The first game in the Somerset Premier division to be played at The Rec took place this Saturday. The visitors,Odd Down Res, arrived on a sunny afternoon with The Rec looking a picture. All the work of the players and supporters at the club to get the pitch and surroundings ready paid off handsomely.

There were again a number of changes forced on the home team management but the depth of the assembled squad again came to the fore.

Wrington started with an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation due to the absentees. The visitors elected to kick with the slope in the first half but an even start to the game led to a canny opening. Gradually Odd Down began to control the game as the home team struggled to master the new formation.  A few half chances fell to both sides but on 38 minutes Odd Down took the lead as the Wrington team were robbed by  Jake (Dick) Turpin. The ball was moved well by the visitors culminating in Turpins attacking sidekick feinting to shoot and then squaring the ball to Jake who calmly slide it under the advancing Dauncey. 0-1

The score remained the same up to half time.

The second half began and following the half time input of Coach Probert and Manager Smith Wrington were immediately on the front foot. While creating no clear cut chances Wrington pinned the visitors into there own half  for long periods with half chances falling to the hard working Andow and White. Rory Thomas began to come into the game with a number of excellent crosses from the left that were crying out for the suspended Cheeseman to be on the end of.

The half wore on and the visitors settled into a defensive pattern. They did however have an excellent chance to seal the game as the visitors number 10 stepped inside Johnson and with the goal open put the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.

The game entered the final 10 minutes with Wrington pushing for a goal. The visitors tried to slow the game down at every opportunity (as we all would) and the tactic looked like it would pay off but Wrington won a free kick deep in injury time.

Johnson hit one of his standard free kicks that substitute Chris Gayle got a ‘flick header’ that smashed into an Odd Down defender with the ball falling to Mike Rowcliffe on the six yard line. Rowcliffe calmly smashed the ball past the helpless Odd Down keeper that sparked great scenes of celebration as Rowcliffe was mobbed by his ecstatic team mates.

The game restarted with the referee almost immediately blowing his whistle for full time. 1-1

An even game that the visitors may feel unlucky to have drawn but on balance I would venture Wringtons second half performance and ‘never say die’ attitude eared them a well deserved point to maintain The Redskins unbeaten start.

MOM :- Rory Thomas (Pictured). Always a threat from the left hand side. No wine though as a win was not achieved!