League:
TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH 9 - 1 Grace Chandlers Ford
Getting
back to league action after a break for the cup, Testwood entertained newcomers,
Grace Community Church at the Stadio Della Marchwood. With captain Chris
Hutchings continuing his (Nassar Hussein style) consistency with the pre
match coin toss (there’s no skill involved!!), Testwood started uphill
into the mid morning sun.
With Testwood’s
red and black stripes and Grace’s all white kit (sponsored by Daz), anyone
passing the ground could have thought AC Milan were entertaining Real Madrid,
given the quality of first half football from both sides.
Duncan Cheyne
in the Testwood goal was giving an inspired kicking display and two of
his mighty clearances led to Testwood goals. Testwood wrestled a grip on
the game after the early exchanges and moved into a 3-0 lead with Roger
FRAPWELL putting an early claim on the match ball with all three strikes.
Grace took
advantage of an impromptu game of musical statues in the Testwood defence
and scrambled in from a corner to get back in the game.
Half-time
Testwood 3-1 Grace CFFC(!!)
Following
the visitors captain's comments that we would sit back on our lead, Testwood
took offence and raced out of the blocks, downhill and crashed in two early
goals from the explosive FRAPWELL (the second of these after a well worked
passing move with Chris Allcock) who showed why he has notched over 230
goals in 14 years of church football (a post (Falkland's) War record!!!).
The tenacious
Robert OAG snaffled a close range goal to complete a game of head tennis
after good work from Paul John. And John MURRAY rubbed salt into the Grace
wounds by bending a corner in via the gracious keeper’s hands.
Using the
rolling subs rule to full effect Testwood kept introducing fresh legs (and
new positions for Ashley Archdeacon to play in). In fact the versatile
ARCHDEACON rounded off a sweeping move to side-foot home from 18 yards.
It was only
fitting however, that man of the match Roger FRAPWELL hammered home his
sixth to consolidate top spot for Testwood. Even John Cunningham came close
to his first goal- since scoring between two playground dustbins in 1978
- with a shot from 25 yards. Much credit should go to Grace who played
with great spirit, even in adversity.
TESTWOOD
9 GRACE 1
TBCFC: Cheyne,
Shepherd, Cunningham, Hutchings, J. Billows, John, Oag, Allcock, J. Murray,
Frapwell, Daish. Subs- Angel, Archdeacon.
Many thanks
to our growing army of fans, who braved the Saturday morning Ice-Age conditions
to cheer us on, woolly mammoths and all (or should that be Cunningham's
ginger highlights?!?!) and to Sarah John who made history by becoming the
league's first female linesman/linesperson/referee's assistant type thing.
