Shelley Reserves 2 Vs Britania A 1. Tuesday 13th April 2010
This was a tight battle between the Division Three champions and the run away leaders of Division Four.
The match started with Britania having the early posesion without creating any clear cut chances, Shelley settled down and started to place ralentless pressure on Britania and a half chance came when Strattford bundled his way through only for the ball to run away on the terrible surface. With the combination of S.Higginbottom down the left side and M.Higginbottom in the middle Shelley started to out play Brittania's mid-field and with Allen, Vantani and Macbeths work rate it wasn't long before the first clear cut chance was created Vatani broke down through the right channel and squared the ball to Allen who was perfectled placed with the goal at his mercy, just as he was about to the put the ball into the open the net the ball bobbeled and ran through his legs (GOBBER). Shelley continued to press and forced a number of corners before Vantani's corner was swung in from the right and Patterson rose the highest with a bullet header in to the corner. Shelley were struck with a major injury blow as Strattford twisted his ankle in a challenge on half way and Tom Petifer was brought into the action on the right hand side of mid-field with Leeming pushed back to full back.
1-0 Half Time
In the second half Shelley were going up hill in to the wind and started brightly with some clean flowing football, and it wasnt long before they scored again. It was another Vantani corner from the right this time played low to the penalty spot and Allen fired a first time shot (Robben esk) in to bottom left hand corner. Then Britania started to have a spell of sustained pressure and with 20 mins to go Brittania swung a corner in from the left and Mick Higinbottom glanced a header which squrmed into his own net. From that point Brittania really piled on the pressure but the back four of Vigurs, Robinson, Patterson and Leeming and keeper Openshaw were outstanding with some Trojan like defending. However Britania still created some clean cut chances but the Britania number 10 failed to hit the target on numerous occassions and the only time he found the target Openshaw was on hand to make the save. Shelley's manager Henton changed the side pushing Petifer up front and dropping Allen back into centre mid and pushing Macbeth wide right in an attempt to shore things up. Petifer looked more at home upfront holding the ball up well and linking with the midfield to create some half chances, and it was from an interchange between Petifer and Allen that found Macbeth charging forward and at full stretch he pushed the ball just wide of the right hand post. There was some late drama for Britania as Openshaw saved a shot from the Brittania forward the ball fell to the midfielder who's shot was headed for the empty net before the dependable Patterson control the ball and cleared off the line.
Final Score 2-1
MOM Patterson