Everyone was hyped up with the new kitand Division 1 football against a team we hate.
Due to a dodgy kick off from Jason Rowe he places the ball over Lee Blackshaw's head only for a surprised Adam Hopkins to pick the ball up earning White Sox a free kick inside of our box which resulted in a scrappy tap in. But despite the dodgy opening the team kept there heads up and battled on only for David Durrant to make a unusal bad timed tackle in the box resulting in a penalty (oh no everyone was thinking). Due to excellent coaching from Jonathan Rowlands there penalty taker listened to him and blasted high wide and into the trees. Now the spirit of Venture shone through and we hit back straight away with a well worked goal from Billy Galant. By now the challenges where flying in 1st in the book came as no surprise as David Nash hacked someone down (well in nasher) several minutes passed by with our opponents doing nothing other than pumping the ball over the top until a pure intentional complete wipeout from Ben Clark assisted by Michael Appleton frustrated the player enough for him to raise his hands with no effect only for Ben Clark to laugh in his face and walk away leaving referee Nigel Evans with an easy descision to show red and showing Ben Clark yellow. Approaching half time and the game was heating up tempers flaring and all out war had broken out unpunished 2 footed lunges went unpunished as they White Sox tried to match Ventures physical prescence (never happened). Then pure determination poured out of Jason Rowe to mug the goal keeper and find a well timed unmarked run from Michael Appleton to slot home in the 6 yard box. As half time came the score at 2-1 we felt confident it would be more.
As the second half kicked off tempers still flaring the team had one thing in mind the win. David Nash picked the ball up deep in our own half only to be hacked down with someone jumping on the back of his legs somehow the ref wanted the game to continue and as both players on the floor battled to get the ball clear David Nash swung at the ball and toe poked the White Sox player in the face! The referee put under pressure from the constant moaning of the opposition had no choice to show a 2nd yellow card.
Now with both teams down to 10 men they really fancied there chances of pulling the game back but sheer determination of the team to defend as a unit shone through. Goalkeeper Adam Hopkins rectified the original moment of madness with a hatful of saves, by this time his confidence was booming as he decided to take the ball and player on the edge of his box only to get up and bang another challenge straight in with manager Jonathan Rowlands turning red faced and grey haired instantly on the side of the pitch. Blingers power and dominance in and around the box was to much for the White sox to handle from the off. The white sox score mostly from long ball or set pieces and with a fair few free kicks at both ends he kept there target man out of the set pieces. The rest of the team made important challenges throughout and worked for every ball we never gave up and dug our heels in for a well deserved 3 points from our first game.
