Division Three
Meltis Corinthians Reserves 0 Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves 2
Saturday, 05 May 2007
With Lidlington United Sports Reserves failing to fulfil their midweek fixture on The Green and Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves just like their nearest challengers Oakley Sports Reserves some two weeks ago being awarded the points they travelled to Hillsground knowing victory would give them the 2006-07 Bedfordshire Football League Division Three Championship Title ahead of their final game of the season against local rivals Caldecote A, but against a home side that had earlier in the seasons campaign become the first of only three teams to leave The Green with points this season they were only able to settle their nerves and achieve their aim eighteen minutes from time when man of the match Dave Robertson popped up with his second goal of the afternoon to finally break the defiant efforts of the home team.who had threaten to spoil their day of glory.with a spirited but at times total rear guard performance to suggest they themselves could well become serious promotion candidates next season.
The game was to open with the visitors having two chances inside the opening ten minutes to take the lead, first after Ricky Aris had won a corner off home defender Daniel Matthews, the home side appreared to be in touble when goalkeeper Solomon Smith fumbled the ball into the path of Paul Reid but luckily for him the Ickwell captain was unable to direct the rebound onto target, then after Lee Tetley had outstripped the home defence down the right flank his cross was to see a on the turn Neil Faulkner send the ball wide of Smith uprights.
The Sweetboys first adventure into the Ickwell danger zone was to see Earl Pateman have his shot blocked away in a crowded penalty box before the action was once again quickly taking place down the other end of the field, Aris arriving late to head wide has he rushed in to meet a Matt Neighbour flagkick before Sam Julian and Tetley combined well to stroll into the home penalty box and find Robertson whose effort was to come back off the sea of red shirts guarding the home goal, at this stage of the game it now seemed only a matter of time before the champions elect would gain the lead, the home side having to be grateful to centre-half Tony Masterson has he read the script to perfection to head away a dangerous looking cross delivered in by Robertson before home custodian Smith was in all sorts of touble punching away a long throw-in from Grant Hall.
Despite their constant bombardment of the home goal, Ickwell were still not able to find a way passed Smith and even when they did full back James Kiddy was their on the goalline to save his bacon in clearing away a Garath Underwood header before Aris was no more than six inches the wrong side of the woodwork from a snapshot effort fired in from outside the penalty box, the game was now moving into the last five minutes of the opening period which was to see The Men from The Green spurn their best two chances to date to break the deadlock, Faulkner arriving late to plant a header from Julian pinpointed cross over the bar then Aris left unmarked on the backpost should have least have managed to get his shot on target from just eight yards out.
But just when it seemed the home side would hold out till the break completely out of nothing and some thirty yards out from goal Robertson with the sweeties of strikes was to sent the ball flying into the back of the net and his side into a 1-0 half-time lead.
Within a minute of the restart Ickwell should have doubled their lead has home defender Jesse Branele could only sliced a clearance from a Aris cross into the path of Stuart Cook who should have done better than firing the rebound well wide of Smith's woodwork, this missed could well have proved to be more costly moments later when the small band of visiting supporters had their hearts in their mouths has their home counterparts yells for a penalty to referee Liani fell on deaf ears as Lawrence Brown went to ground under a push from Hall.
Ickwell however just like in the opening half were once again begining to take total control has chances were to fall and be sent begging by Underwood and Tetley before a tantalising low driven ball delivered in by Aris was to evade all in it's travel across the home six yard box, home goalkeeper Smith was then again back in action in saving well from Cook before he was a relieved man to see Aris glancing header drop for him just outside his uprights.
The home side however at 0-1 still sensed the game was far from over and perhaps Richard Suberwal should have done better with one of their rare sightings on the visitors goal when he placed a free kick well off target after Reid had been penalised for handball, but the game was up for The Sweetboys eighteen minutes from time when Ickwell netted their second and Championship winning goal, the home side had somehow managed to survive two corners at the expense of conceeding another before it became third flagkick luckly for Julian has he picked out Robertson arrival on the backpost who duly planted a firm header passed a rooted to the spot Smith.
Ickwell were now in cruise control towards the league title, Aris pushing a effort just wide then Robertson was just inches away from his hattrick with a header over the crossbar before in the closing minute of the game the overworked Smith somehow clawed away a effort from Faulkner who had been found unmarked just ten yards from goal by Underwood.
Meltis Corinthians, Solomon Smith, James Kiddy, Daniel Matthews, Tony Masterson, Jesse Branele, Sunil Ram, Earl Pateman, Lawrence Brown, Richard Suberwal, Santiago Canchig, Ashley Duckworth, Subs used, Bri Bhangle, Jamie Carter, Johanthan Saheta,
Ickwell & Old Warden, Cladio Fuccillo, Dave Robertson, Grant Hall, Sam Julian, Paul Reid, Garath Underwood, Lee Tetley, Rick Aris, Stuart Cook, Neil Faulkner, Matt Neigbour, Subs Used, Robert Thirkell, Steve Titmuss,