League:
Hedge End Church 1 - 4 TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH
Well, where
to begin? According to the fixture list this was supposed to be a 10:30am
kick off at our homeground in Marchwood. So one hour, and TWO venues later,
we kicked off at the Police training college's sports ground in Hamble
(after a brief visit to Fleming Park, Eastleigh).
After a
slow start (well it was still morning!!) Testwood created their first chance
of the game when Colin
Hayward just failed to get on the end of a Roger
Frapwell through ball about 10 yards from goal.
Meanwhile,
at the other end, our hosts came inches away from taking the lead, when
poor Testwood marking from a corner allowed a free header to narrowly go
over the bar.
Shortly
after that, a dangerous cross from the Hedge End right swerved in the wind
and rebounded to safety off Testwood's left-hand post.
About 5
minutes later Marcus
"Bruce Lee" Billows had a rush of blood to the head and decided that
the best way of cutting out a Hedge End cross, was to 'cut off' the opposing
players leg with a martial arts style kung-fu kick. Although contact was
minimal, it was enough to make Hedge End's right winger go down like a
true Serie A (Italian football league, to the uninitiated) professional
(arched back plus flailing arms-and-all). Needless to say the home-team's
ref pointed to the spot.
Up stepped
the penalty taker, who coolly sent Testwood 'keeper Duncan
Cheyne the wrong way, to make it 1-0.
After this
shock to the system (Hedge End hadn't won a game all season) Testwood upped
their game, Frapwell
, Hayward
, John
Murray , Chris
Hendley , and Rob
Oag all combining to set up a series of chances that the home team's
defence did well to cope with.
Then, with
about half-an-hour gone, as quick throw by Phil
Elliot was flicked on to Frapwell
, by Hendley
, who crossed for MURRAY
to score from 5 yards.
Half-time
score. Hedge End Church 1 - 1 TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH
In an attempt
to shake things up a bit Testwood brought on John
Cunningham , Grant
Angel and Craig
Hollingsbee for Chris
Hendley , Paul
Shepherd and Phil
Elliot . Despite this, the early stages of the second half mirrored
the first, as Hedge End started the brighter of the two sides. Within 10
minutes of the restart the wind diverted yet another cross on to Testwood's
woodwork. This time a hopeful ball from the left dropped on to the bar
and was cleared to safety.
Frapwell
had 2 chances to give Testwood the lead, after being put though both times
by Oag
, but the Hedge End 'keeper was quickly off his line to snuff out the danger.
Shortly
after this Hedge End had the ball in the back of the net, but the goal
was (eventually) disallowed due to offside (after a 20 minute discussion,
involving OHP slides and a flipchart, between referee and lineman).
This decision
proved to be the turning point of the game as Testwood quickly worked the
ball up the field and earned a penalty when Frapwell
was tripped from behind in the penalty area. Up stepped Chris
Hutchings , but Hedge End's 'keeper pulled off a magnificent save,
and tipped the ball on to the right-hand post. It rebounded to Frapwell
, whose follow-up shot was palmed across the goal by the goalie, into the
path of HUTCHINGS
who made up for his earlier miss by scoring.
After a
superb one-on-one save by Cheyne
, Testwood doubled their lead through OAG
, who intercepted a pass across the Hedge End defence, and scored from
15 yards. Hedge End's 'keeper, once again, got a hand to the ball but only
deflected it into the top corner.
With about
15 minutes left the game was over as a contest when a Testwood corner was
cleared to Jof
Billows , his 20 yard pass found FRAPWELL
who smashed the ball home from just inside the box after wriggling free
of a challenge.
Final score.
Hedge End Church 1 - 4 TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH.
Team.
Cheyne
, J
Billows , Hutchings
, M Billows
, Elliot
(Hollingsbee
, 45), Shepherd
(Angel
, 45), Hayward
, Murray
, Hendley
(Cunningham
, 45), Frapwell
, Rob Oag
.
