Wrington Redhill 3 Timsbury 2
After last week’s disappointing defeat Wrington Redhill were eager to get back to betterform when hosting the current league leaders Timsbury Athletic, themselves on a run of nine unbeaten league games. With a couple of players still missing from the squad in came Chris Bradley and Rory Thomas to take the full back berths and a changed formation was adopted which saw the home side start on a positive note.
In the first twenty minutes the team produced some really good football getting down the flanks and creating opportunities and Ollie Clements set pieces, but just lacked the finishing touches to score the all-important first goal. As the half progressed the league leaders started to gain a hold and with the interval approaching gained the lead. A run on the left by Ebner Heatley saw him switch the ball to Chris Midgley on the right who then cut inside and stuck the ball inside the post eluding keeper James Williams. Despite this setback heads remained high as the 1-0 deficit was the difference at the break.
A tactical master stroke by thee White/Clements/Brown managerial combo’ saw Wrington Redhill swap Leigh White into the back four giving Dan Ferguson license to move into midfield to try something new. Josh Pitt also came on for Parky who was feeling unwell toward the end of the 1st half. The switch brought immediate results with the team rejuvenated and on fire with higher intensity and quicker passing. This allowed Jack Hutchings to be brought into the game more and a ten-minuteburst brought three goals, the first when Thomas raced down the left touchline, his cross flicked on by Ryan Pugh finding George Fake at the far post to head home the equaliser.
A couple of minutes later Ferguson picked up a ball on the edge of the penalty area, turned to create an extra half yard and produced an unbelievable strike which rattled the back of the stanchion for a super goal and the lead. It did not stop there as the hosts were in full flow and a third goal soon followed. This came when Bradley sent a long ball from defence which Timsbury’s defence failed to clear and Fake latched onto the loose ball and chipped over Ashton Tucker from a distance and suddenly the score line was 3-1 in Wrington Redhill’s favour.
As would be expected, as potential league champions, Timsbury re-grouped themselves, made substitutions, threw caution to the wind, and pushed more players forward with a view to salvaging the game. The back line of Bradley, White, Ethan Johnson and Thomas were busy but resolute although a brief scare came when a quick free kick caught them on the hop and as it sailed over them and substitute Reuben Hobbs delicately chipped over the advancing Williams into the net.
An anxious ten minutes followed although there could have been a more comfortable lead restored when Ethan Williams on for Fake, was unable to capitalise on a one on one with Tucker and after the game was heard to say something on the lines of ‘It is difficult to score against a full-grown man in big goals!
This was a terrific victory for the team with everyone playing their parts and all contenders for the player of the match. With his two vital goals the accolade went to George Fake.
Team:
Goalkeeper: James Williams
Defence: Chris Bradley, Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson, Rory Thomas
Midfield: Leigh White, Ollie Clements, Sam Parkinson,
Forwards: Jack Hutchings, George Fake, Ryan Pugh
Substitutes: Josh Pitt (for Sam Parkinson) Matt Walsh (for Jack Hutchings), Ethan Williams (for George Fake)