Stronstad Utd vs Prince of Wales – Portsmouth Division 3
Match Facts:-
Prince of Wales was the last team to beat Stronstad Utd in the league when they won 4-3 with Mark Betteridge, Gareth Spicer and Nick Crocker scoring.
Prince of Wales last victory came against Watersedge Park back in January with a 6-0 win. They have lost their last 3 matches so far.
First Half Actions From Farlington Marshes
This game for Stronstad was a revenge match against a Prince of Wales side who inflicted Stronstad’s last league defeat back in September. In this match there were some decisions that went against Stronstad that had not been forgotten.
From the first whistle the game was a scrappy affair with both teams not being allowed time on the ball with both teams giving away cheap possession in the centre of the park.
With 15 minutes gone and neither keeper tested Stronstad then put a move together that almost created a goal. The ball was played forward to Robert Pearson who turned his marker before advancing towards the Prince of Wales goal. As the keeper came out to narrow the angle Pearson knocked the ball across the goal but the ball went behind James Clarke and the ball rolled to safety.
Stronstad then got their noses in front with the next attack. Gary Cowell had won possession deep in Prince of Wales half and launched a high ball to the edge of the box where Robert Pearson coolly brought the ball down then beat his man before coolly bending the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Some people on the sidelines said it was Dennis Bergkamp styles finish while others were still rubbing their eyes in disbelief as Pearson had bamboozled the Prince of Wales player before finishing.
This goal lifted Stronstad and they were looking more likely to score but against the run of play Stronstad conceded. Stronstad had won a corner and from a Dan Moore corner the ball went to edge of the box where Nick Crocker was beaten to the header, which released the Prince of Wales players for a swift counter attack. With the Stronstad big defensive men left up field it was a 3 vs 2 attack and as Stronstad were out numbered the ball was played through to the Prince of Wales player who calmly slotted past Ian Privett for 1-1.
This goal then gave Prince of Wales the extra lift and they thought they had taken the lead as another counter attack saw the Prince of Wales player get behind the defence but his square ball was put in but the offside flag had been raised and the goal was chalked off.
Stronstad then regained the lead. Gary Cowell had floated a ball into the corner where the Prince of Wales centre defender slipped and lost the ball to Robert Pearson who then charged into the area but his run was halted by a crude tackle, which resulted in a penalty for Stronstad. Steve Beech stepped up and slotted the penalty down the mid to give Stronstad the lead again.
At the other end Stronstad’s defence were being put under some heavy pressure with all players putting their bodies on the line to keep the Prince of Wales attack at bay.
Half Time:- Stronstad Utd 2 Prince of Wales 1
Stronstad came out for the second half with captain Gareth Spicer’s word ringing in their ears but in the opening 5 minutes of the second half it was Prince of Wales that pulled a goal back. A mistake by Jon Way and James Clarke saw the two players run into each other and ending up on top of each other. The ball fell kindly for the Prince of Wales striker who hit an unstoppable drive from 25 yards past Ian Privett and into the roof of the Stronstad net to draw the teams level.
Yet again this lifted Prince of Wales who were now getting the ball down and passing it around but yet again Jorge Morrison-Cooke and Gareth Spicer was there to clear the danger and keep the scores level. At the other end Stronstad had not created anything but they managed to force a corner and from the corner another goal was scored. Gary Cowell played a low flat ball into the near post where Robert Pearson flicked the ball to the far post for Steve Beech to rise and head home from 6 yards out to make the score 3-2. As Stronstad went back to the halfway line the sounds of the Prince of Wales players saying the ball had not gone in
The game was now in Stronstad’s hands and they kept driving forward looking to get another goal to kill the game off and it was to come from Man of the Match James Clarke that the goal came. Substitute Mark Betteridge had won the ball on the Prince of Wales left and from his cross James Clarke controlled the ball before blasting home from close range to give Stronstad a 4th goal.
Prince of Wales almost got a goal back but was denied by an excellent deflection of Roger Harris. Prince of Wales won a corner and from the corner the ball bounced around the penalty area before a shot deflected off Roger Harris and onto the bar and the danger was cleared.
In the last minute of injury time Prince of Wales pulled a goal back. The ball was threaded through to the Prince of Wales striker who coolly curled the ball into the roof of the net to make the score 4-3.
Full Time: - Stronstad Utd 4 Prince of Wales 3
Man of the match was awarded to James Clarke from today’s guests Jen, Sophie and Abbie.
The guests with get a signed photo of James Clarke
