two corners. Dean Rix was unlucky not to get on the end of the first and the second resulted in an unfortunate hand ball from a defenders raised arm . In no way deliberate but under the new rules definitely a penalty. After wrestling the ball from James Marshall, Johnson coolly slotted home the penalty to secure a draw which feels crucial with no game next week. However, both sides can legitimately claim this was a game they should have won.
James Williams, Nic Tucker,Dean Rix, Tom Cleeves, Adam Cox,Charlie Cressy, Paul Faulkner, Paul Burnett, Chris Holland,Kyle Selman. Tommy Johnson.
Nick Curtis for Paul Burnett
James Marshall for Paul Faulkner
Mike Clements for Charlie Cressy