The penultimate game of the season got started and Grapes strarted well. They played with a high defensive line and pumped the ball to their big man upfront, who was winning everything in the air and causing the Western defence some problems. Grapes continued to play attacking football and Western could only ride the wave of pressure and hope to take a counter attack. Western finally started getting back into the game and they used the wings to get forward andf get balls into the box. A ball was put into the box towards Luke Thompson who was challenging the keeper, he managed to get the ball to his feet and lay it off to Paul Marson who was screaming for the ball. He smashed it on the half volley into the roof of the net from 6 yards out and Western took the lead. Grapes felt hard done by and got the game restarted, they continued to look for their big forward whose flicks ons and through balls seemed to be one step ahead of the rest of his team. Western started to get their foot on the ball a bit more by now and they used the wings well and a ball was played into the box only to take an unfortunate bounce in front of the Grapes winger and it struck his hand, the ref had no choice to point to the spot. Shaun Cope stepped up and finished it confidently. Grapes restarted the game again, the game started to even its self out now and neither team were pressuring the goal. Eventually Grapes got themselves a life line when the winger was allowed to move up the pitch and his attempted cross was sliced and it left everyone on the pitch fooled and found its way into the back of the net. Western reverted to a 4-4-2 formation now in order to balance things up a bit and it worked a bit better and they started to take control a bit more towards the end of the first half. Shortly before the end of the half Western got a freekick just inside the Grapes half, Danny James floated it into the box and none of the Western players could reach it but the keeper and the defender didnt communicate and both of them went for the ball and the keeper fumbled it and it dropped into the goal. 3 - 1. That was it for the first half. The second half got underway and Grapes took the game to Western. They had a ten minute spell of pressure and Western were constantly putting their foot through the ball to clear it. Grapes were unlucky when a ball was crossed in and won by a Grapes man, the ball seemed to cross the line and then Brad Allen made a clearance , but the ref waved play on. Grapes were unlucky, but the game continued and Western started to calm down the play now and sprayed the ball across the pitch well. Western were unlucky not to add a fourth when Scott Brownridge pounced on a poor clearance and hit it on the volley and it flew in but the ref had blown the whistle for a head injury. Western were comfortably on top now and got forward well. Stu Elwell finished the game off with a curling strike which hit the top corner and gave the keeper no chance. 4 - 1. Western defended for the rest of the game and run the clock down. Full time, and Western get themselves a slightly flattering 4 - 1 victory.
