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WHYTELEAFE 2 - 1 WALTON & HERSHAM
Saturday 20th September September 2008
Ryman League Division 1 South
Whyteleafe produced their best display for some considerable time producing some high quality football and earning victory against the league leaders who indeed can be relieved that the margin of victory was not far greater.
Despite the late arrival of Ali Reeve, just minutes before kick off, 'Leafe went straight into attack and played some nice football using the wings to good effect with Nick Greene and Ronnie Green proving to be a handful to the visitors' defence.
Ronnie Green's third minute cross saw confusion between keeper Jonty Vinter and Aaron Nowacki which resulted in the defender hobbling off injured. In the sixth minute, Paul Scott won the ball and laid it off to Jason Goodchild whose 20 yard effort was caught by Vinter.
At the other end Scott Hassell was well placed in the box to get on the end of a free kick, but just missed his header. A minute later 'Leafe took the lead. Green and Asher Hudson combined well on the right, with Hudson's cross to the far post being firmly headed home by Greene.
'Leafe could have gone two up on 20 minutes when Paul Scott's cross found Ronnie Green in the box, but he just couldn't get high enough to get over the ball with his header and it went narrowly over the bar. Three minutes later, Robbie Smith found Denva McKenzie on the edge of the box. McKenzie flicked the ball up but his volley on the turn was blocked. Moments later Nicky Greene found Jason Goodchild 20 yards out but his shot was well saved by Vinter.
Scott won the ball on the right in the 34th minute, cut inside two defenders then shot across the face of goal, Vinter doing well to hold onto the shot. Green found Greene with another cross in the 37th minute, this time his shot was blocked for a corner. Smith took the corner, found Adam Broomhead in the box whose header hit the bar.
Intense 'Leafe pressure then followed for the next few minutes, with the ball rarely coming out of the hosts' area. Smith found McKenzie in the box with a cross but his header went just wide. Two minutes from the break Hudson also went close, heading just wide from a Steve McNamara free kick.
There is always a danger that when you have dominated a game as well as 'Leafe had in the first half but only managed the singe goal, that the other side will come back and bite you. Well, the Swans did just that in the 50th minute. A mistake in defence allowed former Whyteleafe striker, Dave Stevens, space on his debut for his new club and he slotted the ball home.
However, if the visitors thought that 'Leafe were about to roll over, they were in for a shock as the home side stepped up their game and went all out for a winner. Scott had a shot saved by Vinter in the 56th minute. He dropped the ball in front of Scott but he managed only to hit the bar from point blank range. Green then crossed the ball to Hudson who put Scott through, but his shot went just wide.
In the 65th minute Walton's Adam Moriarty hit a low shot just wide of the post. Two minutes later McNamara found Green on the edge of the box and his shot was cleared off the line and then Reeve came to Leafe's rescue with a great saving tackle to stop Stevens having a free shot on goal. On 68 minutes, Tolfrey was at full stretch to clear away a Louis Clark header.
Whyteleafe's winner came in the 77th minute. Their performance deserved to get them all three points and it was a very special that won it. Scott's hard work and persistence on the left was rewarded when he found Smith some 25 yards out. Smith took a couple of steps inside with the ball then unleashed a swerving volley that dipped at the last minute, leaving Vinter completely stranded.
Vinter made several good saves from McKenzie late on and Hudson also went close. Jon Boswell could have stolen a point for the visitors in the closing minutes when he got to a header in front of Tolfrey, but his effort went over the bar.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Hudson, McNamara, Reeve , Broomhead, Goodchild, Green, Smith, McKenzie, Scott (Riley 82), Greene.
NB. click on thumbnail for full size picture
Jason Goodchild |
Hudson to clear |
Rob Tolfrey |
|
Mrs K and Mr E |
Ronnie Green |
a flying Swan |
|
Asher Hudson |
Paul Scott |
Nicky Greene |
|
Ronnie on a charge |
Greeney |
Steve McNamara |
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