Match Report – Wednesday 20-02-2019 – Faringdon Town Vets v Chinnor A Vets

After a four week enforced break due to the weather and other clubs being unable to field a side, Town Vets were back in action at the Cinder Lane Stadium with Chinnor A Vets the visitors.

The two sides were sitting in fourth and fifth positions prior to kick off, separated by three points. The reverse fixture was a tough encounter with Town failing to impose themselves, before falling to a 2-0 defeat, something the management team didn’t want to repeat.

Town started brightly and pushed the visitors onto the back foot and took the lead after only seven minutes, Andy Lynham broke the offside trap and coolly slotted home past the advancing keeper. The visitors back line were not happy with their linesman’s decision to not raise his spring-loaded right arm and flag, which appeared to work perfectly when they shouted after the goal had been scored!

Town continued to press, bossing the midfield and the visitors struggling to cope with the Town movement, creating a half-chance for Anthony McCusker and a great opportunity for Paul Hulme, who headed wide when unmarked. Chinnor were struggling to play any real football and were relying on the long ball to try and catch Town on the break, however it was Town who created the next chance midway through the half when Chris Roche turned his defender but saw his well-hit shot saved by the keeper.

Moments later and Chinnor had their first shot in anger and Town keeper Lee Ruddle did well to tip the effort onto his bar and out for a corner. This provided Chinnor with some momentum and for the remaining ten minutes, Town were struggling to get going and Chinnor had a further chance on thirty-seven minutes when their winger volleyed wide, when well placed.

It had been a good first half for Town, but the levels had dropped towards the end of the half. The management knew that Chinnor wouldn’t lie down and if the game had to be won, they would have to win the individual battles all over the pitch. The opening fifteen minutes of the second period was a midfield slug-fest with the quality of football being very low.

On fifty-seven minutes Paul Smith had a great strike on goal, but again the visiting keeper was a match for the effort. From the resulting corner, Town should have doubled their lead, but Troy Redman’s diving header hit the side netting and not the goal from close range.

Chinnor was applying loads of pressure as the match came to a close and it was Town looking to exploit the gaps in the visitors defence. Smith used his pace and broke free, rounding the last defender, before attempting to round him again and as he shot another defender managed to challenge and the shot flew wide.

Town had other chances to get a shot at goal but the wrong option was often taken or the spring loaded linesman’s flag halted proceedings.

The match came to a close and Town grabbed a valuable three points to thrust them into second position. Town Gaffer Martin Harries was happy with the squad performance.

“We made a point of ensuring all the lads got at least 30 minutes football today. With the long lay-off, fitness was always going to be a problem and so we made full use of the sixteen man squad and rotated them at regular intervals”.

Final Score: Faringdon Town Vets 1-0 Chinnor A Vets

Squad: Lee Ruddle, Steve Pugh, Dave Legg, Damian Francis, Gary Sutton(c), Chris Pettis, Liam Humphreys, Paul Hulme, Andrew Lynham, Chris Roche, Anthony McCusker, Patrick Graham, Paul Smith, Colin Yates, Troy Redman, Phil Thompson

Man of the Match: Chris Petis

With no fixture next Wednesday, the side has another break but their remaining fixtures are listed below: