Men's 1st XI Vs Blackheath Men's 1st XI

Details	Players
Season: Season 2009-2010 Date: 23.01.2010 Time: 00:00 Team: Mens 1st XI Competition: League Location: Away Opponent: Blackheath Men's 1st XI Our Score: 7 Opponent Score: 0 Result: Won	Chris Sciandro - 0 Goal(s) Matt Ansell - 0 Goal(s) James Godber - 0 Goal(s) Chris Binns - 0 Goal(s) Rob Lowe - 0 Goal(s) Dan Ginnaw - 1 Goal(s) Matt Sewell - 0 Goal(s) Craig Paterson - 1 Goal(s) Ben Burriss - 1 Goal(s) Grant Sawyer - 0 Goal(s) Chris Marr - 0 Goal(s) Alex Warner - 4 Goal(s)

Match Report(s)

Worthing 1st XI vs Blackheath 1st XI, played away at Blackheath, played 23rd January

7 – 0 win

Team:  Chris Binns, James Godber, Alex Warner, Matthew Sewell, Chris Sciandro, Grant Sawyer, Craig Patterson, Ben Burriss, Chris Marr, Daniel Ginnaw, Robert Lowe, Matthew Ansell

Despite Worthing winning the push back, possession was quickly lost and it was Blackheath who started off the stronger team.  A determined Worthing side overcame this and did not want to concede and they were the first to score.  Alex Warner scored with a penalty corner in the top right hand corner – a customary drag flick. It was a rocket! Worthing continued to dominate the game with lovely passing around the pitch, opening up the Blackheath side like a “can of worms”.  This controlled passing allowed Worthing to pick their pass resulting in the ball entering the Blackheath D from the right hand side and providing Craig Patterson the opportunity to send a reverse shot into the bottom right hand corner.

Blackheath did provide some nervous moments for the away side’s defence – although this was mostly a crash ball from their defence to a pacey forward who fortunately was unable to fully capitalise.  A slight change in the formation and this threat was to some extent neutralised.

The substitution of Rob Lowe resulted in the goal of the game.  He received the ball on the left wing and with what appeared to be little options open to him, he elaborately flicked the ball over the Blackheath defence and into the D.  The always alert Ben Burriss was quickly onto it and picked it up, pushing the ball past the goalkeeper  then whacking it into the goal.

3 – 0 Halftime.

Worthing always knew that Blackheath started the second half strongly (from painful experience) and with this in mind the HT team talk ended with Worthing making sure this didn’t happen by taking the initiative to them. This determination resulted in another short corner and another goal for Alex Warner – a subtle strike into the bottom right hand corner that the goalkeeper could only parry into the goal.

Worthing’s continued excellent passing from one side of the pitch to the other, carved open Blackheath.  Again another penalty corner awarded and Alex Warner’s shot going in at the bottom right hand corner.  The fact was that this was Alex’s attempted pass to Grant Sawyer.  However, the defenders foot diverted ‘this pass’ between the shiny white goal posts.

A sixth goal came about from Grant Sawyer’s missile into the D from the right hand side and a deflection of Daniel Ginnaw’s stick over the goalkeeper into the left hand side of the goal.

Alex Warner again scored, the final goal from a breakdown of a penalty corner.

Maybe it was due to Worthing being comfortably ahead, but they took the foot of the gas, forgot how to pass and control the game, especially in the final third of the pitch.  This resulted in a mad five minutes trying to defend for dear life.  Chris Binns pulled off some wonderful saves to keep the clean sheet – well deserved.

A good result, but improvements are needed in the final and crucial third of the pitch with players’ first touch a must.  However, it has to be said that when a Kent Umpire congratulates the Worthing Captain, Matthew Ansell, on having such a well disciplined and respectful team, it must be a good thing.  This writer has been in some blood battles over the years with Blackheath and a compliment like that from the Umpire would have never been imagined.  If only we could get some fair play award points – we need them!