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Matches played Saturday 24th April 2010
Bev Road Rangers record good win over Goodwin to get one hand on Division 1 trophy.
A fairly painless progression through the usual glut of Amateur League fixtures that are always necessary during the weeks, and light nights, of April has seen the Premier Division and Division 2 championships decided, in some cases on bone hard pitches where irregular bounces of the ball have prompted frustration – and smiles – but the Division 1 title race was destined to go to the wire, and for added interest the two title protagonists, Bev Road Rangers and Goodwin FC had to face each other on Oak Road in a crucial title decider.
As would be expected, the opening quarter of an hour saw both sides cautiously probing for openings until the first opportunity fell to Bev Road who carved open the Goodwin defence but Goodwin keeper Dan Hutt produced a brilliant save, and although the rebound fell nicely to attacker Lee Jowett, he dragged his shot across the face of the goal.
Bev Road held the upper hand, and with midfielder Shaun Taylor supplying telling passes for his forwards to run on to, keeper Benjamin Gallagher was, for quite a while, little more than an interested spectator.
Goodwin have, all season, looked dangerous when mounting attacks – and you switch off at your peril – and following a break gained a free kick on the edge of the Bev Road area, but Mike Ketley’s kick came to nothing.
Bev Road responded with a swift break, and with a three player to one advantage looked certain to open the scoring but an excellent tip over by Hutt saved the situation, and the resultant corner was well defended and cleared.
The game levelled out, and Goodwin’s Leon Salter shot over after being presented with a clear opening.
A break down the right wing by Goodwin’s Steve Hall saw the ball crossed into the path of defending full back Paul Lawler and as he could not avoid the ball, it ricocheted off his knee into his own goal at the near post.
Bev Road responded and gained a corner when the referee missed a push, but the corner was cleared, but the ball was soon returned at regular intervals when Darren Kenny’s long throws started to be unleashed as an extra attacking ploy by Bev Road.
Goodwin felt that they had a justifiable claim for a penalty five minutes before the break, but referee Graham Wilkin was well positioned to wave the appeal away, and as inevitably happens, when the play switched to the opposite end, another penalty claim was made, and granted.
Goodwin were the architects of their own downfall, in that a poor dead ball kick found a Bev Road attacker, and as he got into his stride, a clumsy challenge by Dan Lines left the referee with an easy decision.
Paul Ulliott stepped up and drilled the ball into the net to bring the scores level, and up to half time Bev Road applied pressure but a snap shot by Shaun Taylor sailed over, and Liam Caulfield shot just wide when a through ball set him free.
An early attack in the second half saw Caulfield, despite having time, shoot over the bar, but few minutes later – in possibly the defining moment of the game – Andy Lambert sent a free kick towards the Goodwin goal. For keeper Hutt to collect, what was in reality, a poor free kick looked a formality, but inexplicably, the ball squeezed from his grasp and into the net.
Worse was to follow for Goodwin. Good defending under pressure by Dan Lines resulted in a corner being conceded, and when Lambert sent the ball across, Shaun Taylor, in space, rose to powerfully head the ball home.
Goodwin responded, but a free kick by Ketley was well saved by keeper Gallagher.
Bev Road were presented with another opening when a Goodwin defender lost the ball, instead of clearing his lines, but a good cross shot was diverted for a corner, and the danger was finally cleared after a scramble.
David Perry had the next chance for Bev Road, but he shot wide when he should have done better.
A missed tackle close to the half way line by Goodwin’s Dan Lines let in Paul Ulliott but keeper Hutt came to the rescue with a good save to redeem himself.
Goodwin were determined that, if they were to go down, it would be fighting, and Ketley almost brought the game to knife edge when he headed against the upright with keeper Gallagher well beaten.
In a subsequent attack, Rob Stacey should have scored for Goodwin when bang in front of goal, with time, but dragged his shot – which was from an awkward height – wide.
Moments later, Ketley was in on goal, but amid offside calls, failed to control the ball.
Following these missed opportunities, the game drifted away from Goodwin – bar one last effort from a long throw which gained a corner, but a positive punch by keeper Gallagher removed any danger.
Bev Road, with their tails up, found the extra effort to close down the game, and left themselves with one hand gripping the silverware, but still with one point required from their last game against West Hull United.
Although the Division 2 title was safely in Queens County’s possession, AFC Orchard were looking to cement a promotion spot with a win over Kingstown AFC, but knew that this would not be a formality, as the first meeting of the sides earlier in the month had finished as a draw.
Kingstown can be a bit on an enigma, and their 2-1 win leaves Orchard now outside the top three, while their season long rivals, AFC Malt Shovel’s last match against Banks Harbour, will decide whether they or Hull Corinthians, whose fixtures have long been complete, secure the runner-up slot.
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Match Reports
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24th April 2010
17th April 2010
10th April 2010
3rd April 2010
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