Victory Club 1-1 Colliery Tavern
The Victory finally got their 2012/2013 home campaign off and running with a one all draw with early Division 2 high flyers the Colliery Tavern.
The Victory started strongly and went close on a number of occassions. The first clear cut opportunity fell to Vics forward Reece Langley, who after Scott Hunter whipped in a right wing cross for the attackers could only stretch out a leg and divert the ball agonisingly wide from three yards.
Moments later from a Victory Corner Alan Tench smashed an 18 yard volley just over the bar with the 'keeper beaten.
The Victory finally made a breakthrough around the 25 minute mark, with Langley going no where after chasing down a long ball, had his legs wiped away from under him and Referee Welsh had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Jimmy Smiles stepped up and cooly slotted the penalty home to put the Victory one up.
The Colliery sprung into life and went close with a couple of chances, before the Victory replied with two more chances of their own firstly through Michael Snowdon and then Karl Addison.
Just as the Victory thought they may get to half time unscathed they were caught with a sucker punch 5 mins from the end a long goal kick was flicked on and the Colliery forward made no mistake slipping the ball under the on rushing 'keeper Swan, with the Victory defence a little static.
Half Time
Despite the goal just before the break Steve Jackson was delighted with the 1st half display and demanded more in the 2nd to ensure at least another draw if not a first win of the campaign.
The second period for large parts was a scrappy affair with both sides continung to play football without any real chances in the final third.
The Colliery Tavern had the first few opportunities of the half, one in particular forcing a smart stop from Swan low to his right hand side.
The match was played mostly in a good spirit apart from one sour moment when Victory Right Back Anth Collins was wiped out shin high by a Tavern Midfielder long after the ball had gone, but the Referee deemed a suitable punnishment to be a yellow card.
The Smiles who was having a superb game from central Midfield almost scored from an audacious 30 yard volley which the Tavern 'keeper fully stretched to deny him.
The Victory continued to press and almost won it from a set paly with 10 to go, Nathan Hudson lost his marker and set up sub Ben Stores who froced another brilliant stop from the Tavern 'Keeper. With 4 minutes to go the Victory did have the ball in the net after Addison had jinked through 4 Tavern players, Snowdon decided to nick it of his foot and slam it home only for him to realise he had strayed a yard offside, much to dissapointment of the side line.
That wasn't the final chance of the match as the Colliery Tavern had a chance to nick all three points but Victory 'keeper Swan denied them twice from two point blank range efforts to make sure the Victory went to 2 games unbeaten in the league, the first time this has happened since August 2010.
