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| Pheasant
(11/02/2007) 2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft  The snow that had fallen during the week had melted and left the pitch damp and reasonably firm but it did cut up a little during the game. The weather was initially dry and sunny but clouded over at the start of the second half with a light drizzle that soon cleared, the sun reappearing towards the end. The referee was Mr Stuart Smith and Pam ran the line for Hithercroft. Pheasant were unable to provide a linesman and so the referee had to take over the responsibilities for throw-ins and off-side judgements in that part of the field. The visitors were only able to field ten players for the first half but were restored to a full eleven at the start of the second half. At 10.39am the game got under way with Hithercroft playing from left to right (as viewed from the clubhouse) and Pheasant wore orange shirts with blue shorts. On 11 minutes the ball fell to Hithercroft captain, Baz David, on the left wing and he crossed it into the Pheasant 6-yard box to Tyrone Francis. As the keeper attempted to go down on the ball Tyrone tapped it forward and Kevin Howell ran in to send the ball into the back of the net to give Hithercroft an early lead. Two minutes later Frank Smith collected the ball on the left, took it into the 18-yard box and tapped it to the left of the advancing keeper, nipped round the right of the keeper and sent an acute-angled shot into the far side of the net for Hithercroft’s second. On 24 minutes a Hithercroft shot was blocked and the ball rebounded to Baz who found the far side of the net to put his side 3-0 ahead. Seven minutes later Hithercroft keeper, Neil Stretton, blocked a shot from the Pheasant No.9 but the ball was collected by the same player whose second shot was plucked out of the air by the keeper. In the 41st minute Craig Osborne brought the ball into the 18-yard box and chipped the ball over the keeper, who had come forward, and it dropped into the net for Hithercroft’s fourth. At the interval Pheasant’s eleventh man arrived to take the field and Hithercroft made their first substitution replacing Stuart Howse with John Baldock. The second half kicked-off at 11.31am and two minutes into play Pheasant were awarded a corner kick on the right. Their No.9, who was playing really well, sent a high ball to the near post and Kevin Higgins (a 46-year old) headed the ball into the net to reduce the scoreline to 4-1. However, in the 54th minute Baz broke away down the left wing and crossed the ball inside to Frank Smith. Frank chipped the ball across the goalmouth and John Baldock ran in to tap the ball into the Pheasant net to give Hithercroft a 5-1 lead. After a further ten minutes Baz took a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box but the Pheasant keeper dived to push the ball round the right-hand post. Kevin Howell came close in the 67th minute with a shot from the edge of the box but it went just wide of the upright. One minute later he made up for this miss when, from a free-kick on the right, Frank sent the ball into the 6-yard box and Kevin headed the ball down into the net, extending Hithercroft’s lead. On the 70-minute mark Hithercroft made a second substitution, sending on Jamaine Warner to replace Kevin Midgeley. Two minutes later Baz raced down the left and crossed it into the goal area, John running in to hit the ball home to claim his second goal of the match. Although Pheasant were tiring and the younger Hithercroft side were increasing the pressure no further scoring took place and, when Mr Smith blew the final whistle, Hithercroft had emerged comfortable 7-1 winners. Hithercroft scorers: Kevin Howell (11 mins, 68 mins), Frank Smith (13 mins), Baz David (24 mins), Craig Osborne (41 mins), John Baldock (54 mins, 72 mins) Hithercroft team: Neil Stretton (GK), Kris Clark, Kevin Midgley, Frank Smith, Baz David, Tyrone Francis, Kevin Howell, Matt Arnold, Dan Coker, Stuart Howse, Craig Osborne. Hithercroft subs: John Baldock replaced Stuart Howse (45 mins), Jamaine Warner replaced Kevin Midgley (70 mins) Hithercroft M.o.M: Tyrone Francis Pheasant scorer: Kevin Higgins (47 mins) |
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