WHITCHURCH V CHRISTCHURCH

WESSEX LEAGUE CUP

MATCH RESULT: 1 - 6

1. STEWART KEARN
2. ADAM COSTELLO
3. DAN TAYLOR
4. DAN CRUTCHLEY
5. BEN LUCAS
6. MARTIN HARRIS
7. MARK SMITH
8. MARC FAIRBROTHER
9. BEN OSBORNE
10. TOM JEFFES
11. PAUL RIDEOUT

SUBS USED:

DAVID LEGG
JACQUES BERNARD

A five star display from Christchurch in difficult conditions (all credit to Whitchurch for getting the game played) saw them progress to the last eight of the league cup.

With the wind behind them Church started in dominant fashion and it was 27 minutes before Stewart Kearn in the visitors goal had his first shot to save in open play by which time the visitors were two goals to the good. The first on 7 minutes was a superb Ben Osborne header from a Mark Smith corner and the same player was unlucky not to add to his tally twice in the next few minutes when from a short corner he headed just wide and then a fierce left foot shot went over the bar. It was Osborne who unselfishly became provider for the second goal when he laid the ball off to Tom Jeffes to finish clinically from 15 yards.

Church continued to dominate and on the half hour Ben Lucas had a header cleared off the line and it looked just a matter of time for the third goal to arrive. However the home side towards the end of the half had their best spell of the game and on 41 minutes with their first real effort on goal scored when a free kick on the edge of the box went under the defensive wall and into the corner of the net.

With the conditions in their favour in the second half and only a one goal disadvantage it looked as if Whitchurch would be a real danger but how different it proved to be. Kearn made a good save on 52 minutes but in the next five minutes the game was effectively over as Church had increased their lead to 4-1. On 55 minutes a miss hit Osborne shot or perhaps it was an intended pass landed at the feet of Paul Rideout who beat his full back superbly and fiercely drove the ball in the net and two minutes later after an excellent run and cross from Marc Fairbrother Osborne scored his second of the night from close range.

After this it was just a matter of how many the visitors would score and Osborne was close to scoring his hat trick on a number of occasions before Tom Jeffes netted his second and the team's fifth being set up by Jacque Bernard on as substitute for the impressive Martin Harris. Adam Costello then hit the the bar and Marc Fairbrother missed from close range before the other substitute David Legg added the sixth on 84 minutes. The movement and passing on both flanks was a delight to watch and midfield maestro Mark Smith was unlucky not to score a seventh when after several passes saw him clear on goal but his delicate chip was well saved by the home keeper.

This was an excellent performance from Church after the disappointment of the past few days and puts them in good stead for the difficult fixtures prior to Christmas.

Donners