Yet another game yet another 3 points for the blue Brazil of the Sunday League world.
After a tough cup win last week Stronstad were back in league action against a Cosham Blues side that were looking to avenge the 2-1 defeat that Stronstad inflicted on them in the second game of the season.
Stronstad had to make a few changes to the team that beat Freehouse FC in there last outing with Jorge Morrison-Cooke and Rich Gillam out and with Ian Privett only being able to play the first half manager Andy Stamp had some sorting to do.
In came Adi Card at left, Nick Crocker whose last game was a hat trick against Froddy Arms, Ian Privett came out on pitch with Mark ‘The Cat’ Betteridge going in goal.
First Half Action From Paulsgrove
Right from the first whistle both teams tried to stamp there authority on the game and there were running battles all over the pitch as both teams tested each other but on the balance of play it should have been Stronstad that should have been in the lead as James Clarke lead the Cosham Blues on a marry dance as he got down the wing and despite the reckless efforts from the Cosham Blues defenders to take James Clarke down he was able to get into the area but his thunderous drive flew well over of the Cosham Blues goal.
Like the first game the match was a blood and thunder affair with a few Cosham Blues players diving into tackles which seemed to be ok by the referee’s standards but it was a tackle from a Cosham Blues player on Gareth Spicer that caused players to come in. As Gareth Spicer and the Cosham Blues player were going to talk to the referee the Cosham Blues linesman attempted to hit Gareth Spicer with the flag, which the referee failed to do anything about.
Not long after that Stronstad opened the scoring. After a Cosham Blues player was flagged offside a long punt down field from Mark Betteridge saw a Cosham Blues player headed the ball out for a throw in. A long throw from Robert Pearson was headed half away by a Cosham Blues player only as far as Adi Card who controlled the ball on his chest before volleying through a crowd of bodies into the back of the Cosham Blues net for his first goal of the season. Adi Card said after the game he felt like a young Matt Le Tissier as he controlled the ball before firing home.
The goal was what was needed as Stronstad kept piling forward and on another day they could have had more goals as James Clarke had about 3 decent chances but failed to hit the target on each occasion.
Another chance that Stronstad had was after Ian Privett beat his man on the wing before floating an excellent ball to the box and as Robert Pearson flicked the ball on the Cosham Blues keeper made a great save to deny Pearson the second goal.
At the other end Mark Betteridge did not really have anything to do because the defence lead by captain Andy Scanlon and Jeff Needham were stopping anything that Cosham Blues could throw at them.
The only sour note was a Cosham Blues player dived in 2 footed on Jeff Needham that saw him go down injured but yet again the referee was happy to see his boys getting stuck in.
Half Time Cosham Blues 0 Stronstad Utd 1
With Ian Privett departing the game it gave Dan Moore the chance to impress on the left wing.
With a slight wind behind them it was Cosham that were pressing to get the goal back but they could not break down a Stronstad team that were putting plenty of effort in and everything that Cosham Blues did was met by a Stronstad player who was not giving Cosham anytime on the ball.
But really against the run of play it was Cosham that pulled a goal back.
Stronstad had lost the ball deep in Cosham territory and a quick ball found the Cosham Blues striker and he showed a turn of pace to beat the efforts of Andy Scanlon and Gary Cowell before firing past Mark Betteridge to draw the teams level.
Cosham had the bit between their teeth and they started to press Stronstad back but on the counter attack Stronstad were looking dangerous and they almost regained the lead after a through ball found Robert Pearson who beat his man but his shot was turned around the post by the Cosham Blues goalkeeper for a corner.
But from the resulting corner Stronstad almost took the lead as a ball to the back post was almost converted by Dan Moore but the Cosham Blues keeper managed to flick the ball away as Dan Moore was about to score.
5 minutes later it was 2-1 to Stronstad as a long throw into the box from Robert Pearson caused panic in the box and Gareth Spicer toe poked the ball home from 8 yards out to make the score 2-1 and this came at a good time as the play had become scrappy and neither team were in control but this goal helped Stronstad to settle down again.
Cosham players were trying to get their players going but they were dealt a sucker blow as Stronstad scored a 3rd goal through Robert Pearson after James Clarke had released Robert Pearson who shrugged off a tackle from behind to slot the ball home to make the score 3-1.
To be fair Cosham Blues kept going and they almost scored a second goal as a ball into the Stronstad box caused panic and as the ball was fired forward it was stopped on the line before being cleared for a corner kick.
It was all hands to the pumps as Cosham Blues tried to find the second goal but from a quick counter attack Robert Pearson chased the ball into the corner and as the Cosham right back tried to play the ball off Pearson he miss-kicked the ball and Pearson got into the area but as he beat the last man he was brought down but the referee gave a corner when everyone else on the pitch saw it as a penalty.
Stronstad held on and claimed another 3 points and Cosham Blues became the first team that Stronstad had done the double over for 2 years.
Full Time Cosham Blues 1 Stronsatd Utd 3
