Alltraders v Gatwick Express

What a start to the third game of the competition - A phone call from Kevin Burton on Monday to say that his knee injury will put him out for at least three weeks, followed by a call on Tuesday from Paul Burton who also has to pull out due to a back injury, both of which sustained against the bruising match against 34 c's last week.

So, after some panic phoning around, we welcome back two old Alltraders stars of the past - Neil Leppard and his amazing left foot, and Sal the international man of mystery.

Within the first minute of the game, Neil showed us all that he was a worthy replacement for Kevin by skillfully hacking the ball high over the netting and into the trees behind the goal. If it wasn't for the greenery I'm sure it would have ended up in the Hawth car park.

It was always going to be a difficult game with two key players out. Although Sal and Neil are two excellent players in their own right, the all-important balance and understanding between the team was likely to be a problem tonight.

As the match progressed, the reformed Alltraders seemed to settle into a steady rhythm with some good running off the ball from Neil and some solid defending from Sal at the back. After a sustained spell of pressure, Alltraders took the lead when Tim Leader snatched the ball from the feet of an opposition defender and run unchallenged to finish the move with another left-foot powerdrive - even at his delicate age he still proves he can score with either foot...

Believe it or not, the 'keeper blamed his lack of movement on the goal not being properly aligned with the semi-circle. I've heard of some excuses before but that one is one of the best! He even got the ref to check it!

With this one goal lead, Alltraders defended deeply for a few minutes to try and draw the opposition out. Unbelievable this actually started to work, leaving Neil and his lightening pace to latch onto a Barry Needham pass to increase the lead to two...

Alltraders now started to look in control of the game. Playing like this, surely they wouldn't let a two goal lead slip? Try telling that to Warren in goal. The player that won man of the match on the two previous games decided tonight was going to be charity night.

	Totally un-pressured, he gently lobbed his goal kick directly into the path of an opposition attacker that had no-one between him and the goal. Despite Tim Leader's best efforts to get back, the attacker smashed the ball at lightening pace straight into the top of the net to claw back an undeserved goal ...
Not wanting to let this little setback interfere with the game-plan, Alltraders continued to press hard on the Gatwick defence. They were unlucky not to restore their two goal lead when Neil unleashed one of his specials that brought out an unbelievable save from the opposition 'keeper.

The second half started at a slighty increased pace. The opposition appeared slightly fitter that the ageing Alltraders team, and started to find worrying gaps in their defence that left Warren performing his usual acrobatics, making one excellent recovery that more than made up for his earlier gaf.

However, Alltraders luck wasn't to last much longer. Another lack of concentration at the back allowed Gatwick two quick goals in succession effectively killing off any hope Alltraders had of claiming all three points tonight.

Despite the best efforts of Barry and Tim up-front, Alltraders yet again clucthed defeat from the jaws of victory in sixty seconds of defensive disarray. The watching Kevin burton (leaning up against the hockey goal) could only watch in disbelief as his team gave three more points away.

With Kevin and possibly Paul out again next week for the all-important clash against Jamies team, it looks like Alltrader's hopes of qualifying are slender to say the least. What ever happens, we MUST win that game...


Neil settles into his rhythm	Warren is brought into action early on


The Alltraders groupies gather behind the goal to celebrate Tims excellent finish	...Even though the 'keeper blamed the mystery moving goal-posts


Warren is drawn well out of his goal to the left as the attacker pulls the trigger ...	... somehow he sprints back to save spectacularly with his feet


Warren watches from the ground as a gap in the Alltraders defence is exploited	Less than a minute later, Warren is beaten from the other side

Alltraders v Gatwick Express Friday 11/06/1999 - pitch 1