Battersea Ironsides vs VWFC
14/05/2016 Battersea Ironsides 0 - 2 Virginia Water
Surrey Elite League Reserves Division
Report by Steve Cox
Waters reserves finished off their season in fine style with an authoritative away win against Battersea. They achieved this by also showing the strength in depth at the club by fielding a much changed team from previous weeks. Defeat today would have meant winning runners up spot on goal difference but the Waters lads had other ideas and finished the season off with the three points that put them clear of third spot.
It was a game of few chances at either end, Steve Mills having Waters’ best chance right on half time with a one on one with the keeper, maybe his best option being an inside pass to a waiting Luke Sperling, but his shot was well saved by the Battersea keeper. Waters’ clean sheet was mainly owed to some fine defending by Alex Ssenabulya who twice foiled what looked like golden opportunities for scoring by Battersea and to the solid performance of keeper Matt Hargreaves who dealt well with the Battersea aerial bombardment. The only issue from a gutsy first half performance was the fact that some players did not quite understand their roles on the field, mainly due to playing out of position and this led on some occasions to expose the Waters defensive line, but they survived.
The second half saw the Waters improve, maybe the Ironsides tired a little, apart from a great 30 yard free kick which Hargraves saved brilliantly there was little Ironside goal threat and Waters looked the better side. Sperling and Ross Miller were bossing central midfield. There was also - in quality terms - the best player on the pitch in young Ben Jones, his all-round performance up front belied his 17 years. His outstanding 90 minute performance was rewarded first of all by grabbing Waters the lead in the 55th minute. He showed skill quick thinking and a goal scorers instinct as from close in he deliberately squeezed the ball past a well spread keeper from 5 yards following a cross from the right and a flick from Jake Baker. Then in the 89th minute, on the counter attack from a Battersea corner, his superb hold up play and first time through ball released Mills who showed awesome tenacity and skill during his 35 yard run with 2 chasing Battersea defenders, cutting in from the left, to finally prod the ball over the line from close range to seal the Waters victory.
It was a job well done, massive credit must go to all the players on the day who gave their all for the club and at the same time underlined their value to Virginia Water for next season.
MoM = Alex Ssenabulya
Line up:
Matt Hargreaves
Alex Ssenabulya
Tom Poulter
Dave Atkins (c)
Ross Middleton
Jake Baker
Ross Miller
Luke Sperling
Levi Jefford
Steve Mills
Ben Jones
Subs:
Rob Lamb
Jamie Kemp
Dan Basheer