Bridgwater Sports Colts 3-2 Porlock Reserves

8th September 2007

Team:

Howes, Criddle, Walford, Savage, Hill, Monaghan, Mitchell, Harris, Redman, Frost, Clapp

Subs:

Townsend, Woolridge

Scorers:

Redman, Monaghan, Mitchell

The Colts first home game, on a hot Saturday afternoon, saw then face a very experienced Porlock reserve side and despite the promise of disruption to team selection this season only one change was forced, with Wiggy coming in for the absent Kev Curren.

The majority of an uneventful first half saw this experience cancel out the energetic endeavour of the home side.  But on 40 mins there was a long clearance up the middle from Sav, which seemed nothing more than that until Wiggy set off, at tremendous pace, in from the right.  This desire to hunt down the ball was rewarded when he just managed to slide in between the keeper and his defender to poke the ball past them and into the net, for a 1–0 lead at half time.

The half time team talk was easy to present.  If we continued to play as we were and with the effort and energy that were on display in the first half then Porlock would certainly struggle to break us down and would almost certainly tire in defence, allowing us the chances to take advantage.

All credit then goes to the players for carrying on where they left of, with no let up to the hassle and harrying of the Porlock players.  As hoped for, with an hour gone, Redders and Wiggy chased down the opposition defence tracking them further and further back towards their own goal and forcing a desperate attempted clearance, which only reached Gareth Monaghan, providing reinforcement from the left hand side.  With a superb Giggsyesque dribble into the box he held off a challenge before riffling the ball into the top of the net, 2-0.

In similar fashion, more good chances were falling to the Colts and, with the amount of effort they were providing, were well deserved.  However, cooler finishing was required, if we were to extend the lead, than what was on show at that time (Nathen, Wiggy!!).

Unfortunately, as is often the case when chances are not taken, we were made to pay for those misses.  On 70 mins the ball was slow to be cleared from a Porlock corner, resulting in a snap shot form inside the box which saw the ball hit Sav’s arm, from just a few yards away and immediately, referee Roger Gillard pointed to the spot.  Steve Lister stepped up and despite a valiant effort from Gaz the shot was too powerful for his outstretched hand to stop, and the score became  2-1.

Only 5 minutes later a further sucker blow was handed out to the Colts when a dubious free kick was awarded to Porlock on the edge of the box.  A wall was quickly assembled and the marking was tight, however, disaster was about to strike.  Gazza instructed his wall to move 2 paces to the left only to see all four players move 2 paces to the right! After a momentary pause, to rub his hands in joyous disbelief, Gareth Morgen slotted the ball neatly inside the vacant left hand side of the post, 2-2!

Admirably, the Colts did not let this set back affect their performance, and showed great character in pressing even harder for the win.  But with the clock ticking down it looked like time was going to run out before we could find that final breakthrough.  However, in the 90th minute one last determined run, chasing a loose ball which looked as if it was going out for a goal kick, was one run too many for the Porlock defender to cope with and having ended up the wrong side of the young Gareth Monaghan simply pushed him over in the box for a penalty to the Sports.

A few good penalty takers in the past gave a second thought to taking on this one, but not Steve Redman.  Having lead the team from the front in both games so far this season, he was the one who walked over, picked up the ball and placed it on the spot.  Then with supreme poise and consummate ease, a slight shimmy and a firm tap, saw the keeper going one way and the ball crossing the line on the opposite side, making it 3-2.

With just enough time remaining for the restart, the Colts then celebrated their second straight 3-2 win in as many weeks.  A well deserved victory, and reward for the effort and desire to perform that every player in the squad has been putting in.

Final Score:     3 – 2

Scorers:          D. Mitchell       G. Monaghan       S. Redman

Team – inc. Dream Team Ratings

G. Howes         7         

N. Criddle        7

C. Savage        8

A. Walford       7

M. Hill             7

G. Monaghan    8          *Star Man

D. Mitchell       7

R. Harris          7

S. Frost           7

A. Clapp          7

S. Redman       7

O. Townsend    6

D. Woolridge     6

Donkey:          D. Mitchell – for wearing an outrageously pair of gay, green lycra shorts!

W**ker:          R. Harris – for putting the ball out for a throwing and nearly decapitating our new assistant manager/linesman in the process!!