Pure Spartan 2-0 Skewers
Basingstoke B Cup Last 16
Despite Pure having an early morning goalkeeper crisis when Gary Meffen bottled it last minute and Ricky Cobb was unable to change plans. CB Paul Drake stepped in to don the gloves and put in an inspired performance.
The first half was controlled by Spartan who's combination of passing, movement and confidence on the ball baffled Skewers who struggled to deal with the Raw pace of Anton medford and Dean Ratcliff who left their defenders on a number of occasions in a heap on the deck. Skewers did however change their strategy and started to operate on the counter attack which caught Pure out and led to Louis Bugg racing throw and forcing a good save from Drake!
The raw pace of Anton Medford again was causing Skewers all sorts of problems and this proved their undoing as on 39 minutes Medford skipped past a lunge from Ben Hobday and when running clean through on goal was pulled down in the area by Dan Argent who was rightly so given his marching orders by the referee. With Skewers down to 10 Men and Rossi Mortlock standing over the free kick confidence was high and he whipped the ball past the despairing keeper to make it 1-0.
Pure learnt to cope with the pace of Bugg using Steve Tickner sweep and Dave Sean Ratcliff to concentrate on the aerial battles which kept their attack quiet and Jon Dawson nullifying their attacks from midfield which enabled the stand in keeper a reasonably quiet first half.
Half Time
The second half started the same with Pure controlling the game with some nice passing and the game became reasonably comfortable with neither side really pressing. It wasn't until the 70th Minute that Skewers started to seize the initiative and from a long throw created a golden chance from 6 yards which somehow stand in keeper Paul Drake managed to scamper across goal to keep it out! His heroics didnt end there as from the resulting corner he made another outstanding save tipping a shot which seemed destined to nestle in the corner round the post! It was then that Pure realised the game was not safe and upped their game! and straight away an Excellent combination between Craig Mugford and Ollie Owen led to Owen delivering a inch perfect Cross forScotty Still to head home and give Pure a 2 goal cushion!
Skewers did have another chance late on but when Lewis Bugg hit the bar from 3 yards out they must of known it wasn't to be their day and that the Stand in Goalkeeper for Spartan Paul Drake Stole the show!!
Donkey of the Day!! THIS HAS TO GO TO GARY MEFFEN WHO WAS A COMPLETE LET DOWN ON THE DAY AS I AM SURE HE WOULD AGREE!
Man Of The Match! Paul Drake Who was an outstanding stand in and made 2 crucial saves when the game was 1-0.
