Fnk suffered another narrow defeat in a game full of controversy in the late stages of the match. United came up against a positive and fluent Lavant side, who are sitting high in the table and like the previous opponants also reaching a cup final. United welcomed back Jackson in goal, Hooper returned to the line up in place of Folly to partner Turner and Mitchell in the defence. After impressing against Claremont, Banks retained his holding role in midfield, and with Sage unavailable due to injury, E.Owens partnerer Noller in the centre of midfield, welcoming back West to the wing with D.Batten on the opposite flank, and Mayell returned to partner Davis up top.
Fnk started caustiously, and kept the ball ok in the opening period. Lavant then started to dominate, although their passing was rushed and on a number of occasions, with the constant pressing of united, the majority of balls went out for throwings or goalkicks with Lavant trying to find the killer pass. Soon they were finding space down the wings and with any sought of decent delivery they may have caused the united defence some problems. Turner was organising his back line superbly with time after time the Lavant front line were caught offside. Fnk's first real sign of threatening the Lavant goal came with some good work on the left side between Noller, D.Batten and Mayell with the latter getting to the by line cutting the ball back only for their defence to clear. Towards the end of the half Jackson found himself getting busier, when a Lavant forward was put threw, under pressure from the back tracking defenders his shot was well saved with the left boot of Jackson and there were a few scrambles in the box that the keeper collected. The last chance of the half for United came when a burst from E.Owens in the centre of midfield, was up ended by a defender on the edge of the box. Noller stepped up but his freekick hit the wall and shortly after the referee blew for half time.
A change was made at half time with Webb replacing Banks who took a knock to the head in the first half couldn't continue. Lavant started where they left off and were soon ahead. A corner floated in found number nine with little pressure and he power his header into the net. Lavant could and should have doubled their lead when another ball over the top found their number ten with just the keeper to beat, he went for a chip and it bounced past the post. United found themselves level when Webb flicked the ball on in the box only for the ball to hit a Lavant player and to the surprise of everyone the referee blew for a penalty, judging that the player had handled in the box. Noller stepped up and fired into the bottom right, even with the keeper diving the correct way he was nowhere near the ball. Weller replaced Davis and there was a fresh energy about united, constantly forcing mistakes from the back line and keeper of Lavant. The big talking point of the game was when Weller was put threw with just the keeper to beat, with the ball bouncing and the keeper on rushing Weller chipped the keeper, the ball bounced up hit the bar and looked as though it had crossed the line but with the opposition linesman not in line and the ref too far away the goal was not given to the dismay of the players and the insenced manager who was going mental on the touchline. Lavant had chances to retake the lead with set pieces that went narrowly wide or on one occation hit the crossbar. In the closing stages as Lavant won a corner, United were forced into a change with the impressive D.Batten limping off to be replaced by Merrett. But from that corner seconds later Lavant scored what turned out to be the winner, another ball into the box bounced around only for a Lavant player to poke home from four yards. United weren't going to give up with the clock heading towards ninety United won a corner, Jackson was sent up, Mayell connected with the Noller corner and the defender at the far post turned it round for another corner, the second was inches away from Jackson, Turner put his head on it but Lavant managed to clear and hold on for an important victory in thier season with them challenging for the league title. For United it was an incredible defensive display and with the result maybe being fair on play and chances they can feel a little dissapointed not to get something from the game, but should also feel incredibly proud of their performance. Next up, the final game of the season, the local derby against six villages.
