Division One (East)
Penn & Tylers Green 2 Binfield 1
Saturday, 12 April 2003
McCoy ?screamer? can?t salvage point for Binfield.
Binfield succumbed to a first-half penalty and a freak 45-yard ??ave-it!? volley at Penn & Tylers? on Saturday. Despite another stunning strike from Barry McCoy and dominating second-half proceedings, the travelling ?Moles? could not dig up an equaliser. Binfield?s line-up featured only one change from the Holyport line-up last week; Kellaway returning to the side upfront, replacing the missing Havermans. The combination of the infamous Penn slope and a bone-hard surface combined to ensure ?pretty? passing football was unlikely and so it proved.
Binfield probed down the left early on, with young Jones unable to go past his man. From the throw-in, McCoy?s flick on looked menacing for Kellaway, but without end product. Jones did get past the full back second time of asking, but the low cross was cleared to safety. A Penn breakaway on 5 minutes resulted in the opening goal. Day?s pass back to Isaacs, in the Binfield goal, was under hit causing the keeper into diving at the pacy striker?s feet. As the striker crashed to the ground the ball ran free across the goal, where another Penn player proceeded to slice it wide of the empty net. The referee decided to go back to the original offence and a penalty was awarded and converted, low to Isaacs? right hand, by the home skipper Walters. Penn were pressing to increase their advantage and Baker and Day had to combine to avert danger on 13 minutes. From the resulting corner, a speculative effort from outside the box forced Isaacs to tip over for another corner. Two minutes later, the visitors? keeper had to produce another fine reflex save as his defence failed to deal with a cross. Binfield replied on 17 with Lee on a fast break down the right. The wide-man?s cross finding McCoy, who in turn fed Hume and on to Jones who was fouled on the left edge of the area. Withers free kick found the head of a defender in the wall, before flying to Kellaway, who?s snapshot was high. Binfield were battling hard to get on level terms, with Penn content to break quickly up the slope on the counter. Another breakaway on the half-hour resulted in a fierce cross-shot wide of Isaacs? left hand post. Then, on 37, Binfield were level, and it was a beauty. Hume fed the ball to McCoy, back to goal and under close marking. The striker controlled, turned and let fly from fully thirty yards and saw it rush past Wight?s right hand into the bottom corner of the net. Controversy broke out on 40 minutes. Jones was clearly pulled from behind inside the home penalty area. The referee saw the offence, but strangely awarded a free kick outside the box as the assistant referee adjusted his starting position. The referee?s assessor, standing next to your match reporter, sported a puzzled expression and began making notes accordingly ? enough said then! Once again Withers? dead-ball effort flew high and over ? in fairness it is difficult to get the ball up and down quickly with that slope running away from you. Injury was added to the insult of the refused penalty, a minute later, as the home team took a match-winning lead from a freak goal. Hume headed clear towards halfway down the touchline. The Penn right back, Catlin, moved forward just over halfway and volleyed an agricultural strike that sailed over Isaacs into the unguarded Binfield net.
Half-time 2-1
Binfield started brightly in the 2nd period. Hume found McCoy on the edge of the box. The lay-off was neat to Kellaway, but the young striker?s left foot effort was wide. McCoy was fouled thirty yards out and, this time, Withers effort tested the keeper, but a save low to his left looked comfortable. Flowerday replaced Jones on the Binfield left on the hour mark and was soon in action, entering the referee?s notebook for some backchat with the ball out of play. Binfield continued to enjoy the major share of possession, but were struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. Williams was fouled on the right, just past the hour, and Withers? curling free kick eluded every head in the danger zone. Penn?s attacking ambitions were increasingly limited, but a breakaway on 75 minutes produced a low cross that was deflected narrowly wide. Duffy replaced Lee on 79 minutes, with the new man moving to the left flank and Flowerday switching to the right. Duffy, too, was soon in action with a long run down the left. His cross found his former youth teammate, Kellaway, but the striker?s volley flew wide of the target. Penn were content to keep the ball in the corners to run down the clock as the game entered the closing stages. Binfield were worthy of a point on the day, based on share of the ball, but it was to be an empty-handed trip back on this occasion.
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