Match Report
League, 9th March 2008
Final Result – Oughtibridge 1 (Home) vs. FC Brimington 2 (Away)
Venue – Forge Lane Sports Ground, Forge Lane, Oughtibridge, Sheffield.
Managers View
The weather was mild today dry with no wind to contend with sunshine. The ground was very soft underneath and very heavy going especially in the middle of the pitch. The day started off badly with Sam Taylor suffering from sickness and Lawrence Wragg had a last minute call into to work. Also Andrew Crossland on holiday and Dave Simpson at his grandmothers birthday party the squad was depleted. We had 12 players for this important game so the omen wasn’t good with the kick off time looming and with three players arriving late having struggled to find the new venue we looked doomed to starting the game with 9 players, thankfully with some good driving by Gartlan and good directions from Cliff helped the players get there right on kickoff. Our usual warm up routine was scuppered due to the events so we started the game cold, another bad sign. Team formation today 4-3-3
The starting line for today's match was as follows:
B. Leversidge
E. Christie
T. Brooke
M. Collier
J. Towers
M. Gartlan
C. Kealey
G. Cosgrove
A. Bath
P. Hirons
Florent Fadiga (Midfield)
Match day reporter – Miss Kealey
Photographer – Florent Fadiga
First Half
The game kicked off at 11.05 after a minutes silence in honour of Derek Dooley who died recently. Derek Dooley was a former player of Sheffield United and manager of Sheffield Wednesday. FCB were not prepared for the start of the game and Bridge soon got into the rhythm of the game quicker than FCB did. Just minutes and a ball over the top of our defence with some hesitation from Hirons and Cosgrove and with Newton the keeper routed to his line Bridge capitalize on the loose ball and slotted home after 3 minutes of the start 1-0 Bridge.
Stunned by this FCB worked their way back into the game by controlling possession against a resolute Bridge. A free-kick was awarded to FCB on the touchline on the left wing collier takes the kick and plays it short to Gartlan who controls then shoots inside the Bridge penalty area but the bridge keeper saves and puts out for a corner view it here. Seconds later another free-kick to FCB and Hirons takes but the kick is too long for Christie who was the target. Soon after Christie is put through onto goal by a Collier pass, Christie takes it round the stranded Bridge keeper but fails to score by pushing the shot past the post view it here.
Just ten minutes in and Gartlan goes on a run on the left and skips past three Bridge players and approaches the keeper but Gartlan is on his weakest foot and mishits the shot and it goes wide. Minutes later Kealey delivers a pinpoint cross to Christie who takes on the Bridge keeper but once again he shoots wide.15th min Bath crosses to Christie who leaves it as he is in an offside position Collier and Towers both follow in and Towers shoots but straight at the bridge keeper. 30th min Towers crosses to Christie and Christie hits wide again. Soon after a Christie pass to Gartlan leads to a superb strike but the bridge keeper saves again. 35 mins a Collier shot is wide of the bridge goal. FCB are dominating the game and a pattern is forming, Bridge seems content to hang onto the 1-0 advantage even at this early stage. Off key shooting has prevented the equalizer thus far.
In the 40th minute after repelling a Bridge attack on our right, Brooke gathers the ball and sees Gartlan making a move up on the left wing, Brooke makes a 40yd pass straight over the Bridge defence with pinpoint accuracy to Gartlan who takes it down with his knee and charges into the bridge box unchallenged and drills it past the Bridge keeper 1-1 FCB view it here. With half time looming some two minutes later this was what the team needed.
Half time 1-1
Second Half
FCB know we are going to have to force this game to get the win and Kealey soon starts the push for the goal with a cross that finds Gartlan but he is deemed offside.50th min and a foul on Gartlan earns yet another free-kick this time Bath takes the kick and hits high over the bar. Just a few mins later another free-kick is awarded to FCB and Hirons delivers into the Bridge box but nothing came of it. 60th and a Christie opportunity is spurned once again when a 30yd pass from Collier on the left finds Christie free in the box with the goal in front of him Christie elects to go for power and shoots over the bar view it here. Another Collier corner finds Hirons in the Bridge box, Hirons brings down and hits high over the bar. A Collier corner again is delivered in the box but Kealey heads over the bar view it here.
A forceful Christie run into the box from the right eluding three challenges and attempting the shot on goal which is saved by the Bridge keeper who parries to Kealey who takes a touch and shoots wide view it here. 70th min Fadiga comes on for Kealey. A Leversidge run up the left wing linking up well with Gartlan who drives in the box and shoots past the keeper 1-2 FCB.
We have now got the goals that have eluded us for so long, this seems to knock the stuffing out of Oughtibridge momentarily. FCB realize that it was better to protect the slender lead at this stage of the game and stopped the wing backs going forward. A Gartlan run on the left after some nifty work by Leversidge drew a tackle from the Bridge defence which was deemed a foul. Christie takes the kick and delivers the ball on the blindside of the Bridge defence finding Gartlan who gathered the ball and clinically places in the back of the net the goal was controversially ruled offside, he was clearly on so it was very unfortunate that it was not given.
Final score 1-2 FCB.View the post match interview here
Summary
Credit to the team today although depleted once again we showed character and a deep desire to win this league and though the score line does not suggest it, FCB should have scored 5 or 6 goals today. Everyone did well but the captain’s fantastic performance was sublime, this earned Gartlan man of the match today. Leversidge and Brooke again are covering the flanks expertly and Hirons back in defence again looked like he’s never been away. We need to polish up on our finishing in the coming weeks.
Who dares loose!
Cliff Thomas