Premier Division
Pegasus Juniors 0 Didcot Town 2
Saturday, 22 March 2003
Didcot recorded their ninth league win in their last ten matches with a hard fought victory on Saturday and in doing so inflicted a fifth successive league defeat upon Pegasus Juniors.
The Pegasus ground is enclosed by Hereford racecourse, but it was Didcot that cut out most of the early running. The first chance of the game came from a Nigel Emsden corner in the 8th minute. Scott Davis headed goalwards at the far post but saw his effort cleared off the line. This led to a period of dominance for Didcot, with Chris Dore, Emsden, Darren McNamara and Dwaine Strong all seeing shots either blocked or narrowly miss the target. On 29 minutes Jamie Heapy fired in a low drive that was saved by the legs of Pegasus goalkeeper Matt Taylor but nine minutes later Didcot opened the scoring. Terry Morrisey crossed from the right only for McNamara to slice his shot. However, the ball bounced kindly to Heapy who drilled in his sixth goal of the season, and his second in successive matches. On the stroke of half time Didcot were dealt a blow when Strong, in what for him has already been an injury-plagued season, was forced to limp off.
Half Time: 0-1
Pegasus had created few chances in the first half but should have equalised five minutes after the restart. Winger Gavin Stone only had keeper Keith McLoughlin to beat but fired his shot wide of the far post. Another Emsden corner nearly brought a second goal for Didcot but Davis saw his header saved at point blank range by Taylor. However, Didcot were not to be denied. A Concannon corner from the right was only helped into the path of the onrushing Emsden who planted a header over the stranded Taylor and into the net. Like Heapy, this was Emsden?s second goal in four days. Although the Pegasus frustration boiled over into two simultaneous bookings for dissent they continued to carve out opportunities in an attempt to get back into the game. Harris skied the ball over the crossbar with only McLoughlin to beat but an even better chance came their way eight minutes from time when a clumsy Didcot challenge on Delwyn Ewers led to a penalty kick. However, although Adriano Girolami?s effort was well struck, McLoughlin pulled off an excellent save to parry the ball clear. Soon afterwards, Ewers headed wide for Pegasus from a good position but Didcot almost added a third in the closing stages when substitute Liam Byfield worked himself an opening but he dragged his shot wide.
Overall, Didcot probably deserved this victory that keeps them fifth in the table but with several games in hand on the leading clubs. As for Pegasus, if they can maintain their performances at this level, they should escape relegation.
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