CHRISTCHURCH V WINCHESTER CITY

SYDENHAMS WESSEX PREMIER LEAGUE

SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2010

MATCH RESULT: 4 - 1

1. Stewart Kearn
2. Adam Costello
3. David Legg
4. Dan Crutchley (capt)
5. Steve Linpow
6. Martin Harris
7. Mark Smith
8. Marc Fairbrother
9. Ben Osborne
10. Tom Price
11. James Burden

SUBS:

12. Dan Taylor
14. Tom Jeffes
15. Steve Green
16. Martin Lawrence
17. Ben Lucas

This match whilst keenly contested from the first minute did not come to life until the 24th minute when ex Church player Zach Glasspool did a poor impression of a dive in the Church box and got booked for this cynical attempt to gain an advantage. Up to this point only a 12th minute corner to Winchester and a free kick near the Winchester penalty area for Church were worthy of note although there was plenty of action, much of it aerial, neither side could create that decisive opening. This was borne out by the fact that Church did not get their first corner until the 28th minute, which, in keeping with the game up to that point, came to nothing. The expectant crowd had to wait until the 37th minute for either side to test a goalkeeper and when it came it was a weak shot by Winchester’s Glasspool from his unfavoured right foot.

On the 38th minute just as everybody was thinking about half-time refreshments and bemoaning any real quality in the game, the players decided that the match needed livening up and a scything challenge on the Church captain brought about the first booking for the Winchester number 11, Bye, if he had been any later that is exactly what he would have been saying to the match.

Then in the 40th minute after a bursting run by Tom Price which resulted him in being brought down just outside of the box by a combination of the goalkeeper and defender, the referee decided that it merited a sending off and dismissed Winchester ‘keeper Gosney, for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. Winchester then re-shuffled the team and brought on Harper in to goal and sacrificed their right full back. The resultant free kick was taken by Smith, which rattled the bar and went over for a goal kick.

Half- time 0 – 0

As the teams came out for the second half the crowd were expecting Church to take full advantage of the extra man and in the 50th minute a neat turn and fierce shot by Fairbrother opened the scoring for Church. Two minutes later a second player from Winchester found himself in the referee’s book as their number 5 hacked down Price on the Church right, the game was starting to impersonate the action at the end of the first half, from the free kick Church gained a corner which came to nothing.
Church were now starting to play some attractive and neat football, which did not seem to go down well with our opponents, as they looked to add to their tally in the referee’s notebook, and on the 57th minute the Winchester number 8 was also booked for yet another poor challenge, this time on Smith. The free kick from Burden tested the goalkeeper and brought a good save from Harper.
Positive play continued from Church without really threatening to add to their tally when in the 64th minute the Winchester number 10 was also booked for a foul on Price as he was heading towards goal, soon after Winchester made their third substitution and replaced their number 10 for S. Hussey (14).
At this point Church were finding themselves dropping off too much and allowing 10 man Winchester to gain some confidence and it came as no surprise that this period of play resulted in an equalizing goal from Bye (11) after a needless free kick was given away on the edge of the Church box. The home side now seemed a little rattled and another free kick in the 71st minute, also on the edge of the Church box, went just wide from Winchester.
Ben Osborne became the only Church player to be booked (73rd minute) after a tired looking lunge from behind saw him bring down a player, however, he showed he still had gas left in the tank to get into the six yard box and turn in a James Burden driven cross, courtesy of his thigh, in the 75th minute.
This goal seemed to drain all the effort from our visitors, after their best 10 minute spell and five minutes later a second goal from Osborne after a mistake in the Winchester penalty area. The final goal came only a minute later from Burden after a driven shot took a slight deflection past the stricken goalkeeper.

A disciplined performance from Church against a physical and imposing side saw the kind of display and result missing from their last home match, excellent.

Man of the Match : Marc Fairbrother

Duffers