Division One
Langford 3 Brache Sparta 0
Saturday, 29 November 2003
The weeks rain had given back the Forde Park pitch its usual shade of green. With a strong wind blowing but the forecast heavy rain not materializing the Reds took on old friends Brache Sparta. Langford were missing the services of Paul juicey Chamberlain and so gave a League debut to Mark Nunn who filled in at the sweepers position.
For once it was the Reds who started the brighter side putting the visitors under pressure from the off. However despite the visitors defence looking decidedly rocky the Reds couldnt force a clear-cut chance until the fourth minute when Tye denied Holmes as he broke through on the left of the area. By the midway point of the half The Foxes had a little flurry of half chances that came to nothing. Both teams were beginning to look somewhat mediocre in their play. The wind made dead ball situations an interesting affair and Robert Groves took full advantage to test the keeper whipping the ball in just under his bar from a corner that resulted in a goalmouth scramble that was eventually stopped for a foul. On thirty-seven minutes Langford did take the lead when Holmes put away Steve Starling, the Reds leading scorer was about to outpace the defender when he wasnt brought to ground. MARC HOLMES put away his second successive penalty and his tenth goal overall this season. The best move of the game however came to minutes from the break. Steve Starling was put away down the Langford right and his cross was picked up by the incoming Marc Holmes who in turn laid a clever flick to Robert Groves who forced the goalkeeper into a fine reflex save with his shot. HT 1-0.
Brache Sparta made two substitutions at half time replacing Kevin Wheeler and James Dickson with Steve Dobbs and Geoff Tamusuzd. It didnt seem to make a lot of difference as the Reds dominated the second half in such a fashion the Jamie Kyle in the home goal didnt touch the ball until the eightieth minute! From the start of the half Ben Tye was forced into a save from Steve Starling as he latched onto a well-weighted pass from Nick Stillwell. Marc Holmes then shot wide from six yards when it was easier to score a minute later. It was now all down to visiting goal keeper Ben Tye on how great the winning margin was to be as he denied Starling what on other days would have been a hat trick for the Reds leading marksman. Just on the hour another in swinging corner created another goalmouth scramble that eventually saw JULIAN SPUD BENNETT prod home the loose ball from four yards to give Langford a well deserved 2-0 cushion. Spuds celebrations certainly relieving the frustrations of the previous hour. The heavy rain never arrived but it was a red and yellow torrent that Tye had to deal with in the Foxes goal and he continued to deny further good efforts from Holmes, Starling and Goldsmith to add to the score line. STEVE STARLING finally beat the young goalkeeper converting a Marc Holmes pass with fourteen minutes remaining for goal number 23 of the season. With the game now well and truly wrapped up Paul Mullins headed a free kick over the cross bar and Tye continued to frustrate the Reds efforts to further improve the goal difference. This time Marc Holmes being denied. With two minutes remaining Langford made a mass substitution bringing on Lee Harman, Ben Lowden and Dan Wilson and the youngsters made sure the game was played out to a conclusion in confident fashion. FT 3-0
This win has lifted the Reds into third position their highest League placing for a number of years and the way they dealt with Brache Sparta they could go all the way.
Langford;
Kyle;Jenkins;Stillwell;Nunn;Bennett;Rogers;Goldsmith; Ritson; Holmes; Starling; Groves.
SUBS USED; Wilson for Jenkins (88), Lowden for Holmes (88), L.Harman for W.Goldsmith
SUBS NOT USED; Roy Ryall, Jamie Campbell
Brache Sparta;
Tye; Jeans: Pugh; Kane; Temple; Shanks; Smith; Dickson; Wheeler; McDermott; Mullins.
SUBS USED; Dobb for Dickson (45), Tamusuzd for Wheeler (45), Ranger for McDermott (82).
SUBS NOT USED; none
GOALS
Langford; Marc Holmes (37pen),Julian Bennet (59) Steve Starling (76).
Brache Sparta; none
Bookings & Sending off;
Langford; none
Brache Sparta; Mark Smith (b, 63)
Referee; Mr. Ray Ward (Milton Keynes)
|
|