Mens 1st XI v BBHC

Details	Players
Season: Season 2008-2009 Date: 08.11.2008 Time: 14:30 Team: Mens 1st XI Competition: League Location: Home Opponent: BBHC Our Score: 3 Opponent Score: 2 Result: Won	Matt Ansell - 0 Goal(s) James Godber - 0 Goal(s) Joel Shepherd - 0 Goal(s) Bryan Lock - 0 Goal(s) Chris Binns - 0 Goal(s) David Clayton - 0 Goal(s) Dan Ginnaw - 0 Goal(s) John Massie - 0 Goal(s) Matt Sewell - 0 Goal(s) David Beales - 0 Goal(s) Craig Paterson - 0 Goal(s) Ben Burriss - 0 Goal(s) Cirdec Atkinson - 1 Goal(s) Alex Warner - 2 Goal(s)

Match Report(s)

Worthing played BBHC at a floodlit St Andrews on Saturday. BBHC were Kent Sussex champions 2 seasons ago but failed to maintain their Premier League status last year.

After the disciplined performance last week against Horsham resulting in a 1-1 draw that Worthing felt were 2 points lost, and a good win against Eastcote (4-3) in the EHA Trophy, Captain Ansell decided to ring the changes, with Gubbins and Williams rotated to the 2^ndXI, in came Sewell for his league debut and veteran Massie. Worthing now have a talented squad of 18 players pushing for a starting place, a luxury and a conundrum for Captain Ansell that has not be there in recent seasons.

Worthing started brightly against the disciplined BBHC with Ansell, Warner and Burriss controlling the game well in mid-field. Clayton and Sewell linked well on the right and Worthing were playing a good portion of the game within BBHC’s half. A misplaced pass allowed BBHC to quickly break forward. The centre-forward found himself one on one with Binns who was disappointed to see the reverse stick shot beat him at his near post.

This set-back spurred Worthing into action with Ansell and Warner passing the ball with consummate skill and ease allowing the running games of Ginnaw and Burriss to push the BBHC defence further back toward their ‘D‘. This sustained pressure resulted in Worthing obtaining 2 short corners in quick succession. Warner scored twice with powerfully devastating drag flicks past the despairing dives of the BBHC keeper. Worthing continued on the offensive and were unlucky not to go ahead when it seemed easier for Ginnaw to score rather than put the ball wide as he did. Atkinson also continued his good form from the previous game and linked well at centre forward with those around him and offered a different option to the always threatening Lock.

Half time 2-1.

The second half started in much the same vein with Worthing continuing on the offensive and BBHC resorting to more rough-house tactics in order to break down play. Worthing won a short corner; and with the defence concentrating on Warner as the obvious threat, the ball was switched to Lock who found Atkinson at the far post for a cool finish. Straight of the training ground!

This charged BBHC, who started to bring the play to Worthing with greater effect. Worthing found themselves more and more on the back foot but the blossoming partnership of Shepherd and Godber, complemented by Massie, Clayton and Beales, held firm. Shepherd’s strength and aggression has bought an added steel to Worthing defence and won him the Man of the Match award.

BBHC continued to press and won a series of short corners with both Binns and Shepherd comfortably dealing with shots. From a questionable short corner, after a theatrical tumble by the BBHC forward, the resulting rising shot could not be legally kept out by Shepherd on the line, resulted in a penalty stroke. This was tucked in off Binns’s right post.

After riding out this set back, Worthing held firm for a good result, keeping pressure on the league leaders, Eastbourne, and only remaining 2^nd on goal difference. Next week Worthing are away to Kings College London.

Squad

Binns, Shepherd, Godber, Beales, Warner, Clayton, Ansell, Burriss, Lock, Atkinson, Humphries, Sewell, Massie, Ginnaw