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

Details	Players
Season: Season 2009-2010 Date: 10.10.2009 Time: 13:00 Team: Mens 1st XI Competition: League Location: Home Opponent: Blackheath Men's 1st XI Our Score: 6 Opponent Score: 3 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) Jimmy Pease - 0 Goal(s) Dan Ginnaw - 0 Goal(s) Michael Gubbins - 0 Goal(s) Matt Sewell - 0 Goal(s) David Beales - 0 Goal(s) Grant Sawyer - 2 Goal(s) Chris Marr - 0 Goal(s) Alex Warner - 4 Goal(s)

Match Report(s)

Saturday 10th October.

Worthing 6 – 3 Blackheath

 

Scorers: Warner (4), Sawyer (2)

 

The first home game of the season was played out on Saturday against a much changed Blackheath team from previous encounters. In recent times, Worthing have been known to struggle for performances at home and were determined to not make the same mistakes as previous years and try to re-instate the “Fortress” nickname which seems to have been left in the Durrington changing rooms.

 

After a few missing players from last week, we welcomed back Chris Binns in goal along with Matt Ansell and the family to bag the 3 points and to send Blackheath back to where they once came.

 

Worthing did not start as well as the previous week and with a few stray passes coming from all over the field, Blackheath were on top. Blackheath came forward and our back 4 remained strong but it was only a matter of time before they had a reward….a short corner. With the game at 0-0, this was an important moment and everyone was prepared to do their duty…….except for one who was having a slight issue with his facemask and thought it wise to have a discussion with an umpire about it. The short corner was played-out and although it didn’t come to anything, Blackheath continued to pressure the Worthing team and soon enough won another short corner which was precisely pushed round the corner of the post by a “fit and well” Binnsy.

 

Worthing knew that this was the time they had to pick their game up and with some scrappy work close to the D, Gubbins managed to pick the ball up and win a short corner. After some rain the night before and pitch running well, there could be no excuses for a poor short-corner routine……and there wasn’t. Drag-flick from Alex Warner put the home side ahead and in the driving seat.

 

Worthing had started to play better and seemed the most likely to score again until a mix up in defence caused Godber to lose his footing right in front of goal, handing Blackheath the easiest of replies and a lifeline. Worthing continued to press Blackheath and with the pressure mounting around the D, all they could do was concede a deliberate foot and another short corner, followed by a yellow card for Blackheath. Same short corner routine, same result, which once again left the keeper standing flat footed in the middle of his goal.

 

Half time was closely approaching and Worthing were searching for another goal when Sawyer forgot about a certain “stick and head height” rule which levelled the sides up to 10 each for the remaining 5 minutes.

 

HALF TIME (2-1)

 

With the crowds gathering and the sun starting to rise above the clouds, Worthing knew that they had to go out strong and dominate the match before Blackheath could reply and it didn’t take long before another short corner was won and duly converted again by Alex (3 from 3).

 

With the game seeming under control, Worthing relaxed their style and gave some possession back to Blackheath but this new look team took it as the invitation to move forward and during a patch of 10 minutes or so managed to level it up to 3-3 with some quick passing and deft touches. During those 10 minutes the game had turned on its head and if not for the rejuvenated Binnsy, could have left Worthing trailing by at least a couple.

 

Worthing now had a challenge on their hands and proved how far they have come from past seasons by rallying together and once again taking control of the game. With Blackheath tiring and Worthing showing their improved fitness level, the game became very open and it was soon Worthing who had the drive to go on and attack Blackheath’s goal, enter Sawyer.

With the ball breaking quickly from defence with good interchanges between the full backs and wingers Blackheath couldn’t handle the pace of attack which ended with Sawyer firing a flick into the roof of the net, advantage Worthing.

It wasn’t long before Worthing were once again stretching the Blackheath team and with everyone moving up the park eager to kill the game off, the ball was fizzed across the D from the advancing Warner, with Sawyer at full stretch to deflect it past the keeper and extend the home side's lead.

 

With the score at 5-3, there was just enough time for one last attack. Again, the ball broke quickly and with Worthing playing as an attacking unit even the fullbacks were getting into the D where Ginnaw found Warner who fired a flick past the keeper to score his first open play league goal (and hopefully not last) of the season.

 

A good, solid performance from Worthing who are showing improvements every week along with the ability to take control and come back from a dodgy few minutes. 

 

Worthing will now travel to Sutton Valance at the break of dawn where 3 points will be the order of the day.

 

Team: Chris Binns, Alex Warner, James Godber, Jimmy Pease, Dave Beales, Chris Sciandro, Grant Sawyer, Dan Ginnaw, Mikey Gubbins, Chris Marr, Rob Lowe. Subs: Matt Ansell, Matt Sewell

 

MOM & WOW – Alex Warner