Match Report

League, 13^th April 2008

Final Result – FC Brimington 1 (Home) vs. Bulls Head FC 2 (Away)

Venue – Woodburn Road Stadium, Sheffield.

Managers View

The weather was good today with a slight wind and cold when stood, the pitch was soft. We had only 9 regular squad members attending with 5 players not appearing for various reasons. This was going to make this game extremely difficult to get a result. The fixture had to be played at Bulls Head home ground due to fixture congestion at the boundary. Team formation today 4-3-3

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

Match day reporter – Cliff Thomas

Photographer – Tom Simpson

First Half

The game kicked off at 11.00, the game seesawed for the first 15mins with FCB having the lion share of the possession and the clean cut chances, Nathan Gordan missed a sitter from 5 yds out when a shot by Gartlan was saved only for the rebound to find Gordan who seemed startled by the ball suddenly appearing at his feet he shot straight away and with the ball bouncing he hit it over the bar. He later made up for it when he passed to Leversidge who found Gartlan moving into space on the left Gartlan ran past the defender and shot from an impossible angle and scored nearpost 1-0 FCB.

8 minutes later on the half hour mark the course of the game changed dramatically when Chris Kealey went for a 50 - 50 ball in the middle of the pitch 30yds out from the Bulls Head box, Kealey was always going to get there first with his pace unfortunately the Bulls player had gone to ground and got his foot to the ball first. But his foot went over the ball and hit Kealey on his shin, the impact fractured his tibia. The game was held up until the ambulance came. Everyone form both team can be commended for the swiftness of response to make Kealey comfortable until the ambulance came.

The game resumed with 17 mins left of the half the only sub Maloney entered the fray. We lost Kealey’s drive in the middle, Maloney usually plays wide right. FCB still had chances to kill the game with the first chance falling to Christie after a Gartlan run on the left and the subsequent cross found Christie free of his marker Christie took the shot with his left foot and it agonizingly went past the post. Another chance followed for Gordan when a cross by Brooke was not dealt with by the keeper it landed to Gordan but was bouncing and Gordan tried to get over the ball to shoot but the keeper managed to smother the shot.

Soon after Fadiga’s chance came when another Gartlan inspirational run down the left side evaded challenges and with options to cross too, he chose Fadiga coming in unmarked at the far post with the keeper heading towards Gartlan he crossed to the far post and found Fadiga 5yds with the net open. Fadiga took the cross on the volley and tried to side foot home but he misconnected and it skewed just wide. 3 glorious chances to bury the game and we failed to take any.

The score remains 1-0 at half time.

Second Half

2^nd half kicks off and we started the game looking for that 2^nd goal again we had the chance s to close it out, with Fadiga missing at the far post again Christie shooting over the bar from 2yds, Gartlan striking across the face of goal. We paid the price for those earlier misses when a mix up on the right lead to a ball played by Bull who shot and it hit our defender Simpson, then rebounded to the same player who lobbed our keeper who was on his way out 1-1.

Then the 2^nd killer blow Christie was sent off wrongly for jumping out the way of a player falling unfortunately the player landed on Christies knee and the referee sent him off. Moments later Bulls Head was awarded a penalty for an alleged push in the box no one seems to know who pushed who so to our bewilderment Bulls Head took the lead 1-2 Bulls Head.

FCB with ten men held their own and thought they got the equalizer when a brilliant ball from Gordan split the Bulls Head defence and found Gartlan who tempted the Bulls Head keeper off his line he shot across the goal and the ball was going over the line when a Bull defender some how got a toe to it and put it over the bar.

Full time 1-2 Bulls Head.

Summary

The players today were a credit to themselves and I am immensely proud of them all.

Kealey get well and all the team are behind you, the lack of team members assisted in the defeat today with a stronger and committed squad we shall enjoy a better 2^nd season in this league. All focus is now on promotion and our two remaining games. Congratulations to Civil Service on winning the title. Man of the match Dave Simpson.

Cliff Thomas