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O'Neill's Pub (4/12/2005) 2005 - 2006 Season, Hithercroft Youth  This game took place on the Rye on a slightly muddy pitch a week after the Pub side narrowly lost 2-3 to second-placed Cressex Club Reserves. The weather was dry but dull and was warmer than of late with the sun putting in an appearance in the second half. Brian Lewis ran the line for the first half and Pat Vaughey took over for the second, with Paul O‘Hare being the referee. The game got under way at 10.36am and it did not take long for Hithercroft to put their opponents under pressure but, once again, their finishing left something to be desired. After 10 minutes David Blackman headed the ball into the middle of the field where Tyrone Francis turned on the spot and let fly but the ball went just over the Pub’s crossbar. Hithercroft had further shots but were either sending them off-target or straight at the keeper. However, in the 19th minute, the Pub side sent a clearance as far as Dewayne Dublin who took the ball across field, turned and chipped the ball over the keeper to give Hithercroft the opening goal. In spite of a flurry of shots from Hithercroft around the 40-minute mark and a shot from Baz David that just cleared the crossbar there was no change to the scoreline during the remainder of the half. The second half kicked off at 11.26am and after 2 minutes Alan McKie came close to scoring an own-goal when his clearance kick went astray and came down just over the Hithercroft crossbar. Baz missed a couple of opportunities, the first when he attempted to lift the ball over the Pub keeper but failed to get enough height on the ball, and a few minutes later after rounding the keeper he sent the ball into the outside of the net. In the 9th minute of the half Tyrone also failed to get enough height on the ball when attempting to send it over the keeper. Hithercroft continued to send in shots but without success. In the 65th minute Leon Read came on to replace Loz Dunn for the Hithercroft team. Eventually Hithercroft’s pressure paid off in the 68th minute when Paul Morgan sent the ball through to Baz, he pushed it across to Dewayne who shot from just outside the 18-yard box, the ball ending up in the back of the net to give them a 2-0 lead. Both sides made substitutions in the 72nd minute, Hithercroft replacing Jamaine Warner with Peter Morgan and O’Neill’s Pub sending on their No.14 to replace No.12. One minute later Richard Vere pushed the ball forward to Baz who went through the defence, played the ball to the left of the diving keeper and then turned it back into the net to increase Hithercroft’s lead to 3-0. O’Neill’s Pub had a couple of good opportunities to get on the score sheet but sent the ball wide of the post each time. Hithercroft were also sending shots off-target but, two minutes from the end Paul gathered the ball and put it into the back of the Pub’s net, only to be ruled off-side. Hithercroft emerged 3-0 winners but
had squandered a number of opportunities, playing well below their
capabilities. They will need to play a lot better next week when
they come up against Bucks College Reserves at the Pedestal, who
are then only team this season to beat them in the League. |
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