Alan & Wright vs Stronstad Utd
First Half Action:-
Stronstad stepped out onto the pitch at Langstone hoping to stop an Alan & Wright team who were top of the league and one of the favourites to win the title so Stronstad knew this was going to be a tough game and with a heavy defeat last week some people were thinking how many Stronstad would lose by.
The opening affair was a quiet affair with both teams settling down and for the first time in a while Stronstad were not 2-0 down in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Soon the chances started to come but it was not for Alan & Wright but for Stronstad Utd.
Phil Ingram had returned to the team after being frozen out and he took the chance with both hands. Playing on the right wing he had two excellent chances to open the scoring. A strong run into the box and the ball squared across to an unmarked Phil Ingram. The scene was set, the ball rolled nicely to Phil who pulled his left leg back and as he swung for the ball, instead of wheeling away in celebration he miss judged the ball and he then sliced the ball and the danger was cleared.
Phil Ingram’s second chance came as the ball was worked down the Alan & Wright right wing and from there Ian Privett sent in a cross which found Phil Ingram at the far post but even though he leapt like a salmon he headed the ball skywards and a good chance to open his account had gone.
At the other end the two defensive giants of Paul “Macca” McKay and Dan Razzell had kept the dangerous Alan & Wright forward at bay but on one occasion the ball was played forward and it was a foot race between Paul “Macca” McKay and an Alan & Wright player. The people on the sideline held their breath as Paul “Macca” McKay launched through the air towards the ball and made a tackle that Rio Ferdinand, John Terry or even Christopher Samba would have been proud of. What made this tackle all the better was that the ball was won and Paul “Macca” McKay got up and played the ball away with some Alan & Wright players shouting for a penalty.
Up front Ian Privett was playing as the lone striker and had a really battle on his hands but with his enthusiasm and the excellent support from Sadiq Mohammed, Dean Barlow, Lloyd Adams and Pete Hamilton this gave Stronstad the drive to get forward.
The key to doing well today was the midfield battle as in recent weeks the midfield were not winning the battles but today lead by captain Pete Hamilton the midfield trio including Lloyd Adams and Dean Barlow were playing the ball simple as requested in the team talk and this helped the team move forward.
Then came a point in the game where Stronstad had managed to take the lead for the first time this season. A corner from Ian Privett caused havoc in the Alan & Wright penalty area and with the Alan & Wright keeper trying to get his hands on the ball bodies were flying in and somehow a Stronstad player had forced the ball in but the referee disallowed the goal as the Alan & Wright goalkeeper laid pole axed in the 6 yard box.
2 minutes later the opening goal arrived. Stronstad had done something for the first time in a long time, getting the ball down and passing it around and from a slick passing move a through ball from Pete Hamilton to Lloyd Adams who collected the ball before beating his man before beating the Alan & Wright goalkeeper sent the Stronstad players wild as they had taken the lead which they deserved. This goal gave Stronstad the confidence and you could see it as all the players kept battling away and encouraged each other. Some great solid tackling from Lato Okunuga and Jon Way who were having solid games and break up the play and with Dan Razzell and Paul “Macca” McKay clearing all the danger, keeper Craig Stuart were having a quiet day.
The closest that Alan & Wright came was when a corner was swung in but the frame of the post kept the effort out and then at the other end a strong run from Sadiq Mohammed see him beat two men before letting fly with a stinging effort which was well held by the Alan & Wright goalkeeper.
Half Time:- Alan & Wright 0 Stronstad Utd 1
What more could Robert Pearson ask for????
The team was playing well and we were defending like a unit with players putting in some great blocks and the key striker for Alan & Wright was marked out of the game.
The second half was more of the same with Stronstad getting the ball down and passing it around which created plenty of space for the wingers who were giving the Alan & Wright full backs a torrid time.
Stronstad thought they had a second goal. Lloyd Adams collected the ball before advancing towards goal but his run was halted by an Alan & Wright player. From the resulting free kick from Ian Privett the ball was parried by the Alan & Wright goalkeeper and substitute Steve Beech put the ball into the goal but his effort was ruled out not by the linesman but the referee to the anger of the Stronstad team.
Stronstad were the most likely to extend the lead and they almost did on two occasions. First Steve Beech let fly from just outside the area after he battled for the ball but the Alan & Wright goalkeeper plucked the ball out of the air. Then Ian Privett collected a Craig Stuart long kick and as he was ready to let fly a last ditched block denied him.
If Stronstad were angered by the second disallowed goal they we fuming as Lloyd Adams skipped into the Alan & Wright penalty area and with Stronstad players screaming for a penalty the referee deemed that the defender had won the ball and he waved away the penalty appeals. At the other end it was all hands to the pump as the referee awarded Alan & Wright a free kick in a very dangerous position and from the resulting free kick the ball hit the wall and was up in the air with players from both teams challenging for the ball. When the ball came down an Alan & Wright player took a shot but it was well blocked with Stronstad players throwing themselves at the ball to keep Craig Stuarts goal in tacked.
Then came another goal which turned the game. Craig Stuart collected the ball and played the ball down field where the ball was headed back by an Alan & Wright player to Paul “Macca” McKay who launched the ball back down field where an Alan & Wright player missed the ball and this released Ian Privett who got into the box before dribbling around the keeper before knocking the ball into the net to make the score 2-0 with 15 minutes left to play.
Stronstad had put everything into the game and even though they were getting tired they kept going but they were forced into a change as Jon Way pulled up with an injury so Aaron Brown replaced him and he picked up where Jon had left off by putting in some key tackles to deny an Alan & Wright team who were losing their heads.
Adam Razzell then came on to replace Ian Privett to run down the clock and with Adam being the target man the Stronstad players were hitting him with the ball and because the ball was being held up this game time for Stronstad to get some tired legs forward to support him and kill the time.
The last real chances of the game came the way of Alan & Wright but they were resorting to long range shooting which never troubled the Stronstad goal and then came the final whistle. The final whistle was treated as if Stronstad had won the league. All the players were hugging each other to celebrate a long overdue win.
Full Time:- Alan & Wright 0 Stronstad Utd 2
