Anvils through in Local derby at Three Bridges

Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Peter Bentley Challenge Cup - 2nd Rd.
Three Bridges (0) 0 Crawley Down Gatwick (0) 2
Author - Mike May

The Anvils were short of their two centre backs through suspension and had two players pull up during the warm up, but were still able to put in a creditable performance against a strong looking Three Bridges side. Looks of course don’t win matches and the side that worked the hardest and put in the best shift clearly won this local derby.

Bridges opened early with a Nathan Crabb delivery being fired over the top by Andy Somo, another chance came just after when from another cross Scott Day could only fire wide.

For the Anvils an early Dan Sullivan free kick was put away for a corner, and from that corner Lee Thomas headed over, on 12 Sullivan had a couple of corners that were both cleared, not to be out done Oli Leslie had his cross tipped over by keeper Kieron Thorpe, on 15 a Nick Sullivan cross found Williams Peauroux who blazed well over.

Even tho the Anvils were moving the ball around well, the hosts were beginning to take more control. Day wriggled his way thro but shot wide, more corners followed without problems for the Anvils. Come 20 Conner French had a shot charged down, but for all the pressure the Anvil backline was holding up well. On the half hour another Somo cross was tucked wide by French, but the Anvils held out with keeper Seb Bos sweeping up anything that got thro.

The Anvils not to be out done clawed their way back in with a Nick Sullivan snap shot. On 40 Josh Martin had a fine solo run down the left flank finishing with a cross that went unrewarded and a Dan Sullivan cross was put wide by Leslie. Just before the interval, Bridges signed off with French heading straight at Bos and another effort by Day was also foiled. HT 0-0.

The 2nd period started where the first left off with a Kyne Knott corner for Bridges safely gathered by Bos. Activity on the homesters bench as French was replaced by Trevor McCreadie in an effort to get something out of the game, but come 53 and they faced a mountain to climb as The Anvils deservedly went ahead through Nick Sullivan who found space and drifted past a defender before sidestepping keeper Thorpe to calmly slot the ball home. 0-1 Anvils.

You could almost hear Bridges chins hit the deck, as frustration set in and the Anvils started to open up the Bridges rear guard, with the pace of Nick Sullivan and the height of Leslie proving to be too much for the now shaken homesters, with 71 on the clock it was game set and match as an infringement on Leslie, twisting and turning in the box saw the Referee pointing to the spot. Penalty ace Leslie drove the ball past Thorpe to put the Anvils two goals to the good. 0-2 Anvils.

For the final 20+ minutes Bridges through everything forward to try and get back in the game but leaving themselves vulnerable at the back. The introduction of 'fresh legs' from the Anvils bench with Kieran Greig and Josh Alcock replacing Nick Sullivan and Oli Leslie, effectively shut up shop as the Anvils intercepted Bridges forward play and found the gaps in the now absent Bridges defence. Fairly even last 10 with the Anvils getting a fully deserved victory. FT 0-2 Anvils.

Team: Seb Bos, Russell Malton, Josh Martin, Williams Peauroux, Blair Cooney, Sam Packham, Dan Sullivan, Mike Spence (Josh Alcock), Nick Sullivan (Ben Brooker), Oli Leslie (Kieran Greig), Lee Thomas.

MOM: Lee Thomas