News & EventsLatest NewsCalendar
ANVILS 0 DORKING WANDERERS 3

ANVILS 0 DORKING WANDERERS 3

Richard munn13 Aug 2014 - 01:27
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.crawleydowngatwick

Match Report: A Hard Days Night

Tuesday 12th August 2014
Sussex County League - Div.1
Crawley Down Gatwick (0) 0 Dorking Wanderers (0) 3
Author - Mike May

A HARD DAYS NIGHT

On a pleasant evening before a good'ish crowd, the Anvils encountered the darker side of the moon when entertaining the Wanderers of Dorking who were the visitors and who in turn subjected the homesters to 90 mins of pressure football at a high tempo thro out.

The visitors were first to open proceedings as early as the 2nd min when a throw by ex Lingfield man Daryl Coleman found Chris Boulter in space only to fire over, the Anvils were quick to reply with Sam Cane following suit, by 20 the visitors were gradually getting more into the game with a corner from Coleman only half cleared as far as James Duff who could only screw wide. Under the proverbial cosh the Anvils were made to work hard in keeping the invaders out with both centre backs Scott Johnston and Charlie Dodd and full backs Matt Gates and Ben Simester dealing with corners and free kicks. On a rare Anvil break on 35 Josh Alcock set up Cane again but his shot was blocked by keeper Kieran Campbell.

The visitors for all their domination still couldn't find a way thro with Coleman the architect of most things from corners to free kicks, with Anvil stopper Aaron Jeal having to be alert thro out.

Anvils on their few excursions up field did manage a few half chances thro Alcock and a Mo Shuga'a free kick that came thro to Cane but once more the chance was missed. The half ended still scoreless. HT 0-0.

For the second half read the first, but this time with goals as the Wands upped the ante, with first Coleman again crossing for Ally McGregor who in turn caused keeper Jeal to push over for a corner, again they attacked but stubborn refusal by Anvil defenders continued to hold the opposition at bay.

Come the hour mark and bench changes, which in turn seemed to galvanise the Wands to greater efforts, with James Duff testing Jeal, but the break thro had to come from all this pressure and on 62 it did with sub Jordan Willis collecting the ball in the Anvil half then let fly from 35 yds which with military precision pierced the Anvil masses and into the net 0-1 Wands. If that was spectacular then more was to come 3 mins to be exact when from a free kick out left McGregor from a similar distance let forth another exocet missile thro the massed ranks yet again, massive celebrations all round. 0-2 Wands.

From then on it was damage limitation for the Anvils as tiredness crept into tired limbs, somehow they still battled to get something from the game and on 80 Tom Saunders who had ploughed a lonely furrow all evening seized on a long Anvil clearance to whip in a shot that flew just wide of the mark, then just to rub further salt into Anvil wounds another Wands sub Alfie Tuck fired home from inside the box to wrap up proceedings. FT 0-3 Wands.

We really do need to strengthen midfield somewhat, plus someone who can express a presence and take some of the load off an overworked defence and at the same time give that misfiring forward line more of the ball, on the ground if possible and not have to rely on long clearances from an under siege back four.

Team: Aaron Jeal, Matt Gates, Ben Simester, Aaron Denver (Grant Rigler), Scott Johnston, Charlie Dodd, Mo Shuga'a (Steve Major), Sam Cane (Ryan Fletcher), Josh Alcock, Tom Saunders, Matt Burroughs.

SUSSEX CARPET CENTRE SPONSORED MOM: Scott Johnston

Further reading