Tuesday 29th September 2009

Sydenhams Wessex League Cup 1st Round

DOWNTON V CHRISTCHURCH FC

1. Stewart Kearn
2. Colin Dand
3. Dave Legg
4. Dan Crutchley
5. Steve Linpow
6. Dan Taylor
7. Mark Smith
8. Dan J Taylor
9. Robbie Woolner
10. Tom Jeffes
11. Paul Rideout

SUBS

12. Ben Osborne
14. Marc Fairbrother
15. Adam Costello
16. Ben Hatch
17. Paul Manning


A dramatic finale resulted in Christchurch progressing into the next round of the league cup by virtue of holding their nerve in a tense penalty shoot out.

There was no sign of the drama to come as for the first 10 minutes the visitors passed the ball around with good movement and it was no surprise when Tom Jeffes scored what is now becoming his customary goal on 11 minutes from a Colin Dand through ball.
For the next 15 minutes Church came close to increasing their lead on a number of occasions the nearest being a Robbie Woolner cross shot from the left that narrowly missed the post.
However the second goal was not forthcoming and the home side grew on confidence and on the half hour mark equalised when the dangerous Thick scored from 20 yards having been denied in the previous minute by a fine save by Kearn in the visitors goal.
For the remainder of the half Downton looked the more dangerous side with the visitors having lost their influential midfielder Mark Smith due to an injury resulting in a re-shuffle.

Half Time: 1 - 1

The first of many baffling decisions by the referee came on 55 minutes when the home side scored with a header from a corner but this was disallowed and then in the next minute Jeffes netted from close range and the referee awarded a goal, the linesman was on his way back to the half way line when a Downton player asked the referee to speak to his assistant and then promptly awarded a free kick!!
For the remainder of normal time Church were camped in the Downton half but good solid defending kept them at bay and it came as a surprise when in a rare home side attack the referee awarded a penalty for what appeared to be a fair challenge by Linpow, justice was done though when Kearn saved the resulting spot kick.

Full Time 1 - 1

Again in extra time the visitors dominated but failed to make the break through and in the resulting penalty shoot out the normally reliable Rideout missed with the first kick and it was not until their 4th penalty that Downton missed to even matters. Churchs remaining penalties were struck firmly and the game was decided when the home side shot wide with their 7th.
At the end a good win for Church against determined opponents and a poor referee but they will need to find their shooting boots in the next few weeks to maintain their league position.

Extra Time 1 - 1 (Christchurch won 6 - 5 on penalties)

Donners