Premier Division
Didcot Town 1 Bishops Cleeve 0
Saturday, 03 May 2003
Didcot Town signed off their League campaign with a narrow 1-0 win against Bishops Cleeve on Saturday. With one eye on the Supplementary Cup Final just 48 hours later, manager Pete Foley rested skipper Andy Cooper and Dwaine Strong and relegated top scorer Ian Concannon to the bench.
In the opening move of the game Cleeve were inches away from taking the lead when Kevin Slack drove the ball wide after being set-up by strike partner Adam Giles. In a lively start, Didcot?s Lee Newport shot dangerously into the 6 yard box but Dan Harvey cleared the danger. In the 9th minute Harvey was again involved when the referee harshly judged that he had brought down Terry Morrisey in the penalty box. Lee Newport struck the spot-kick well but Cleeve keeper John Skeen pulled off a fine one-handed save to deny him. Town?s Chris Dore had the next chance but he side-footed weakly into the hands of Skeen when well-placed only 10 yards out. The visitors had two glorious chances to open the scoring midway through the first half. Only a brilliant tackle by Town?s Scott Davis halted Slack as he looked set to shoot home past keeper Keith McLoughlin and then John Hills missed a sitter when he failed to hit the target from within the 6 yard box. A good move involving Nigel Emsden and Newport released Jamie Heapy but Skeen managed to block his low shot and follow-up.
Half Time: 0 ? 0
Heapy was again involved in the move that led to Town?s winner in the 56th minute. A quick break by Morrisey, and an interchange of passes with Heapy, gave Dore space in the box and he rifled the ball past Skeen into the net. Cleeve were desperately unlucky not to get an equalizer in the 70th minute. Steve Cleal crossed from the right and Slack rattled the underside of the bar with a first-time shot. The visitors were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes remaining when Stuart Lewis was dismissed for his second yellow card and they struggled to impose themselves much after that. Didcot keeper McLoughlin was called into action in the closing stages when Cleal had a long range effort saved but Town comfortably held ?on for the win which saw them claim a top five spot in the final League standings.
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