In what was billed as a massive game pre-match by Manager Marcus Rossi, te 3rd from last match of the season for Cavalier FC ended in a draw, in a game which could've gone either way.
Cavalier were lying second bottom prior to the match, only 1 point ahead of basement side White Horse (Sunday) B.
The management team of Rossi, Holman & Wiltshire had a selection dilemma at the 11th hour, when Delvin Keane and Antony Butler failed to show up.
Fortunately Keane arrived just before kick-off, but Butler could not be contacted. This thrust Guy Perritt into the starting line-up, who had a fantastic performance at the back. Mike Land also no-showed, leaving a thin bench of Rory Wiltshire and Scott Burgess.
Cavalier started the brighter of the two sides, with Liam McEniry seeing plenty of the ball down the left flank. Roger Wiltshire also returned to action for the first time since fracturing his foot 12 weeks ago, and his lack of fitness told, fading as the match went on.
Cavalier deservedly took the lead when Bowers hooked a cross to the near post, where Keane nodded home expertly. Cavalier then could've doubled their lead when Roger Wiltshire hit the bar from the left of goal. The goal cannoned back across goal to Mark Torr, who only had the 'keeper to beat, but by the time he had brought the ball under control, a swarm of defenders robbed him of posession.
Bremhill View then equalised in what turned out to be the most contraversial decision of the match, and could ultimately end Cavalier's hopes of ending the season off the bottom of the table. Bremhill took a shot from the edge of the box - the shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced off the line and away from the goal. The referee waved play on, but for some strange reason, Cavalier linesman Scott Burgess made a costly error, flagging for a goal. After consulting with Burgess, the referee allowed the goal. This angered mane Cavalier players, as Burgess has allowed a goal to stand for the second game in a row which shouldn't have stood. It puts Cavalier at a distinct disadvantage to every other team in the league, as we appear to have the only linesman that goes AGAINST their own team.
Cavalier almost replied immediately, but Delvin Keane's first time effort hit the base of the bost and bounced away out of danger.
Bremhill then took advantage of Cavalier's frustration, adding a second goal at the 30 minute mark, making the most of poor marking in the Cavalier box.
Cavalier rallied though, and the always improving right back Dan Rance managed to find a yard of space on the penalty spot and hook the ball into the net after a good delivery into the box by Roger Wiltshire.
Bremhill then restored their 1 goal lead after Cavalier again failed to clear their lines from defending a set piece.
HALF-TIME: 2-3.
Roger Wiltshire tinkered with the tactics at half-time, switching Dan Rance to right midfield, hoping to utilise his pace against an aging defence, Within minutes this change paid off, when Rance scored a trademark goal, bursting down the right hand side and blasting a shot into the far top corner leaving the keeper left stranded, further showing he can be a great right-back with more games under his belt.
Cavalier then gave Rory Wiltshire a 30 minute cameo at right-back, replacing the industrious Mark Torr.
With the score at 3-3, both teams went for broke, and the game became more end-to-end.
Cavalier never looked like they were going to concede except for long balls over the top, and it was one of these long balls that nearly caught out Marcus Rossi, when a Bremhill striker volleyed goal-bound. Fortunately a slightdeflection from perritt diverted the shot 5 yards wide.
Wth just 10 minutes left Roger Wiltshire nearly scored a superb winner, hitting the bar from 30 yards, in what was a mirror image of Bremhill View's opener. But due to the linesman not waving his flag, the referee played on. Cavalier kept pressing in the closing minutes, and nearly took all 3 points when Delvin Keane found himself leaping highest from a corner, but his header just sailed 2 yards over the crossbar.
Manager Marcus Rossi will be pleased with picking up another draw this season, but come April, this may be seen as 2 points dropped in the race against White Horse B.
