CHRISTCHURCH V BOURNEMOUTH POPPIES

SYDENHAMS WESSEX PREMIER LEAGUE

MATCH RESULT: 1 - 2

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

SUBS USED:

PAUL RIDEOUT
SIMON KEATES
TOM PRICE

It was unlucky 15 for Christchurch as they were defeated by an energetic Poppies team who worked very hard for each other and whose second goal was good enough to win any game.

The game started brightly for the home side wide with skipper Dan Crutchley narrowly wide with a header in the 1st minute and they took the lead on 5 minutes when Ben Osborne cleverly back heeled a Tom Jeffes cross into the net. They very nearly increased the lead on 14 minutes with Crutchley again in the thick of matters narrowly missing from close range.
After this though the visitors started to close down Church very quickly when they had possession and although their attacks did not trouble Kearn in the home goal they equalised with their first real threat on goal when a shot from Cann crept into the net. Stewart being an honest soul will readily admit he should have done better but you are allowed 1 mistake every season!!

With this goal Poppies gained in confidence and they were denied what looked a clear cut penalty and also by Ben Lucas heading just over his own crossbar.

The start of the second half was similar to the first with Jeffes firstly shooting well wide when in a good position and Fairbrother after a mazy run delaying his effort too long and being dispossessed. The game was won on 48 minutes when a 40 yard diagonal pass landed in the path of Scott Sanderson who thundered in an unstoppable shot from 22 yards into the top corner.

After this Church were restricted to few chances but they wasted 2 free kicks on the edge of the penalty area with Osborne & Lawrence shooting wide. The game should have been sewn up by Poppies on 75 minutes when Cann who was clean through on goal inexplicably passed to a colleague who was clearly offside.

Manager Graham Kemp then made a triple substitution on 78 minutes and whilst Church camped themselves into the visitors half the nearest they came to equalising was when Jason Harvell produced a superb save from a Mark Smith free kick.

A shame that Christchurch lost both their unbeaten home record and undefeated run but it was to a side full of confidence who could well be the dark horses in contention for the title.

MAN OF THE MATCH: BEN LUCAS

Donners