The Courier Match Report: Tangerines recover from opening day loss to put three past Untied at Close House
Photo: Moises Bedrossian
Intra Mural Football Division One (Wednesday) @ Close House
Dyslexic Untied 1 Henderson Hall 3
Henderson Hall recorded their first win of the Wednesday Division One season with a decisive 3-1 victory over Dyslexic Untied at Close House. The renowned potholed pitches were replaced with a thick, green, grass rug of a pitch making two of the most passing teams avert from their usual playing styles.
The long ball was the order of the day with Dyslexic looking the most promising in the early exchanges with both Ben Wheelhouse and ‘Foreign’ Tony da Silva testing the keeper. On a rare wide attacking move however it was Hendo’s Ben Hooper drifting in from his wide right position who thought he had drawn first blood stylishly knocking in a left wing cross, only for it to be disallowed for a fractional offside.
With Dyslexic looking composed at the back with the experienced pairing of Adam Forster and Chris Smith it would have to take something special to break the deadlock. Up stepped Mikey Scott to launch an unstoppable 40 yard half-volley into the top left corner of the Dyslexic goal.
The law student did well to capitalise on the semi-cleared ball and took his chance whilst seeing the keeper off his line for an early goal of the season contender. The Reds, who conceded against the run of play, continued to make chances using the long ball to good effect and constantly made the Hendo defence turn back to their own goal. Their pressure was rewarded a few minutes before half time.
Good link up play from Wheelhouse and captain ‘Torres’ Windle saw the explosive chemistry student bursting into the box and striking low to Rory Davies left with the keeper parrying into the path of ‘Foreign’ Tony who slipped the ball in for 1-1.
The tricky winger is looking to cement his position after his fine performance and two goals in the opening game against Crayola last week.
After the restart it took just 29 seconds for Untied to rue a golden missed opportunity. Exploiting a rare, loose Matt Tollefson pass, Fred Rose, Wheelhouse – who had been at the heart of everything good about Untied- and Simon Schofield raced to the goal in full flight with Schofield firing his first time shot against the outside of the post. It was to be a telling miss as the momentum gained from the first half slowly ebbed away.
The Tangerines now had time to find their passes between the eye-catching trio of Tollefson, Scott and Sean Watson. It was to be Watson, tidy in possession all afternoon, who clinically nodded the second after a terrific aerial win from captain Matt Alsop from a corner.
Dyslexic looked increasingly frustrated and gave away a penalty a few moments later after not properly clearing their lines and allowing Hooper to volley from some distance into the arm of fresher substitute Cameron Clements-Hunt on the by-line. Hooper duly slammed the ball home sending Nathan ‘Fletch’ the wrong way for the third.
With 15 minutes to go Untied continued to press for the draw throwing every set-piece into the danger area but it was fresher Rose who came closest when his cultured left foot curler from outside the box hit the top of the crossbar.
On the balance of play Henderson Hall just edged a deserved win by creating more clear-cut opportunities.
Dyslexic captain Windle simply said “We’re disappointed not to have at least drawn”. For Hendo the result will go some way in banishing the memory of a shock 2-1 loss to newly promoted Aftermath last week, but in these early days of the season it is becoming clear that no match will have short odds on either side.
