Didcot Town Res vs VWFC
26/08/2017 Didcot Town Reserves 1 - 3 Virginia Water
Hellenic League Division One East
Report by Ceri Jones
Virginia Water were made to fight extremely hard on a very hot day to maintain their excellent winning start to the season, in their first away game of the campaign. Both the home team and Waters themselves were missing a number of key players, not that this made any difference to an entertaining encounter.
With each team keen on playing open football, it was evenly matched in the early exchanges, with the home side edging it. However, it was Waters who went ahead on the half hour, when, from many excellent Liam Hill (MoM) corners, one of Didcot’s defenders was unfortunate to head into his own net.
At the other end the away defence held firm, under constant threat by the home striker Ross MacDonald – who had a terrific game, but to be fair Matt Jones in goal for Waters did not have any significant saves to make. Credit must also go here to Joe McBride, Liam Hill and Josh Guichard, who at all times protected the back four.
In the final third of the pitch the away side certainly had the edge, with some great deliveries by Louis Sanders, Paul Burrows and Liam Hill, and the direct play and pace of Adam McNamara all threatening to add to the scoreline.
At 1-0 up at half time Waters looked to be closing in on a third successive victory.
However, Didcot had other ideas, and controlled the first 20 minutes of the second half, deservedly equalising with a brilliant 20 yard strike from Jack Kitchener. The home side then should have gone ahead, but Jones in the Waters goal pulled off an amazing double save at point blank range to keep the scores level.
This spurred Waters on, and the introduction of Richard Bond and Jake Baker off the bench added to the impetus.
Paul Burrows cut in from the right on 70 minutes to rifle a shot, which Didcot’s goalkeeper could only parry into the path of Baker, who volleyed home.
The youthful defence of Josh Hill, Finn Evered, Adam Mills and Max Samyint held firm, and following another mazy Burrows dribble, where he was eventually brought down, Josh Hill stepped to curl a great free kick into the net on 85 minutes and seal the win (having gone close with a similar effort in the first half).
It was a top match, against an excellent and sporting team, in a great setting. The Waters management and staff wish Didcot the best of luck for the season ahead.
Team:
Matt Jones
Josh Hill
Adam Mills
Finn Evered
Max Samyint
Paul Burrows
Joe McBride
Liam Hill
Josh Guichard
Louis Sanders
Adam McNamara
Subs:
Jake Baker
Richard Bond
Steve Williams
Marc Lansdowne