AFC CASTROL
2005 2006 JUNIOR DIV 2 WINNERS & COUNTY FA JUNIOR CUP RUNNERS UP
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2005 2006 JUNIOR DIV 2 WINNERS & COUNTY FA JUNIOR CUP RUNNERS UP |
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Match Reports 2006 AFC Stratton 1 vs. AFC Castrol 2 12/08/2006 AFC Castrol got there season off to a great start. After a pre-season that at best can be described as shambolic the team beat one of the league favourites on Saturday, AFC Stratton, 1-2. Castrol started with a 3-5-2 formation; there were 3 debutants in the team, Ian McCarthy in goal, Lee Northcott at sweeper and Steve Buckingham in centre midfield. The rest of the team was made up of a nucleus of those who played in the last years team. There were some notable absentees, Simon Hancock was still on his holidays, Graeme Mitchell had retired, Matt Kift had left to join a dance troupe and Simon Cox was still on Paternity leave. The team lined up against a strong AFC Stratton team who had several old heads who had a wealth of experience and are very likely to be there or there abouts when the honours are handed out at the end of the season. The game kicked off promptly at 3pm in warm conditions on a very solid pitch. In the opening 20/30 minutes Castrol had the better of the play but neither side had created any clear openings. Phil Burchall had a half chance but scuffed his shot and Dave Gee had a shot well saved by the Stratton keeper. At the other end Ian McCarthy had made one very good stop from the big Stratton number 9 and then a combination of another McCarthy save and good defending lead to a header over when the goal was at Rick Casey’s mercy. The half-time whistle blew with the scores at 0-0 but Castrol were relived to get to half-time as the last 15/20 minutes Stratton had begun to get the upper hand. Half-Time The second half began with a slight change in Castrol formation but the message was more of the same. Virtually from kick-off the ball moved around between a few players and Castrol defender Gareth Parry played a simple back pass to McCarthy who inexplicably let it roll under his foot into the empty net. 1-0 to Stratton. Castrol re-grouped and started to play the better football but chances were now coming at both ends. Rick Casey fired a free-kick narrowly wide for AFC Stratton whilst Castrol were continuing to apply pressure to the Stratton goal. Around the 70 minute mark the Stratton right midfielder was day dreaming on the ball, Ben Parsons robbed him of it and fired a tremendous 30 yard cross-field pass to Dave Gee who was running into the Stratton box. Gee took the ball down first time but had a lot to do from a very tight angle, as the ball dropped Gee struck it on the half volley across the Stratton keeper into the far left corner. 1-1. Castrol took a lot of heart from this and started to dominate play but had to survive a near miss. From a long throw into the Castrol box, Stratton flicked the ball across the face of goal and the onrushing midfielder headed fiercely goal ward. McCarthy reacted well to tip the ball over the bar. Castrol made 2 quick substitutions, Stuart Phillips and Graham Prictor coming on from Phil Burchall and Dave Gee. Seth Palmer dropped back into midfield for Gee allowing Phillips and Prictor to form the front 2.
The change almost paid dividends three times in quick succession. Firstly Steve
Buckingham played Palmer through for a 1:1 which the Stratton keeper saved well,
then Donnelly and Prictor both went after a long Northcott ball but neither
connected when the goal was at their mercy. Phillips then had a good chance
from a corner but again the Stratton keeper did very well to push away the shot
from point blank range. Castrol locked up and played out time but created one more great chance of note, Prictor was played through one on one with the keeper but lost control as he was bearing in on him and ended up making it an easier save than is should have been. All in all a very good team performance which puts the team in good shape for the game against the all time bogey team Blunsdon Utd on Wednesday evening. Team: McCarthy, Northcott, Parry, Woolhouse, Donnelly, Camden, Parsons, Buckingham, Gee, Palmer, Burchall Subs: Phillips, Prictor, Aust MOM: Buckingham |
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SITE UPDATED - 30/10/2006 |
