League Representative Fixtures
Final
Screwfix Direct Western Lge X1 2 Cherry Red Records Hellenic Lge X1 4
Wednesday, 23 October 2002
A long coach trip to Willand Rovers found a ground with an excellent flat pitch in somewhat compact but atmospheric surroundings
The Hellenic League opened at a frantic pace with Kevin Coles causing problems down the right with his speed and excellent link work with Justin Miller and Ian Concannon. After only three minutes Coles gained a corner that Andy Marriott converted with a strong header at the far post. With Shaun Terry and Dave Webb holding sway in midfield openings came regularly for Coles and Concannon that were either denied by the keeper or the slick surface due to late afternoon rain. It was 15 minutes before the Western league settled into the game. But tight defending prevented any openings, until the 28th minute when Stuart Lamont was caught in two minds with an attacker at his back unfortunately he hit a soft back pass that never reached keeper Tony Court and Steve Blurton had an easy task of shooting into an open goal for the equaliser. The mid field players of both sides tightened their hold on the game and neither side forced any openings in the 1st half.
Half Time: 1-1
Halftime saw changes with the tiring Coles being replaced by Tony Joyce in midfield, Paul Day for Justin Miller up front and Darren Hobbs coming on to replace Stuart Lamont. The effect of these changes electrified the 2nd half as Webb and Terry, voted man of the match by the Western League, prompting linked up with Concannon to tear the Western League apart. As the host side?s defenders tired Paul Day peppered their goal forcing two good saves from the keeper and hitting the post in a three-minute spell. The pressure eventually told with Tony Joyce's cross being headed in by Ian Concannon in the 67th minute. The home side tried to find an opening but the closest they got was a free kick that Court just managed to tip over the bar. From the corner the visitors broke at too fast apace for the home side and from a Concannon cross from the right and a dummy run by Day left Mark Belcher to head into the net at the far post, what was a right wing back doing in the main striker position? Five minutes later Ian Concannon made it 4 - 1 converting a beautifully timed through ball from Paul Day. With full time beaconing the defence fell asleep and allowed Matt Harvey to tap in a cross from Nick Howe to make it 4 - 2 in the 88th minute.
The spirit and above all the excellent link work between players from different clubs was a revelation on the night. In the final minute the Hellenic League found a good use for manager Gary Goodwin when he used his sylph like figure to piggy back the injured Shaun Terry from the field.
Team: Tony Court, Kevin Coles, (Yate Town) Mark Belcher, Matt Jack, Dave Webb, Justin Miller, (Highworth Town) Stuart Lamont (Wootton Bassett Town) Stuart Huxley (North Leigh) Andy Marriott (Abingdon United), Ian Concannon (Didcot Town), Shaun Terry, (Pewsey Vale).
Subs: Darren Hobbs (Yate Town) for Lamont, Tony Joyce (Highworth Town) for Coles, Paul Day (Pewsey Vale) for Miller.
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