TOTTON AND ELING v CHRISTCHURCH

SYDENHAMS WESSEX PREMIER LEAGUE

MATCH RESULT: 0 - 1

GOAL SCORER: BEN OSBORNE

1. JASON COLLINS
2. SCOTT SANDERSON
3. DAVID LEGG
4. COLIN DAND
5. BEN LUCAS
6. DAN TAYLOR
7. MARK SMITH
8. JACQUES BERNARD
9. BEN OSBORNE
10. TOM JEFFES
11. PAUL RIDEOUT

SUBS USED:

STEVE GREEN
JAMES BURDEN


A well taken goal by top scorer Ben Osborne on 13 minutes was enough to give Church all 3 points in a tough encounter which saw the home side have 2 players sent off and Church 1 sent off.

The visitors nearly opened the scoring in the first minute when from a Mark Smith corner Tom Jeffes was unable to bring the ball under control and Totton were able to clear the ball. The home side then exerted some pressure and on 5 minutes Ben Lucas cleared off the line and then in the next minute they shot wide when well placed. The winning goal followed shortly when after a neat passing movement Tom Jeffes supplied the pass for Osborne to finish superbly for his 29th goal of the season. Totton then pushed forward showing no ill affects from their excellent Russell Cotes cup win on Tuesday but without really testing young keeper Jason Collins standing in for the injured Stewart Kearn. The game exploded into life in injury time when Ben Lucas went on a marauding run forward which was stopped illegally by 2 Totton players but he retaliated with a bad challenge resulting in him being sent off with both home players receiving yellow cards.

Manager Graham Kemp changed his formation for the second half with Jacques Bernard moving to full back and Tom Jeffes to midfield leaving Ben Osborne as the lone striker. It was hard to know which side had reduced numbers as twice Bernard nearly scored firstly hitting the bar with a header and secondly having an effort cleared off the line. Totton were then also reduced to 10 men on the hour when their centre half was dismissed for his second yellow card on the hour mark. Church then came close to increasing their lead twice in 2 minutes when Bernard hit the post again and Osborne working very hard showed great skill to be on a one on one situation with keeper but finished weakly. Church keeper Collins had very little to do being protected by superb defending but when called into action he dealt very confidently with everything that came his way. Steve Green nearly scored with his first touch and twice in the last 5 minutes the lead was nearly increased but fine keeping denied the visitors. There was then just time for the home side to have a second player sent off in injury before the end of the game.

This win completed a double over Totton, which I doubt very few sides have managed this season and also extended the unbeaten run to 15 games. It is now in our hands if we can finish 5th in the league but if not is has still been an excellent season for the whole club.

Donners