Report

Match report for game played Saturday 12th May 2012

Westhoughton Rangers v Newbury Tigers

A friendly against a team from the D league behind Harper Green school was this week's match. As we kicked off we learned that Moss Bank's win over Highfield meant a 3-way tie at the top of the league and an intriguing Saturday to look forward to next week.

Newbury started the brighter and were ahead after 3 minutes when a couple of headers got through our defence and they fired home, 0 – 1. After 12 minutes things got even worse when Wes made an excellent save when parrying over a shot from close range and then had to be substituted after jarring his wrist. Soon after a Matt long throw was flicked on and in by Nat, 1 – 1. Then Matt doing his defence duties blocked a Newbury shot and Sam C, now in goal, gathered. Unfortunately Sam C  also pulled up with a knee injury but was ok to go on. We began to move forward during the second quarter of the game, Nat was through but went for goal when Jack was arguably in a better position. Nat had another chance when one-on-one with the keeper but it was saved well. After 25 minutes we managed to get our noses in front, again from a throw which SAM prodded home. On 33 minutes after some good passing play Tom collected the ball outside the box and swept the ball in past the diving keeper to make it 3 – 1. Half-time.

With Sam C suffering an injury Mark had to make quite a few changes to the shape of the team for the second half, not least keeper number 3 being James C. Was he regretting a friendly knowing what we would need to do next week? As a result we seemed a bit more dis-jointed in the second half, Newbury had more of the ball and it was quite an open game. James L playing up front had 2 or 3 chances which on another day he would have taken, Jamie G had 2 shots from outside the box and their keeper made a couple of excellent saves. At our end James C gathered the ball on a couple of occasions as their attackers ran through. After 30 minutes we extended our lead after Wes, now on and playing on the left, crossed well over the defence and James L fired home. We thought we were coasting but after 36 minutes a ball down the right was not gathered and Newbury made it 4 – 2. Almost immediately though James L held up the ball well and threaded a neat pass
Almost immediately though James L held up the ball well and threaded a neat pass through for Sam Bwho finished excellently to make it 5 – 2.

So full-time arrived and a 5 – 2 win. A game we had played using 3 official and 1 unofficial keepers. Why? Because one person worthy of a mention in the second half was Sam R who made 3 clearances off the line to keep the score down. A good win and workout for next week? It will depend who turns up for training on Monday!