After the disappointment of the Artois defeat the previous week it was pleasing to return to winning ways with a win over rivals and last years champions Gardners.
Before the game the players were reminded of their reputations and responsibilities and that it was time to start to deliver. It was evident from the start that we were more up for the game than them and for the first fifteen to twenty minutes we were by far the better side. As in previous weeks though we did not capitalise by taking our chances and Gardners came back into the game as the half progressed. In fact although we shaded the first half they had the easier chances and in the end we were relieved to turn round level.
At half time the players were asked to be more selective in their passing, retain possession better and be aware of the threats Gardners were posing on the break. This was taken on board and resulted in a more dominant half. After sixty minutes an injury to Mark Lester meant that Martin Millins was moved into central midfield and almost immediately he supplied the ball over the top for Dave Burren to bravely nod pass the advancing keeper. This appeared to ease the pressure and the second goal came ten minutes later. Millins broke from midfield found Liam Gent on the right and his cross was finished off from close in as Millins took the return. An injury to Millins led to him being replaced by Peter Bukovec who was central to several other good chances being created without success. Despite a couple of near misses for Gardners in the closing minutes the defence looked far more solid in the second half with Mark Wood and a hard working Danny McGahan closing down the threat that had come from the Gardeners attack down our left in the first half.
All in all a good result, and although the Gardners team on the day was not as strong as last year, it was an important game for us to win if we were to maintain our hopes of being a key challenger for the title.
Team:
L.Baker
A.Lindsey
M.Wood
N. Coxon
I.Ward
L.Gent
M.Lawrence
M. Lester
D. McGahan
D. Burren
M. Millins
Subs:
C.Mearing (for Lester)
P. Bukovec (for Millins)
S. Hunter