Division One (East)
Prestwood 0 Finchampstead 4
Saturday, 18 January 2003
Finchampstead moved four points clear of the chasing pack at the top of the Hellenic Football League Division One (East) table after returning from a chilly and windy Prestwood with maximum points from a fine 4-0 victory, although tongue in cheek, manager Steve McClurg harangued his players in the dressing room after the game for the host of missed chances.
Prestwood matched Finch?s endeavours in the opening twenty minutes of the game, with play moving from end to end as both sides used the flanks well before pumping some defence testing crosses into the danger area. Darren Kettle was unlucky in the seventh minute when he attempted to capitalise on the slowly reacting Prestwood defence to a fluffed clearance by their keeper Adam Slattery, but his lunging toe-poke skimmed just wide of the left upright, with the errant keeper beaten. At the other end, Andy Letham looked well placed to score for Prestwood in the eighteenth minute when he made an unchallenged run through midfield to the edge of the Finch penalty area, but Marcus Pearce was quick to spot the danger, closing in on him quickly and winning the ball with a well-timed tackle before a shot could be attempted.
This let-off appeared to be the trigger that Finch needed to get going and with their players suddenly looking more alive, and certainly more vocal, for the next ten minutes they took total control of play. In doing so, they turned their sudden superiority into a two-goal lead around the half hour mark. Their first goal, in the 30th minute, came from a long Stuart Harris free-kick, the Finch keeper delivering a perfect ball deep into the Prestwood penalty area that was flicked off the head of the climbing Darren Kettle to Aaron Gilbert, who stroked the ball crisply into the back of the net. Their second, in the 32nd minute, resulted from a good penetrating run by Andy Knapp and Matt Corder that saw their through ball played into the path of Danny Humphreys cleared over the touchline by back-pedalling Prestwood defender Jon Tilbury. Before the home defence could settle, Andy Knapp took a quick throw that was flicked further into the packed penalty area, with the ball dropping invitingly at the feet of Alan Hawkins, who sent it flying into the left hand corner of the goal beyond the reach of Adam Slattery to put Finch 2-0 in front. The remainder of the first half was something of a midfield stalemate as Finch visibly eased off the pressure and seemed content to let their hosts carry the play to them. Despite this dangerous relaxation, the only worthwhile attempt in the closing minutes before the break came from Prestwood?s Craig Henney, whose blistering twenty yard shot forced an amazing fingertip save by Stuart Harris in the 39th minute, with the resulting corner comfortably cleared up field by the sound Finch defence.
Half Time: 0-2
Good early second half pressure by Finch saw them take a comforting 3-0 lead in the 50th minute. A ball played neatly forward from defence by Marcus Pearce and Kevin Prentice was collected in the centre circle by Danny Humphreys, who in turn combined well with Danny McCarthy to get the ball out to the right wing, from where the latter sent in an out-swinging cross towards Bruce Rolls, who rose high above two challenging defenders near the penalty spot to send a delightful looping header into the goal. Prestwood, to their credit, tried hard to get back in the game, but despite creating one or two good chances at the end of left wing runs, the quality Finch midfield and defensive play rarely allowed them to get close enough to get a shot in on goal, leaving Stuart Harris relatively untroubled. Their best move of the day came in the sixty-eighth minute when an excellent solo run from deep in his own half by skipper Craig Eden ended with a perfectly delivered cross to the edge of the six yard box that was met with a well-timed header from Andy Letham that Stuart Harris did well to grasp off the goal line at the top right corner. Finch?s fourth goal came in the 73rd minute, and although brilliantly executed and finished, came from a failure by Prestwood to pick up the Finch runners from midfield. Martin Turner and Alan Hawkins were allowed the freedom of the park to move the ball forward from defence through midfield and out wide to the left, from where a great cross-field ball to the right hand corner of the Prestwood penalty area was collected in his stride by Danny McCarthy, who ran on to drill the ball home. Not satisfied with their 4-0 advantage, Finch forced Prestwood to defend in numbers in the closing stages of the game, with Danny Humphreys and Bruce Rolls both going close with testing shots on target, only to be denied by equally good saves by Adam Slattery.
On Saturday, Finchampstead entertain Letcombe in a Hellenic Football League Division One (East) fixture at Finchampstead Park with a 2.15pm kick-off. In a busy day at the club, the Finchampstead reserve team entertain Brackley Town in a Hellenic Reserve Division One fixture (2.15pm).
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