03/12/11
Woodston Dynamos 3 – 2 Baston
Baston were dealt a hammer blow as defender Mindy Valys dropped out of the team a couple of hours before kickoff; a reshuffle saw youngster Aidan Cain selected up front, with Ryan Jones dropping to the bench.
Baston started on the front foot and should have been ahead in the first minute, Craig Bullivant failing to beat the keeper from 2 yards out, after a good ball in from Greg Rawlinson.
Baston took a deserved lead after 20 minutes as the Woodston Keeper hashed a clearance straight to Bullivant who confidently lobbed him from the edge of the area to make it 1-0. Woodston’s attack was constantly frustrated and denied by a strong defensive showing from Baston, their only chance of the first half came from a slick passing move but Eddy Lungay couldn’t beat Clarke with his side foot effort. Rawlinson was a constant threat down the left and produced some fine crosses; Baston should have doubled their lead before halftime but debutant Aidan Cain blasted his shot wide at the back post.
Woodston came out much stronger in the second half, but their attacks were still being broken down before they could create chances. It took a long hopeful ball forward from Woodston to bring the leveller, as striker Lungay jumped up and beat keeper Clarke to the bouncing ball and made it 1-1. This started a spree of goal scoring, as just moments later, Baston took the lead again, as Steve Clay latched onto Hames’ pass outside the area before dispatching a stunning left foot strike into the top corner, following a good team move down the right. Craig Bullivant had the chance to put Baston 3-1 up but his close range effort was scuffed wide.
Baston were pegged back again just moments later as more Woodston pressure led to a cross into the box which was misjudged by Clarke, and the ball bounced around before unluckily going in off the back of Clay’s head for 2-2.
With 20 minutes left, the game was poised for a thrilling climax, sub Ryan Jones raced onto a loose ball and was brought down in the box by the keeper for a penalty. Skipper Ben Hudson stepped up to take the penalty but slipped and his spot-kick hit the post after sending the keeper the wrong way. Rawlinson didn’t manage a shot from the rebound and the score remained tied. Baston pushed for a winner, but were hit on the counter as Lungay latched onto a through ball before slotting the ball expertly into the bottom corner.
Baston attempted to salvage something from the game late on, with a series of good set-pieces from sub Dave Burton; Tom Hames had a dipping volley that went over from the edge of the area, before a chance fell to Bullivant but his volley was straight at the goalkeeper who caught it comfortably.
The result sees Woodston leapfrog Baston into top spot. Manager Phil Davies said “There is still a distance to go in the title race and we need to win all of our games to keep in touch with the leaders. We were much improved today compared to when we lost 6-1 earlier in the season, and we can take a lot of positives from a game we definitely should have won”
Man of the Match –
Baston: Rob Clarke, James Markham, Ben Hudson (c), Justas Poderis, James Ward, Jono Howard, Tom Hames, Steve Clay (Dave Burton), Greg Rawlinson, Aidan Cain (Ryan Jones), Craig Bullivant.
