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| Warren gets to grips with the new goals ... | ... as Kevin stretches up. |
Date: 1st
October - Time: 19:30 - Location: The Crawley Leisure centre - After a hard
days work, Alltraders were finally ready for the start of the all important
first game of the Winter 1999 competition. With the return of Jamie Fiveash,
and the new taller but narrower goals (should suit Warren better!) there was
a real air of optimism in the Alltraders team as the referee called the two
teams together.
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| Warren gets to grips with the new goals ... | ... as Kevin stretches up. |
Motley Crew are old rivals of Alltraders, going back several years. Whilst Alltraders
fortunes have failed of late, Motley crew have gathered in strength and have
performed well in the last two competitions by rebuilding their team with a
first class goalkeeper and a solid skillful striker.
The game started with a Motley crew kick. After a slightly shakey start from
both sides, the game eventually started to settle into a rhythm. Alltraders
looked sharp, Tim Leader taking a forward role with Jamie Fiveash overlapping
from defence. Paul's brief was to remain as last-man (something that was not
happening in the Summer!), with Kevin holding the midfield.
Alltraders had several excellent chances to take the lead in the first few moments,
Tim Leader coming the closest first with a penetrating run and left foot drive
the skimmed past the far post, followed shortly after by a first-time volley
against the crossbar from a Jamie Fiveash corner.
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| Tim's run ... | ... skims past the 'keeper |
However, there were still signs of the old defensive weaknesses that troubled
Alltraders in the Summer competition, with Paul Burton getting caught napping
as a first-time pass was knocked into space for a Motley Crew Attacker to advance
unchallenged on the Alltraders goal and hit a first-time thunderbolt on the
run that was saved superbly by Warren in goal.
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| A super strike ... | ... brings out the best from Warren |
The second half continued much as the first, with Alltraders continuing to push
hard on the opposition goal. Unfortunately the Motley 'keeper was living up
to his reputation as was equal to each effort, making two superb one-on-one
saves from Tim Leader and Jamie Fiveash. However his luck finally ran out when
Kevin Burton went on one of his characteristic weaving runs and smashed in a
left-foot thunderdrive over his lunging dive.
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| Above: Paul's shot
is parried away by the 'keeper Below: Kevin finally breaks the deadlock |
At last the deadlock was broken, and Alltraders were looking strong. All that
was required was to remain disciplined and keep their concentration. Sadly,
this is the one thing that has been lacking in the Alltraders play over the
last few seasons, and with the only Motley attack of the second half, Jamie
Fiveash of all people allowed the Motley attacker to get in front of him and
smash an equaliser that nearly ripped the netting away from the shiny new goal-posts.
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| The usual lack of concentration ... | ... is punished by the Motley attacker |
With only two minutes left, Alltraders knew that they had to attack hard to
regain their lead, but the Motley 'keeper was determined to spoil the evening
for Alltraders and made yet another superb save from Tim Leader in the dying
seconds of the game that denied Alltraders the three points they felt they deserved
on the night.
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| Despite Tim's best efforts, .. | ... Alltraders cannot break the Motley defence. |
Final Score: Alltraders 1 (0) - (0) 1 Motley Crew
Scorers:
Kevin
Burton