Gosford vs Barnstoneworth D South Match Report

Despite threatened rain, Barnstoneworth turned up to a sunny afternoon at Gavenlock Oval, where a muddy pitch awaited them. Having drawn with Gosford earlier in the season in a game they thought they should have won easily, Barnstoneworth started the game with confidence, despite being short four key players and down to one reserve.

Early in the first half, Adam Chandler weaved in through the centre to score the first goal of the game, but Gosford weren’t lying down and came back to level the score within minutes.

Barnstoneworth got some great combinations going in the centre, with perfect triangulations by Chris Peers putting Damien Vane-Tempest into space and taking the ball the length of the field. The Gosford defence was up to the challenge though, and at half time it was locked up at one-all.

Five minutes into the second half, Gosford put a long ball downfield and Will ‘Toe’ Belford, returning from a long absence to fullback, failed to get the said toe onto the ball and the Gosford winger headed it into the goal to elated screams of “Six years! Six years!” this, apparently, being the length of time that had passed since he last scored.

Straight from the kick off, Ben Johnson and Dean Alexander launched an attack through the middle that ended with Johnson belting one into the net with yells of “One week! One week!”. Ben got so carried away with his celebrations that he pulled both hamstrings and had to sub off seconds later. Shortly after, the team were treated to the extraordinary sight of Tek Tea’s ‘flamingo’ throw-in, where not only his back foot but his entire leg was almost horizontal.

A subsequent attempt at goal by the Gosford winger was foiled, leading to the comment from Barnstoneworth that “lightning never strikes twice”, but, despite successfully defending several corners, Barnstoneworth were eventually undone when a scuffle in the goalmouth produced a free kick which Simon-Ashley Binge was unable to counter. With ten to go it was 3-2 to Gosford, and both sides were starting to feel the afternoon heat.

Having made some long kick chases in the first half, Anthony Broadbere was drawing in the big ones up front when Dean Alexander threaded the ball to him down the right wing. Anthony manoeuvred and struck hard, the ball sailing straight into the crossbar. The Gosford goalie, who’d displayed sure hands all match, missed it, and Damien Vane-Tempest, steaming in from the left wing, headed the ball in off the rebound.

With the scores even, Barnstoneworth were back on attack when the final whistle blew on a game that was remarkable for the low number of penalties given away, and the almost total absence of verbal abuse. A game enjoyed by both sides, and each equally unhappy with the result.

Final result: 3-all draw.