Clarendon Cup
Round 1

Watlington Reserves  1    Mansfield Rd Reserves  2

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Wat: Sam Carter-Knight, Matt Zequiri

M R: Richard Edmonson,

The Watlington Town Reserves' long wait for their first cup game this season ended on Saturday when they met Mansfield Road's Reserves in an exciting and well-fought match played in difficult and blustery conditions.

Town started the game the brighter of the two sides and created some half-chances without seriously threatening the Mansfield Road goal.  Then a great through-ball was played by Connor B'layachi into the path of Sam Carter-Knight, who only needed one touch to neatly place the ball high to the keeper's right to give Town a deserved lead.  Town's good form continued for much of the half but the visitors came back into the game with some chances of their own, including one that forced an impressive last-ditch clearance from centre back Dave Hansford.  They eventually equalised when the ball was played across the Watlington box and full-back Richard Edmonson curled the ball expertly inside the far post from outside Town's area.  1-1 at the break. 

In the second half the wind picked up and Town found themselves camped in their own half and under increasing pressure as Mansfield Road turned the screw as they tried to break the deadlock.  When a rare counter attack by the hosts was cut short, the visitors broke and they eventually worked an opening from which Matt Zequiri struck a neat half-volley to beat the excellent Paddy Sunderland in the Watlington goal. The wind made it extremely difficult for the hosts to put attacking moves together, and in the end they were unable to find a reply to Mansfield Road's second goal as the visitors saw out the game to secure a 2-1 victory.