02.09.2006
Sampford Blues 2 - 3 Bridgwater Sports
Team: Mark Hill, Matt Caddy, Craig Lazenby, James Prowse, Jake Chidgey, Richard Harris, Jason Jones, Carl Tucker, Timmy Netto, Matt Fursland, Craig McGann
Subs: Steve Wood & Dan Mitchell (Not used)
Scorers: Craig McGann (3) 29, 33 & 55
Sports first game of the season after what seemed a long and hard pre season came and not without its problems. A depleted squad due to Scott Sealey & Aaron Philips playing Cricket and Jason Clapp & Steve West at a wedding the Mighty Showboat set sail down the M5 to Wellington to play a Sampford Blues side that always seem to give us a good game.
Stand in skipper Richard Harris won the toss and decided to play up the hill in extremely wet and windy conditions. Playing a 4-4-2 which included debutants Craig Lazenby and Carl Tucker, BW Sports started the brightest and took the game to Sampford for the first 15 minutes but slowly Sampford got back into by playing directly to their front line. This caused us a few problems and it was from one of these long balls that Sampford took an undeserved lead after 20 minutes.
The lack of talk at the back was causing concerns and with Chidgey looking as though he was unable to kick the ball Sampford must have felt confident of taking this game by the scruff of the neck. However Sports were still looking dangerous and were playing some outstanding attacking football and the pressure soon told when Craig McGann scored an equaliser that only just crossed the line.
Again Sports kept up the pressure with good interlinking play between Harris, Tucker & Netto with the front two and 4 minutes later Sports went two one up when McGann scored a cracking goal.
Further chances from Fursland & Netto went begging before Referee Ken Templeman blew for half time. After an enthralling team talk from Manager 'Jose' Bale Sports went out for the second half unchanged and confident of killing the game off with an early goal and hopeful that Chidgey could remember how to kick a ball!
Keeping with the general state of the game Sports took the game to Sampford and again a few chances went begging before McGann completed an outstanding hatrick on 55 minutes. It now seemed to be a case of how many would Sports score!
In contrast to the first half where most of the Sports play was down the right hand side, Jones & Chidgey combined well to cause the Sampford right back all sorts of trouble. Yes Chidgey had managed to kick the ball and Jones had an outstanding 45 minutes.
As the wind increased into the faces of the Sports players, Sampford were able to utilise their long ball game and again the quiet and unorganised Sports defence were caught short and only the bravery of Keeper Mark Hill kept the two goal margin intact.
The game seemed to have dampened out until two minutes from time another long and hopeful kick over the top of the Sports defence led to Sampford pulling a goal back and setting up a tense last few minutes. Finally Ken Templeman blew the final whistle and the Sports left Wellington with the first 3 points of the season in the bag.
Players Ratings: (Not used for Dream Team points)
Hill (6) Prowse (6) Lazenby (6) Caddy (6) Chidgey (5) Netto (7) Harris (8)
Tucker (7) Jones (6) Fursland (7) McGann (9)
Subs: Wood & Mitchell - Not Used
Star Man: Craig McGann
Donkey: Jake Chidgey - Being unable to kick the ball