8th to 11th MARCH

Bluefin Insurance Challenge Cup - Round 2

Witney United 1 Woodley Town 1

Witney suffered an agonising penalty shoot out defeat after a gruelling battle against One East side Woodley Town at The Polythene UK Stadium on Thursday evening.
Steve Hale took over the gloves and there was a welcome return for Jon-Paul Mills as United took on their third game in five days. There was no sign of the drama to unfold as the opening stages had a very cagey feel to proceedings and only a John McMahon header which looped onto the roof of the net constituted any sort of effort on goal. Both sides had lost a player each to injury with Chris Harper replaced by Andrew Styles after suffering what appeared to be a groin injury. Woodley though it was who had the first real opening when a reverse pass released Eden Peters and the pacy substitute couldnt get his shot away as Tom Butler made a last ditch tackle to avert the danger. McMahon was looking United's biggest goal threat and his powerful effort from 25 yards was always rising as it went over the crossbar. Lee Henderson then made an astonishing goal-line clearance as he somehow managed to divert Carl Davies' shot onto the post after the striker had rounded Hale. Right on half-time and United came as close as they had come to scoring when Jon-Paul Mills produced a clever piece of skill to get past two defenders but his low drive was saved by the feet of Oneal Garnes.
Half Time: 0 - 0
The second half started in dramatic fashion as the visitors were reduced to ten men just seven minutes into the half. Butler slid to tackle Dan Jewell who reacted angrily to the tackle and was shown a second yellow card. This lifted Witney and they began to push the ball around better than they had done and a clever move resulted in Mills cutting the ball into the path of McMahon but his shot went just over the bar. Twenty minutes from time and the breakthrough came and it was United who got it. Jack Smith won a tackle in midfield and wasted no time in threading a pass to Odihambo who shook off his man and curled the ball beyond Garnes and into the net. With United looking to see the game out they were caught with a sucker punch when a long ball by Chris Hatton sent Peters racing into the clear and he made no mistake as he slotted past Hale. Ricky Bridges was denied at the foot of the post by Garnes but there was still one more glorious chance for United to come. Odihambo cleverly turned his man in the box and as he went to shoot he was pulled back by the shirt and a penalty was awarded. As the clock ticked on to 92 minutes he stepped up himself but dragged his spot kick wide of the post and the game headed for extra-time.
90 Minutes: 1 - 1
Extra-time started with a flourish as both sides came close to scoring when first McMahon collected Odihambo's lay-off but again Garnes was equal to it before at the other end it was Davies who dragged his shot wide when he maybe should have done better. On the stroke of the end of the first period Dan Walker and McMahon both combined to pick out Andrew Styles but his low effort was again blocked by Garnes. Five minutes from the end of extra-time and United were denied a winner by the crossbar as Odihambo's cross was met by McMahon who finally beat Garnes but could only watch as the ball hit the bar and Styles was unable to convert the rebound.
After Extra-Time: 1 - 1

Penalties
Ani Odihambo scores Witney 1 Woodley 0
Carl Davies scores Witney 1 Woodley 1
John McMahon saved. Witney 1 Woodley 1
Jim Nightingale scores Witney 1 Woodley 2
Andrew Styles scores Witney 2 Woodley 2
Chris Hatton scores Witney 2 Woodley 3
Tom Butler saved. Witney 2 Woodley 3
Jamie Fairchild scores Witney 2 Woodley 4
Woodley Town win 4-2 on penalties.

Witney United 1 – 1 Woodley Town AET (Away View)
Woodley Town won 4 – 2 on penalty kicks.
Following on from the cup success the Kestrels enjoyed last weekend, it was the turn of the Men’s First team as they travelled to Witney United who were sitting fifth in the Hellenic Premier Division.
In a match littered with yellow cards, Town came from a goal behind, survived playing with ten men for over an hour and saw Witney Utd miss a last minute penalty before emerging victorious on penalty kicks.
Town started the stronger with man of the match Luke Williams causing the Witney defence problems all evening. As early as the third minute his pass found Jamie Fairchild who was adjudged to be off side. A fifth minute injury to Tom Williams saw Eden Peters introduced as Town continued to enjoy the better of the opening period. Witney’s first attack came on fourteen minutes that resulted in a corner kick that saw the dangerous John McMahon was allowed head over the cross bar unchallenged. The match was being played at a fast pass with heavy tackles that brought about a string of cautions and free kicks. One of these was for Dan Jewell who adjudged to have fouled the full back he had beaten to the goal line.
McMahon again came closest for Witney when he was allowed to run from midfield and shoot over the cross bar on twenty eight minutes. Carl Davies thought he had opened the scoring on thirty one minutes when he beat the back four to be one on one with Witney keeper Steve Hale. Davies rounded the keeper only to see his goal bound strike clear of the line onto the upright and back into play by a retreating defender. This represented the start of sustained pressure by Town with a series of corners and free kicks but the break through could not be made before the break.
Half Time: 0 – 0
The second half started as the first ended with Town forcing the play. Hale cleared poorly to Fairchild who saw his long range effort go wide. Williams and Jewell were causing problems on the flanks until Jewell was adjudged to have fouled an opponent while trying to win the ball while lying on the ground. This brought a second caution and Town were reduced to ten men on fifty five minutes. Buoyed by this Witney started to exert pressure but a disallowed goal for off side by Peters scored to remind Witney that Town were still dangerous on the break and as a result Witney kept a back four that negated their extra man advantage. Jim Nightingale survived an appeal for handball against him before Witney’s pressure told on the seventy minutes when Anni Odihambo was allowed to turn unmarked in the penalty area pass Oneal Garnets. Town responded strongly with intelligent running that continued to cause the Witney defence problems and they were rewarded on eighty six minutes. Good play by defenders Andrew Nunn and Warren Baxter saw Davies receive the ball and pass to Fairchild who in turn set Peters free to fire pass Hale in a one on one situation. There was still excitement in the match as Garnes had to dive full length to push Ricky Bridges’ shot out for a corner before Nightingale was penalised in the penalty area on ninety six minutes. However, Odihambo put his kick low and wide of Garnes right post.
90 Minutes: 1 - 1
The first period of extra time was Town’s with Davies looking dangerous but again Garnes was needed to save at full length to keep the score level. The second period deteriorated with both teams looking for the long ball to catch the opposition on the break, before the game finished all square.
Witney won the toss and Odihambo made amends for his earlier miss by converting his kick. This was to prove one of only two successful penalties due to two superb Garnes saves. Davies, Nightingale, Craig Hiscock and Fairchild scored their kicks to give Town a deserved victory and a quarter final tie away at Slimbridge.

PREMIER Division

HOOK NORTON 0 ARDLEY UNITED 3

This match was by no stretch of the imagination a classic. Indeed, the bumpy surface of the pitch together with a blustery and cold northerly wind all contributed to make good football difficult.

The visitors, with a number of players used to operating at a higher level of football, were that much more skilful than the young Hooky team whose lack of experience was exposed at often crucial times in the match. As a consequence, United created a greater number of scoring opportunities and exploited them on three separate occasions to deservedly win the match.

Just as the first half looked like ending in stalemate, with Hooky’s Conor Devereux missing a good scoring opportunity in the first 5 minutes of the match, Ardley struck twice within the space of 5 minutes with just 10 minutes of the half remaining. First of all, on 35 minutes, Terry Fitton was left to advance down the visitors’ right wing before crossing to the feet of Harry Brock who shot low past Joe White in the Hooky goal. Then, on 40 minutes, Danny Poole was ruled to have committed a foul in the penalty area, as a result of which Adam Garner scored from the spot.

Half Time: 0 – 2

With the wind and slope in their favour, Hooky expected to take the game to their opponents but they generally failed to take advantage of the few opportunities that fell their way, chief of which was a high ball which substitute Ben Spiero ran onto but just missed beating the away ‘keeper to it. At the other end of the pitch, with United being better with their passing, they always looked likely to add to their score which they did on 66 minutes when Troy Bryan scored at the near post following a corner on the right.

Malmesbury Victoria 0 – 3 Kidlington

Kidlington returned to winning ways in Wiltshire on Tuesday evening. It wasn’t quite as easy for the Oxfordshire side as the score line suggests, but after taking a deserved lead Kidlington never looked back. The pitch at ‘the Vic’s’ was unfortunately pretty awful and it was certainly not conducive to Kidlington’s style of play, however, with the returning Mark Baker, Jack Quainton and Lee Bolton they rolled their sleeves up and got on with it.

As early as the 1st minute Kidlington had a golden chance. Mark Flanagan put in a great cross from the left which found Jordan Parker at the far post. Parker got to the ball and his header looked to take a deflection before flying past the post. In the 5th minute Kiddy central defender Brad Chalmers sustained a nasty cut to his leg in a tackle. He was down for several minutes, but after some ‘magic sponge’ treatment he was able to continue. For most of this half the match was pretty even with little or no real chances being created. This changed in ‘The Vic’s’ favour in the 35th minute. A ball into the Kiddy box from the right wing eluded the defenders and it fell kindly for Mike Scarff, about 10 yards out. Scarff let go with a blistering shot and only a brilliant save from Tom McNamara kept the scores level. All in all this had been a dogged half of football with neither team really on top, and the rutted pitch certainly wasn’t helping either side.

Half Time: 0 – 0

Kidlington came out certainly looking in a more determined mood for this second period. They had another early chance when Parker crossed deep for an in-rushing Flanagan. Flanagan raced onto the ball but could not get any real direction on his headed attempt and Keeper Martin Woodhouse went untroubled. Almost straight away up the other end Chris Oke found some space in the middle of the park. He advanced and then sent a thunderbolt of a shot just over McNamara’s bar. The game was certainly now warming up and Jimmy Deabill was next to have a chance. Parker was again the provider. His cross found Deabill in space inside the area, unfortunately the big striker caught the ball ‘too well’ and it went straight into the keepers arms. Kidlington eventually broke the deadlock just before the hour, and it had been coming! Mark Baker this time crossed from the right, Jimmy Deabill went up with the keeper and won it in the air. He knocked it down to livewire Mark Flanagan and he smashed the ball into the back of the net. You could feel the relief flow throughout the Kidlington ranks; it seemed like a weight lifted off them. Not long after this Deabill turned his ankle and had to be replaced. Kidlington kept on the attack though and Flanagan saw a rasping shot saved well by Woodhouse. Kidlington’s pressure finally told again in the 79th minute. Mark Baker who had been instrumental in most of Kidlington’s best attacks beat 2 players before teeing up Jack Quainton with a delightful chip. Quainton was sharp and quick to react as he sent a fierce shot past a Woodhouse for 2 – 0. Quainton who was carrying an injury had to be replaced soon after this with Lewis Coyle coming on. The 3rd goal came in the 83rd minutes. This time Parker who was now playing in a more familiar central roll set up Mark Flanagan for his second of the match. From inside the box Flanagan caught the ball perfectly to rifle his shot into the net.

Parker saw a late effort from the edge of the box turned onto a post by Woodhouse, and in the end it proved a comfortable last few minutes. A battling Malmesbury had given as good as they had received for the 1st hour, but Kidlington proved just to good for them over the full 90.. Still as soon as Kiddy netted their 1st they grew in confidence and the Team that had been playing so well this season finally returned. The match was well Refereed by Ben James and great credit should go to him and his assistants for keeping the game flowing well. Let’s hope for more of the same from the ‘Young Guns’ at Ardley this Saturday.

Old Woodstock Town 0 - 3 Shortwood United

A solid performance from the back four led by Ash Thomas laid the foundations for a fine second half performance.
Playing against the wind and up the slope Shortwood were never able to comfortable clear their lines and conceded territory and possession to a fast flowing Woodstock attack. Despite this possession Woodstock were restricted to only one clear chance in this first half whilst Shortwood on the break probably had the best chance of the half when Mish Green headed over from close range and later had a shot headed off the line.
Half Time: 0 - 0
As the second half began it was immediately apparent how important the wind direction had been as Shortwood now pushed forward and began to dominate the second half. Old Woodstock’s midfield was now forced into a more defensive role which dried up their earlier attacking prowess. Shortwood were now picking up most of the loose ball and half chances began to appear with a volley from distance from Hosky and a fine effort from Collins following a 50 yard run from his own half. Eleven minutes into the half Matt Collins was taken down just inside the penalty area and whilst the referee gave the kick outside the assistant resolutely indicated that it was a penalty. After much hesitation the referee bowed to the assistant’s decision and awarded the penalty. There was little complaint from the Woodstock players and Craig Cole comfortably tucked away the penalty kick. The game now opened up further as Old Woodstock were forced to push forward which only led to more sustained Shortwood pressure. On 63 minutes Ross Casey hit a fine 35 yard drive which the keeper, caught momentarily off his line did well to tip over. A flurry of corners finally resulted in a powerful header from Axton back across the goal for Mish Green to head home from short range. A few minutes later a poorly cleared corner fell to Matt Collins who rounded his man to get to the by-line and send over a powerful cross for Mish Green to again head home from inside the six yard box. As Shortwood now consolidated their lead Old Woodstock came into the game for the last ten minutes but again were unable to breakdown the Shortwood defence, and the game ended 3-0.
A well deserved win on the back of a fine defensive performance, particularly in the first half, with Old Woodstock being restricted to only one clear chance in the whole match. Appropriately Ash Thomas was named man of the match.

Witney United 2 Flackwell Heath 4

Witney United slipped to a first home defeat since early October as they went down 4-2 to a lively Flackwell Heath side at The Polythene UK Stadium on Tuesday night.

Resources were further stretched and with no available goalkeepers it was down to defender Vinny Byfield to don the gloves. The early stages were very quiet until the game sprang into life in the 12th minute when Chris Harper beat his marker and crossed for Gary Wickens to plant home his header. Flackwell however were handed a lifeline back into the match three minutes later with a contentious penalty decision. A cross by Ben Sturgess drifted behind Lee Thompson and as the play continued the referee suddenly awarded a penalty despite no appeals from the visiting players and no obvious foul. Mitchell Woodward held his nerve after the protests and slotted the spot kick home. Harper was looking very dangerous for United and he created another opening when his cross was nodded down by Wickens into the path of Lee Henderson but he rashly blazed the shot over the bar. United were then thankful to Stuart Cattell and Dean Smith who between them charged down a powerful volley by Sturgess which looked to be heading goalwards. Henderson then provided a sublime pass which sent Ani Odihambo into the clear and his cleverly lifted lob beat Warren Carter but dropped the wrong side of the post.

Half Time: 1 - 1

The second half started with a bang of the wrong sorts as the visitors took the lead when the dangerous Ricardo Cannon was sent clear and he raced away and calmly slotted past Byfield. The striker was to grab his second of the night midway through the half. A long ball over the top allowed Cannon to race clear despite looking well offside and firing home at the near post. United struck back immediately though when Wickens provided a delicate cross which landed at the feet of Harper who watched his shot strike the post but Odihambo reacted quickest and fired home the rebound.

The joy was short lived though as within a minute the two goal advantage was restored when Thompson brilliantly controlled a Sturgess pass before firing home.

United huffed and puffed as they tried to force the game and although Wickens headed wide and John McMahon saw a 30 yard effort fly just past the post they couldn’t find a third goal to set up an interesting finish.

ONE EAST

MILTON UNITED 4 FARNBOROUGH TOWN RESERVES 2

The Milton squad were down to the bare bones on Monday night when they entertained a young Farnborough Reserve side at The Heights and it was only a superb second half display that saw then secures all three points.

Manager Bobby Wilkinson had to play himself in midfield due to Ryan Williams sustaining an injury on Saturday and once again this season the home side started very slowly and the speedy youngsters from Farnborough made them pay for it with two goals in the first half. The visitors scored their first in the 20th minute when a high ball was played into the area by NICK HUTCHINS and Jamie Thomas in the Milton goal completely misjudged it and saw it go into his net. They went further ahead in the 25th minute when the dangerous DANIEL BOWDEN scored from close range.

Milton could not get into the match and the visitors had several chances to increase their lead before half time.

HALF TIME: 0 - 2

Whatever the Milton players have to drink at half time I would like some for yet again this season they looked a completely different side in the second half. The midfield started to play the ball around and Kirk Willmoth was marshalling his defence well and it was no surprise when they opened their scoring in the 50th minute. For once they got the benefit on an offside decision and JONNY SUMMERS ran through to put the ball in the net. This goal inspired the home side and seemed to deflate the visitors and Milton started to exert more pressure on their defence with both Jonny Summers and Warren McCabe causing them problems on the flanks and Ian Concannon and Anthony Alleyne causing problems in the middle. It was from this continued pressure that Milton scored the equalising goal in the 60th minute with possibly one of the best goals seen at The Heights this season. BEN TAYLOR the young fullback for Milton picked up a hurried clearance on the halfway line and ran at the Farnborough defence. He beat three players and lashed an unstoppable shot into the net from just outside the area. The Farnborough players seemed to have run out of ideas and with Bobby Wilkinson and Sean Kelleher spreading the passes about it was no surprise when much to the enjoyment of the home supporters Milton took the lead in the 74th minute when that man again IAN CONCANNON was in the right place in the area to turn the ball into the net. Farnborough introduced their substitutes and were close to scoring a third goal but Jamie Thomas in the Milton goal made up for his earlier mistake with a superb one handed save to deny them and the shot on the rebound hit the post and was cleared. With the visitors beginning to run out of steam both the Milton full backs were able to push on and Milton scored the decisive 4th goal in the 84th minute when a great pass from Wikinson found one his players in the space out wide who delivered an inch perfect cross for JONNY SUMMERS to head home.

The only downside for Milton after this superb win was the sending off of Sean Kelleher in the final minutes for a dubious second booking. But overall it was enjoyable game to watch but maybe their should be some extra first aid available for the home supporters because of the heart attacks their team keep giving them. But these three points keep them in the hunt for promotion and that is all that matters.

Thame United 2 – 0 Henley Town

Thame United extended their lead at the top of the league at Wallingford on Tuesday evening when they defeated Henley Town 2-0. The visitors have twice drawn with rival title contenders Wokingham & Emmbrook, so a close game was anticipated. In the event Thame controlled the first half but, for the second game in succession, were under pressure after the break.

United started brightly and after 2 minutes Luke Ricketts forced a save from the visiting keeper. A minute later, however Ricketts met a beautiful cross from Ben Connolly and coolly side-footed the ball past the keeper from 8-yards. Thame increased their lead in the 21st minute when Nik Rhodes met a well-taken Ricketts corner with a powerful far-post header. Thame were enjoying 70% of ball possession with only occasional ineffective threats to their own goal. It could have been 3-0 shortly before half time when Aaron Rogers pounced on a defensive error to hit a 25-yard lobed shot which beat the goalkeeper before glancing off the crossbar.

Half Time: 2 – 0

The visitors started the second half strongly and Thame Keeper, Lee Orkney was busier in the first few minutes than he had been in the whole of the first half. Thame came back and the hardy, but cold, spectators were treated to some entertaining end-to-end football, with Rogers again going close for Thame. The final minutes saw United defending their lead with Orkney forced to make a good save from a point-blank header. Minutes later the visitors were awarded a free kick about 20-yards from goal. Thame were still preparing their wall when a quick-thinking Henley player took the kick which was heading for the bottom right hand corner before the alert Orkney showed his experience and agility by diving and pushing the ball wide.

Overall, it was a good performance from Thame, who are currently playing well enough to win the league title.

Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy Semi Final

Abingdon Town 0 - 2 Reading Town

HOLDERS Reading are through to the final of the Berks and Bucks Senior Trophy for the second season in succession.

They produced an industrious performance to beat Hellenic League Premier Division rivals Abingdon at Culham Road in Tuesday night's semi-final. It took a little time for Colin Millard's men to find their rhythm, but once they had gone ahead they always looked the more likely winners. Reading were solid in defence and Abingdon created very few scoring chances. But Lance Williams did head over the visitors' bar before Reading took the lead just before the half-hour mark. With Aaron Parfitt out injured, Scott Rees took over the dead-ball duties and the midfielder, who had an excellent game, swung over a right-wing corner that Abingdon skipper Chris Perkins, under pressure from Reading's Dean Thomas, could only head into his own net.

Rees also went close with a free-kick just before half-time. The Scours Lane men made a bright start to the second half and Ian Harvey and James Clark both had shots blocked in quick succession in the home goalmouth. The pressure paid off as Reading doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Clark fired home a low drive that went in off the inside of the post. Reading never looked in danger after that as they booked their ticket to the final, where they will meet either Newport Pagnell, the side they defeated to lift the Trophy last season, or Sandhurst. Their semi-final is being played next Tuesday.

To complete a good night for Reading, their main Hellenic League title rivals Almondsbury saw their long unbeaten run come to an end when they lost 2-0 at home to Oxford City Nomads. The Bristol side are seven points behind Reading with three games in hand. Reading visit Oxford City Nomads on Saturday.

Reserve Section

Holyport Reserves 3 v 2 Penn & Tylers Reserves

With four first team squad members making the drop down to gain some needed match fitness the eventual victory proved a lot harder than it needed to be.  As always with any Holyport side it seems that taking the easy path to win a game is the boring one.

Holyport started this game the brighter of the two sides and had several good half chances to take the lead, Dave Butler had a volley from 10 yards out blocked by a Penn defenders hands but no penalty was given to the dismay of the whole ground.  Penn finally broke free from their half after 25 minutes and a hopeful cross hit the cross bar and landed to the Penn striker who from 2 yards out made no mistake.  Five minutes later and Penn where two up as a free kick was left to the Penn striker to head home from four yards.  It was a case of two chances and two goals, whereas Port had peppered the Penn keeper and couldn’t find a way past him. Then on the stroke of half time skipper Stuart Butler found half a yard inside the Penn box and struck a fine shot to make it 2-1 at the half time whistle.

 Half Time 2 - 1

The second half was more of the same, Penn defending for their lives and Port making all of the running.  As Penn failed to clear their lines Port’s Etienne was on hand to smash home from 5 yards out and take the game to two a piece. It was then Dave Butler who secured all three points and made it two wins in four days for Holyport Reserves as they moved to 4th.

Swindon Supermarine 0 - 0 Ardley United

On a great night for football and Ardley weren’t going to be a push over, the lads were upbeat after a good training session Monday, we started well again getting the ball down playing well, knocking the ball around well getting it forward to Ben Reed and Nolan Paul, it was Paul who went the closest inside the first 10 minutes, when he shot just over the bar from the edge of the box, Ardley then from the keepers kick broke down the middle for Eric Carpenter to be denied by the inform Luke Adams with a good stop, a quick throw to Craig Mooney who switched it from left to right with a 35 yard pass to Matt Povey who took of the defender to drill the ball into Reed only for him to slice the ball past the post. From the goal kick again another long ball over the top for the front two of Carpenter and Liam Godwin to run on to but the defence duo of Scott Scanlon and Matt Russell kept the pair frustrated for the first half.

Half Time 0 - 0

From the restart Ardley who must have had a good talking to at half time came out and were knocking the ball around well and again a good save from Adams denied Godwin again from close range from the kick out from Adams to James Keller who ran at the defence and some good work from Joe Blackford in the middle of the park delivered to the back post for Povey to play it back across the goal for Gavin Cook to force a good save from the Ardley keeper to push it out for a corner. From the corner a good ball in from Steve Nesbitt for Mooney to put the ball just over the bar that seem to be our luck this evening in this hard fought game with time running out and with one last attack down the right a good ball in from Keller for Reed again to put the ball straight at the keeper.

Reserves

CARTERTON RES 2 - 6 FINCHAMPSTEAD RES
Frostick blitz inspires Finchampstead to impressive victory
Another trip on a Tuesday night once again tested the resolve of this young Finchampstead team, but again they eventually past the test with flying colours. This was a great team effort, but everyone who witnessed the events of the evening must pay tribute to the goal scoring prowess of Lewis Frostick, as he bagged himself four match winning goals as well as providing the incisive pass for Dean Thomas to score Finch's decisive third goal.
The match began badly for the visitors. Inside a minute, James Brazier was robbed of possession on the edge of his penalty box, the ball being slipped to Carterton’s Jamie MacDonagh who lashed a ferocious cross shot high into the net from sixteen yards out. 1-0 down and overrun by a fired up Carterton, things looked bleak for Finch. The home side was in control and looked quicker to the ball in all areas of the pitch. When in possession, Finch failed to get their passing game going, and some players did not help themselves by playing the long ball down the throats of Carterton's central defenders, who were in their element with this tactic. What was needed was more patience and composure on the ball, but this was easier said than done against a full on effort from a Carterton team in full cry. Carterton's long ball game was working, with Finch playing a bit too high up the pitch and allowing the host's quick strikers to get in behind them. These were anxious moments but there were signs that things might change.

Down the Finch right flank, Dean Thomas was beginning to cause problems to the home defence with his pace and direct style of play. He was well supported by the recalled Andre Kelly, although the final ball into the box was ultimately disappointing on a couple of occasions. Then, in the twenty-fourth minute on a rare Finch foray into the penalty area, it was suddenly 1-1. Lewis Frostick was slipped a pass by Ben Knight. Carterton’s keeper Johnny Dover came out to foil any chance of a Finch equaliser, but the ball squirmed off him. Lewis Frostick, retrieving it five yards from the left hand post and level with it, then mercurially and with unbelievable coolness and skill, bent the ball around the post and into the empty goal. It must have been the defining moment of the match because it lifted a struggling Finch team and deflated to a degree a buoyant Carterton side. However this set-back didn’t immediately stop Carterton who regained the lead on the half hour. A long ball into Finch's left hand defensive channel once again caught the visitors at sixes and sevens, with the result that goalkeeper Jack Skinner was beaten by a clever lob from twelve yards as he came out to close down the angle. They may have been 2-1 down but Finch were beginning to get a foothold on the match, so yet another comeback wasn’t out of the question. Finch hadn’t really created too many genuine goal scoring opportunities but when Lewis Frostick’s up top it’s not really of massive concern. Finch's equaliser after thirty-seven minutes typified his ability to make a chance out of nothing as he collected Dean Thomas's pass just inside the box, turned his marker, and fired Finch level with a low shot into the far corner. The first half finished level, but to be truthful Carterton had had the best of the half and only Lewis Frostick's top class finishing skills had kept Finch in it. A positive dressing room at half time and a tinkering of the game plan were signs that Finch could turn the game on its head, but no one was prepared for what was about to happen second half.
Half Time: 2 - 2
With the Finch defence playing a deeper line, Carterton’s attack became pretty benign. Luke Axton-Hall and skipper Sam Green were now supreme in the heart of the defence and with fullbacks Andre Kelly and Ben Winship looking more comfortable alongside them, things were looking a lot brighter for Finch's prospect's of victory. Chris Hollis, on for James Brazier, went left, with Steve Ryan moving into central midfield. This gave the midfield renewed impetous and you sensed the next goal would come from Finch. Thankfully that was so in the sixty-fifth minute. A beautifully played pass by Lewis Frostick was bravely fired home by Dean Thomas as he got the better of a gathering with the Carterton keeper, finally getting his reward for his pacey runs down the right. Adam Merritt then immediately came on for the injured Ben Winship at left back and was a revelation, quickly followed by Adam Bowyer on for a tiring Dean Thomas on the right flank. Adam Bowyer's immediate contribution on seventy minutes was a superb cross field pass to Steve Ryan, whose pass to Lewis Frostick at the left corner of the box was volleyed imperiously from twenty yards past the bemused home keeper. It was sensationally 4-2.

Five minutes later, breaking from defence, Adam Merritt released Chris Hollis whose forty yard sprint down the left wing ended with a pass infield to Ben Knight. All this time you could see Lewis Frostick sprinting from the Finch defence on an eighty yard run and Ben Knight, looking up, brilliantly picked him out with a deep far post cross. Not needing to be asked twice, Lewis Frostick cracked in his fourth goal and Finch's fifth of the night.
Carterton were clearly shell shocked and Finch were rampant. Five minutes from time in true strikers fashion, Ben Knight bravely got on the end of midfield dynamo Richard Kell's lofted through ball, heading over the advancing keeper to make it 6-2 before getting smashed to the floor for his efforts. The final score line was an incredible turn around from the early moments of this match, and in many ways was such an amazing performance from this travelling Finch side, but ultimately it will be remembered for Lewis Frostick's four goal salvo.