Match Report

League, 10^th February 2008

Final Result – Anston Athletic FC 0 (Home) vs. FC Brimington 9 (Away)

Venue – Handsworth Grange School, Handsworth, Sheffield.

Managers View

The weather was mild today dry with no wind to contend with sunshine prevailed a beautiful winters day climate change at its best. The ground was soft underneath and very heavy going especially in the middle of the pitch. The day started off badly with the changing rooms not open so we had to change in our cars. They did eventually arrive to open the changing rooms but later on. Our usual warm up routine was scuppered due to the events with the changing rooms so we had to rearrange our warm up and cut down the routine. Today we had a squad of 14 players from 18 attend today’s match details below. Team formation today 4-3-3

The starting line for today's match was as follows:  

Match day reporters – James Towers, Cliff Thomas

Photographers – Sean Gardner

First Half

The game kicked off at 11am. FCB get straight into their rhythm with Bath shooting at the Anston goal after 2mins, the Anston keeper spills the shot and Christie follows up and somehow shoots over the bar from a yard out it was harder to miss than score view it here. FCB corner headed over the bar by Christie, then another attempt from Kealey is blocked. Seconds later a Gartlan shot is cleared off the line. Bathy had a header saved from corner. After 10 mins Elliott had a shot saved. It took till 20 mins for another shot by bath but over the bar. FCB are dominating the game moving the ball around on a very lumpy and sticky surface but failing to convert any of the chances created.

27 mins at last the breakthrough from the captain Gartlan a goal made of heaven with Newton playing the ball out to Brooke at right back who finds Collier inside with a accurate pass Collier then plays Crossland the ball who finds Gartlan making a run on the right Gartlan accelerates past the left back and drills in the ball from 14yds out across the approaching keeper 0-1 FCB view it here.

A great shot by Crossland is saved by the Anston keeper who puts out for a corner Collier takes the corner but Anston head out for another corner, Collier takes another corner and this time Bathy heads home 0-2 FCB view it here.

Bathy again  heads at goal from a Kealey cross but this is saved by Anston keeper. It took 37 mins for Anston’s first real attack but it is snuffed out by the superb FCB defence with Cosgrove’s first appearance at the back with Simpson, they are looking like a good partnership. Newton receives the ball from a tame shot by Anston and immediately goal kicks out quickly to catch out the Anston defence who are retreating from FCB’s half the bounce deceives the Anston centre half and Christie latches onto the ball and takes it round the Anston keeper 0-3 FCB view it here.

42 mins an FCB throw in by Christie puts Gartlan through on the edge of the Anston box Gartlan noticed the Anston keeper is off his line and coming towards him so he tries the chip over the keeper and it is just wide.

Second Half

2^nd half

FCB are kicking downhill as there is a slight slope on the pitch we spoke about getting the early goal again at half time to dampen any come back by Anston and we did just that. 48 mins Gartlan gathers the ball from near the half way line and runs through the Anston defence unchallenged and shoots from 14yds out goal 0-4 FCB view it here.

That was the telling goal it seemed to dampen any revival by Anston. 60^th min Christie is put through by Crossland and he tries to take it round the keeper who takes him down but the referee did not give the penalty as he stated Christie lost control of the ball before the challenge. 65^th min a 40 yd cross from Crossland on the left found Brooke running in at the back post who heads at the goal but there keeper parries out to Christie who did not expect it and it hits him in the face and is cleared for a corner. Collier takes the corner and delivers a cross to the near post whilst Christie and Bath occupy the Anston defence Crossland gets across unchallenged and powers his header home 0-5 FCB view it here.

70 mins a quick throw in from Brooke finds Gartlan who shoots from the 18yd line but over the bar. Soon after FCB freekick on the left is delivered into the box by Collier, Christie flicks onto the back post and Brooke shoots beating the keeper but is cleared off the line by an Anston player. Seconds later Gartlan intercepts a challenge for the ball between collier and an Anston player and runs the ball into the Anston box only to be up ended by the Anston defender a penalty is awarded view it here. Kealey takes the penalty and dispatches it superbly 0-6 FCB view it here.

FCB substitution Towers on for Kealey, Towers goes to centre half and Cosgrove goes up front, Tom Simpson on for Brooke at right back. Another run by Gartlan into the Anston box evading the challenges and shooting but the keeper saves. 75 mins great play by Crossland delivers a low pass from 40yds to Christie who turns and chips the Anston keeper 0-7 FCB view it here.

Gartlan again in the thick of everything FCB are doing, plays a pass to Bath from the corner flag on the left hand side of the Anston half who takes on and runs into the Anston box and shoots 10yds out which beats the Anston keeper 0-8 FCB view it here.

Gartlan goes on another run from 40yds out skipping pass Anston players and entering the box he unleashes a venomous shot which beat the keeper but hit the post and went clear. FCB are now totally in charge of the game and can only score more. Collier runs through the middle unchallenged and fires a low but powerful shot Christie reacts by sticking a leg out and redirects the ball into the opposite corner to where the Anston keeper was heading, goal but the referee disallowed the goal stating Christie was offside view it here.

85^th min Bath runs with the ball into the Anston box and delivers a cross but the Anston defender handballs it to stop Gartlan receiving the cross view it here, a penalty is awarded and Gartlan takes the spot kick and scores to claim is hatrick 0-9 FCB view it here. That’s 7 goals in the last 2 games for Gartlan.

Full time 0-9 FCB.

Summary

An awesome display by the team today every player was superb, yet again we are creating many chances and the score line could well have been 15-0 today. We need this performance every game from now until the end of the season and the rewards will be there. You were all man of the match but Leversidge’s display was recognizable in attack on the left side so the man of the match is Ben Leversidge. The benchmark has been raised in the last two games so lets achieve our true potential this season. All for one and one for all.

Who dares loose!

Cliff Thomas