Kirton Town were back in action this weekend, the first game of 2015, away to Woodhall Spa, the previous week’s game at home to Mareham was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Not many changes this week , but Tom Owen did make his first appearance for the reds, after his arrival from Leverton and he came straight onto the wing to replace Dean Fisher ,who was forced to miss the game due to work, otherwise the team was very much the usual starting 11.
It was a very windy and very cold day ,at Woodhall and this showed with the football in this game, apart from the fitness levels too, both teams found it hard to play ,and after a few near misses from both it was the hosts who went in front, a break down the wing and some slack marking from the centre backs ,found one of their players free, who cut inside and shot from the edge of the box, giving the Kirton goalkeeper no chance in goal ,with a shot into the left hand corner of the net, this was after 15 min.Kurt West was his usual self strong in the tackle and always trying to get forward with the ball, he managed to ruffle a few opposition players feathers in the first half , with a little argy bargy of the ball a couple of times ,Kirton were trying to get level in the game. but it was Woodhall who nearly scored again ,when Jamie hall in the Kirton goal had to be quick of his line to smother a Woodhall chance, and a few minutes later was again called upon to make a brilliant save from a Woodhall shot ,that he just managed to turn away for a corner, as the game went on Kirton got more into the game, and it was on the stroke of half time that they managed to do it, a brilliant dribble and run from Marc Neal even though he was forced wide, managed to put a brilliant cross into the box , that Kyle Bates got a good header onto from the corner of the 6yrd box ,and the header was too strong for the keeper to keep out, not many minuets after this the ref blew for half time.
The second half kicks off with both sets of players trying to keep warm during the break, and it was not long before Kirton took the lead , a ball into the box and a player under pressure from Kyle bates ,handled the ball in the area and the referee blew straight away for a penalty. Declan sands stepped up to convert and take his tally to 18 for the season. After the re start Richard Ford was booked for a clumsy tackle on a woodhall player. Marc Neal was on the end of some rash challenges himself, with one of their players getting booked for a challenge too many on him. On 60 mins it was 2-2 after some build up play from Woodhall a shot that was not even going out for a goalkick,hit a Kirton defender and spun by the Kirton keeper and into the back of the net ,with him stood flat footed looking amazed .it didn’t take long though for Kirton to get back in from as a brilliant corner from Joe Gilbert was met with a brilliant header from Martin Durrant and it was 2-3 to Kirton after 75 mins, the game was more open now , and after 5 more minutes Kirton were again pegged back, as a move down kirtons right the player cut in and released a shot that was too hard for the Kirton keeper to keep out and it was back to 3-3,subs were made Lewis Dunworth who had gone of earlier Niall Larkin replaced him,lewis had had a very good game at left back, and Kyle bates who was having a great game down the wing made way for Brad lees, only making his second appearance of the season. James Hardy had, had a quiet game but came to life in the later stages, as one long range shot cannoned back of the crossbar after some good work by himself, then a few mins later, he picked the ball up ran across their back four and at a angle fired a low shot back across goal, through a crowd of players and the ball nestled nicely in the far left hand corner of the goal to give Kirton a 3-4 lead after 80 mins. Nick Kirkland came on to replace Tom Owen, who had a steady game on his debut,. But with some strong defending in the last few mins, and some hearty punts up field Kirton managed to hold on for a victory, this was not the best Kirton can play, and maybe with a long break around xmas time, and the weather on the day didn’t help, we will have to improve this next Saturday for our cup game away to Old Leake.....but well done lads keep it going KURT WEST was MOTM.
