After a two week break BBOB returned to action against a much improved Rottingdean team from the last encounter. BBOB had players missing, regular right back Paul Barton moved across to centre back and player-boss Steve Maskell started at right back. Left winger Jac Edwards moved to centre midfield as a replacement for the suspended Howard Lloyd and James Sansom-Constantini started at left midfield. There was also a rare start for Ben Wheatland at centre forward.
The game started slowly with neither team taking control and few chances on goal, right winger Ed Wyeth was cynically brought down by a Rottingdean defender on the edge of the box, but BBOB were unable to capitalize from the resulting free kick, and the young referee was unable to produce an obvious yellow card for the foul! Ben Wheatland connected with a James Sansom-Constantini corner shortly after this, but his header was placed high and wide. In the 14th minute BBOB did take the lead, a well taken free kick from James Sansom-Constantini found the top left hand corner of the net after the opposition keeper got a full punch on it!
Rottingdean responded well, and BBOB were unable to clear their lines easily. Rottingdean had a string of corners and missed a couple of close range efforts. Towards the end of the half a pin point diagonal ball from Jac Edwards found BBOB striker Matt Barton in space, unfortunately he dragged his shot just wide. Half time 1-0.
The second half started badly for BBOB, as they immediately conceded a corner and were forced back by Rottingdean, in the 47th minute, under little pressure centre back Sam Hamberger, who up to this point was having a good game, allowed a through ball to go past him for the BBOB keeper. He says he heard a call from the keeper, unfortunately a Rottingdean forward sneaked in between the two of them and at the second time of asking fired home an equaliser!! After this BBOB were able to survive a further flurry of attacks on the BBOB goal. Craig Watson, the BBOB keeper was able to punch clear and deal with the majority of high balls played into the BBOB area. In the 55th minute with BBOB not looking likely to grab a second goal, Jac Edwards received the ball on the edge of the Rottingdean area and struck a perfect shot in the top right hand corner of the net!
Fletcher Elliott replaced the injured Steve Maskell at right back after this, and could have scored with his first touch, he failed to connect with a free kick played in to the box at the far post and somehow the ball went out for a Rottingdean goal kick. In the 64th minute disaster struck again, when an over hit cross from the Rottingdean left back caught BBOB keeper Craig Watson off his line, the ball sailed, wind assisted, over his head into the empty net!
With plenty of time to win the match neither team could break down either defence, BBOB came the closest when a Matt Barton cross found fellow centre forward Ben Wheatland unmarked in the Rottingdean six yard box, his perfectly hit volley was well saved by the Rottingdean Keeper, tipping the ball just over the bar.
A draw was probably the right result, but a disappointing one for BBOB! Their next game against TMG is now a must-win!
Match report by Paul Barton
