Division 1
Watlington 2 Chalgrove 3
Saturday, 20 April 2013
The sun shone, on Chalgrove!
On the nicest day of the year, so far, a bumper crowd of 157 people watched an end to end entertaining match that sung this way and that. Watlington started well, biting into tackles in midfield, winning the aerial battle at the back and out muscling the Chalgrove defence up front. Highlights saw Julian Pitts brushing Bertie Proctor to the floor and Zack Gallagher sticking the ball through Paul Cole’s legs before running round him and getting it on the other side.
The home sides good start was rewarded when they went 1-0 up. The ball fell to Zack Gallagher in the Chalgrove box, he spun and fired the ball into the roof of the net. The lead didn’t last long. Will Clements enthusiasm to win the ball, from behind a Chalgrove player resulted in the ref rewarding a free kick which Calum Clewer sweetly slotted into the corner of the net without Watlington’s keeper moving.
The game was now flowing and Chalgrove took control of the next ten minutes, ironically Watlington then took the lead again. Not to be outdone Ceri Saunders dispatched a free kick from a bit further out than Calum’s into the bottom corner of the Chalgrove net.
Half time, Watlington 2 Chalgrove 1
Chalgrove came out fired up for the second half and were first to every loose ball as the half started. Bertie Proctor fired a ball out wide to Simon Godfrey who had been left with far too much space and time. Godfrey fired in a fast , low and dangerous cross and with Nick Skiller breathing down his neck Gareth Bridges slid in to clear the ball, into his own net. Chalgrove continued to be the stronger team without creating scoring opportunities until a hopeful punt forward saw the Watlington keeper, James Conn, come sprinting out of his goal to clear the danger. Conn got to the ball first but distracted by the on-rushing Skiller spooned his clearance which resulted in the ball landing at Nick Skiller’s feet for him to slot home into an empty net.The game now swung back to Watlington. Chalgrove had their keeper, Sam Eelles, to thank for keeping them in the game. A Bank’s like save preventing a cross that eluded everyone from finding the corner of the net and he tipped over really well from a well struck shot from Ceri Saunders.
Both sides continued to create half chances and both teams could have added to the score line, but neither managed it.