BBOB returned strongly after a week off and a long break from league football (they won 9-2 in the last league game!). They had the perfect start to the game when with his first involvement right back Paul Barton opened the scoring! In the second minute an early BBOB corner was headed clear by the Ovingdean defence straight to Paul Barton 30 yards from goal, his first touch was to control the ball his second touch was to rifle a shot into the top right hand corner of the net, a stunned silence followed, as the BBOB team celebrated one of the finest goals they had ever witnessed!
The strong start continued as BBOB tried to increase their lead, Ovingdean had some early chances, as their lively forward hit one shot straight at BBOB goalkeeper Craig Watson from distance and the same player also failed to trouble the BBOB keeper with a tame free kick effort. Just after this, in the fifteenth minute, somehow Ovingdean were awarded a penalty kick, an Ovingdean forward appeared to slip in the BBOB area close to two BBOB defenders and this was enough for the referee to award a penalty. The penalty was converted sending Craig Watson the wrong way and the 'fouled' player shortly afterwards admitted that he just slipped much to the annoyance of all the BBOB players!
This setback only lasted for a further ten minutes as BBOB re-took the lead from another great goal, this time left midfielder Jac Edwards latched onto a pass from Howard Lloyd after some good work from forward Ben Scott, he took the ball past three opposing players and buried his shot into the bottom left hand corner of the Ovingdean net. Following this the BBOB defence were tested a few times by the Ovingdean attackers but they held up strong. In the 34th minute BBOB increased their lead from a brilliant counter attacking move. Craig Watson played the ball out to right back Paul Barton, he played it inside to Howard Lloyd who in turn found right winger Ed Wyeth, his square pass found its way to Ben Scott who then found his fellow strike partner Matt Barton on the edge of the area, who blasted a left foot shot beyond the Ovingdean keeper!
A minute later centre back Dan Edwards was booked for a slightly over the top tackle and midfielder Chris Thomas was booked five minutes later for very not much at all! Just six minutes later BBOB increased their lead when a defensive error by an Ovingdean centre back gave Matt Barton a simple finish, placing his effort into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. Half time 4-1.
The game was put beyond Ovingdean in the 55th minute, when Matt Barton broke the Ovingdean offside trap from a long ball out of defence and hooked a superb lobbed shot over the Ovingdean keeper and just under the cross bar! BBOB relaxed after this and allowed Ovingdean to push forward, but no chances were created by their opponents as BBOB cleared their lines almost every time! Craig Watson was forced to make a fine save in the 70th minute diving to his right to clear the ball away for a corner. Substitute Michael McMahon (Titch) replaced Chris Thomas (just in case he got another yellow card for virtually nothing!!) and with his first touch of the game he should have scored! Somehow he missed an open goal, blasting his shot over the bar; from just inside the area (should have taken a touch first!!).
Matt Barton was not content with just a hat-trick and therefore increased his tally to four in the 74th minute when Howard Lloyd's perfectly placed pass found him on the edge of the Ovingdean area. His first time diagonal effort was placed into the bottom right hand corner and beyond the outstretched keepers grasp!
Howard Lloyd capped off a fine performance with a goal of his own, a cross from the left hand side was cleared by the Ovingdean defence, Howard Lloyd gathered the ball and from around 30 yards fired a shot beyond the keeper and into the top right corner of the net to make it 7-1.
As the game came to a close, a long diagonal cross from a certain Ovingdean player (Ian South) was played too long and over everyone including BBOB keeper Craig Watson who was unable to stop the ball crossing the line, giving Ovingdean a very late consolation goal.
Easily the best performance of the season (although some might argue that the 9-2 was better!) and possibly the strongest BBOB team on show too, with regular players still to return from absence this coming week! Suddenly, it is all looking very promising for the rest of season!!
Match report OBVIOUSLY written by Paul Barton
