Division One (East)
Finchampstead 1 RS Basingstoke 0
Thursday, 26 December 2002
Finchampstead got their Bank Holiday programme off to a good start with a 1-0 victory over RS Basingstoke in the Hellenic Football League Division One (East) at Finchampstead Park on Boxing Day. Sadly the game between the two high-flying clubs did not live up to expectations, with little in the way of entertainment provided by either side in a dour encounter.
Without a recognised striker on the day, Finch was always going to struggle up front, although a few first half chances were created. The best, in the tenth minute came at the end of a good left wing run by Danny McCarthy, whose cross into the penalty area was fluffed by Grant Lewin from inside the six yard box, leaving Basingstoke keeper Tim Hyde untested. Things were no better at the other end, with Basingstoke equally, if not more, devoid of ideas in their approaches to goal, leaving the sound Finch defence to mop up everything that came their way, apart from a hopeful long-range effort from Daniel Winterborne that sailed just over the bar with Finch keeper Stuart Harris caught off his line.
Half Time: 0-0
Perhaps having shaken off some of the Christmas over indulgence, the teams played better in the second half, but not much.
Jamie McClurg was lively enough in making some early testing runs at the Basingstoke defence, but there was little support for him up front, allowing any promising moves to wane without getting a worthwhile shot in on goal. In the sixtieth minute a succession of Finch corners nearly ended in a goal at the far post as Lee Goddard climbed above the Basingstoke defence to head just over the bar, with Tim Hyde stranded on his goal line and unable to get anywhere near the ball. Minutes later, Grant Lewin fired inches wide of the left post at the end of Finch?s best move of the game, that saw the ball flow from deep in their own defence to the edge of the Basingstoke eighteen yard box before the Finch striker?s snap-shot. Stuart Harris was forced to push another long-range effort from Daniel Winterborne, this time from a free kick, over his crossbar in the sixty-seventh minute as Basingstoke had only their second attempt on goal of the afternoon, but that was it from them, as play degenerated into a niggling, midfield affair. Finch?s winning goal came in the eighty-sixth minute from Grant Lewin, who got a final touch to plant the ball past Tim Hyde in a goalmouth scramble. There was nothing spectacular in either the build-up play or final execution, but as they say, they all count.
At the end of the day, this was not the best of entertainment for the sizeable Boxing Day crowd at Finchampstead Park, with even the rain deciding to fall throughout the game to dampen their spirits even more. On the plus side, the win sees Finch at the top of the table and maintaining their defence of the championship, but they will need to perform far better if they are to retain their title.
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