BRADING TOWN V CHRISTCHURCH

SYDENHAMS WESSEX PREMIER LEAGUE

MATCH RESULT: 1 - 2

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

SUBS USED

TOM PRICE
BEN HATCH

Christhcurch continued on from their big win at Whitchurch on Tuesday with another away win. Although the margin was only one goal Church always looked the better side and could well have won by a bigger score.

All credit to Brading for ensuring the game went ahead and the visitors started brightly and on 8 minutes Ben Osborne was just wide from a Dan Taylor cross and on 15 minutes Tom Jeffes after a fine run shot narrowly wide. Paul Rideout had two fine efforts one being headed off the line and from the resulting corner Christchurch took a desrved lead when top scorer Osborne netted from close range (some thought it was an own goal but the writer is sure that Osborne had the final touch!!).

It was 28 minutes before Kearn in the visitors goal had a serious shot to save and he did well saving at the near post. Church should have increased their lead on the half hour mark when Rideout after clever passing was put through on goal but his lobbed effort went well wide. For the remainder of the the half the visitors continued to dominate with neat passing in midfield and were strong in defence with Ben Lucas being particularly impressive but they failed to increase their lead.

As has been the case in recent weeks Church started the second half strongly and skipper Dan Crutchley made it 2- 0 on 47 minutes when his first header was saved but after two recent Rideout efforts had been blocked the ball came back to Crutchley to finish emphatically.

It was nearly a third on 58 minutes but Jeffes was denied by a good save and as the weather worsened the home side began to threaten and only a superb high class save from Kearn from a header on 66 minutes denied Brading opening their account, however , they did score on 78 minutes when a disputed corner was not cleared and they netted from close range.

It would appear that the final 12 minutes would be difficult but this was not the case as the goal was Brading's last real effort and if anybody was to score it would be Church.

So 20 league games played, 13 of those away and a healthy seventh position and also evens on goals scored and conceded. It will be a difficult December but if the team show the same skill and effort they showed in this game then they have nothing to fear.

Donners