Wycombe Marsh R.B.L (10/12/2006)
2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft



After a frosty night the pitch at the Rye had cleared of surface frost but was still hard, becoming muddy as the game progressed. It was cold and overcast but there was no wind and the weather kept dry. The referee, Mr R. Tew, was celebrating his birthday today and Pat Vaughey ran the line for Hithercroft. As Neil Stretton was unavailable this week Dewayne Dublin took over the goalkeeper’s role.

The game began at 10.34am with Hithercroft fielding 10 players for the first five minutes whilst Richard McKie was changing into his kit and making his way to the pitch. In the 6th minute Tyrone Francis played the ball out to Frank Smith on the right and he sent it on into the 6-yard box from where Ashley Anderson struck it into the back of the Marsh net to put Hithercroft 1-0 ahead. Seven minutes later Tyrone collected the ball, took it forward and tried a 25-yard shot that went just wide of the right-hand post. On 17 minutes Tyrone passed the ball into the middle, Richard sent it out left to Frank and Frank crossed it into the 6-yard box. Ashley attempted to side-foot the ball into the net but ended up trapping it under his foot but was able to then hit it home to give Hithercroft their second goal. In the 29th minute the Marsh No.8 sent in a shot that dipped down but passed just over the crossbar. Hithercroft were putting together some good passing movements and, in the 42nd minute, were rewarded when Tyrone sent the ball in from the left and Kevin Howell volleyed it into the Marsh net to make the score-line 3-0 at the break.

At 11.22am the game resumed and Hithercroft continued to have most of the possession but were unable to add to their tally. Both sides made substitutions, Marsh in the 19th minute of the half and Hithercroft sending on Ryan Forbes to replace John Baldock in the 20th. In the 69th minute Richard struck a 25-yard shot that hit the Marsh crossbar and then Frank, going round two defenders on the left, sent in a shot that went across the face of the goal before going out of play just beyond the right-hand post. In the 72nd minute Marsh took the ball down the middle and struck a shot that was blocked by Dougie Carswell, but the ball fell to Michael Allen who sent the ball from 20 yards inside the left-hand post to put Wycombe Marsh on the score sheet. However, three minutes later Hithercroft made it 4-1 when Ashley sent the ball inside to Tyrone and Tyrone turned to hit the ball just inside the left-hand post. Neither side were able to make a change to this score-line in the final quarter of an hour and so Hithercroft ended up 4-1 winners and retained their second place in the division.


Hithercroft scorers: Ashley Anderson (6mins and 17mins), Kevin Howell (42mins), Tyrone Francis (75 mins)

Hithercroft team: Dewayne Dublin (GK), Jamaine Warner, Dan Birch, Dougie Carswell, Kevin Midgley, Richard McKie, Tyrone Francis, Frank Smith, Kevin Howell, Ashley Anderson, John Baldock.

Hithercroft substitutions: Ryan Forbes replaced John Baldock (67 mins)
Unused sub: Leon Browne

Hithercroft M.o.M: Dougie Carswell


Wycombe Marsh R.B.L scorer: Michael Allen (42 mins)