Premier Division
Abingdon United 2 Highworth Town 5
Saturday, 12 October 2002
Abingdon were caught cold in the first five minutes as they were exposed by Towns pace up front and never really recovered after two goals in the opening five minutes. United had the greater number of chances throughout the game but the visitors were more clinical in there finishing which was the other deciding factor.
Unbeaten Highworth had the perfect start, Mills raced through the centre of defence and rode a strong challenge and his shot flew into the top corner. Before United could compose them selves Saye got behind the defence and picked his spot as he slipped the ball wide of Carl Wilkins and into the net. The home side came back with a Chris Hooper drive that whistled just beyond the upright and an Andy Marriott header that bounced up and over the bar. Just after the half hour the game was finished off as Saye got on the end of a ball over the top of the rearguard and slotted home. Two minutes later Abingdon were rewarded as Marriott made no mistake with his head from a Curtin free kick to pull a goal back. Saye completed his hat trick five minutes from the break after he met a pinpoint cross with his head and directed it powerfully into the net.
Half Time: 1-4
In the second half Abingdon created the better openings but Highworth keeper Tom King denied them on three occasions. In the 50th minute Chris Hooper?s deflected shot fell to Ryan Curtin five yards out and his half volley bounced off the arm of King as he spread himself to block the ball. Soon after the keeper did well to get his fingers to the ball and tip it over from a Richard Peirson header. With quarter of an hour to go Andy Parsons found himself clear and unmarked and hit a low drive but once again King pulled off a fine diving save. As the game drew to its close Peirson hit a 25-yard pile driver free kick that even King couldn?t stop as the ball ricocheted off the post hit him and bounced into the goal.
Following a bit of aggressive pushing and shoving Town found themselves down to ten men but the home side couldn?t make the extra man count and time was running out. However the referee played about 7 minutes added time which allowed United to be thwarted once more after Nathan Woodley got on the end of a long ball but King arched back through the air to get his hand to palm the ball to safety. To add insult to injury Town broke into the space Abingdon had left as they committed every one up and a right wing cross was rifled home by Jack to make it a 5 ?2 win for the Town and leave United wondering what had happened.
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