Yetminster Sharks began their pre-season preparations with an impressive all-round display against Cary Swans at Queen Camel Recreation Ground. In the face of the side that finished 3rd in the Blackmore Vale 1st Division last term, the Sharks produced a very encouraging performance that will provide Ben Jones and Adam Marsh with plenty of food for thought.
Jones handed debuts to Sam Blatch, Ben Palmer and Lawrence Hallett, as well as trialist Striker David Duarte, with all four providing notable performances in an absorbing encounter.
There were returns too for Luke Conway and Kenny Barter who both duly went about their business and caused numerous problems for the Cary defence, the latter forcing a decent save from the Swans stopper after tying his opposite Centre-half in knots.
It was Duarte though who received the plaudits of his teammates though. The Portuguese forward had proven to be a continuous and ever-present thorn in the side of the Cary defence, and pounced with impunity upon a poor back pass, rounding the keeper and slotting home to give the visitors a precious first-half lead that they held until just after the hour mark.
The Yetminster defence was imperious throughout, with Sam Blatch and Mark Clifton impenetrable while James Dowding and Stuart Toft were as brave as they were committed to the cause. But in spite of the fantastic defensive display, Cary capitalised upon an unfortunately placed rebound off the near post, the hugely impressive Norton Payne unable to keep out the follow-up shot.
If the Sharks defence was stout and indefatigable, the midfield was full of attacking flair and guile, with Lawrence Hallett pairing up with Jamie Lukosius in the centre of midfield to great effect.
With Cary renowned for their passing ability, the Yetminster midfield duo tried everything to stifle their supposedly more illustrious opponents, and while there was a feel of an early season game about preceedings, it certainly didn't seem to creep into the mindset of Hallett and Lukosius, with both players providing plenty of enterprise in service of the wide players and forwards, as did Kade Masters after his second half replacement of Hallett.
Conway and Palmer in turn caused the opponent full-backs no end of issues, and it was no different in the 2nd period with the introduction of Nathan Ruscoe, with all three pacemen causing untold issues for their Claret & Blue enemies.
Duarte though was threatening to steal the show, and controversially had a 2nd goal ruled out after he was adjudged to have impeded the Swans' centre-back in spite of the Cary #5 seemingly losing his balance before pulling the Yetminster trialist to the ground inside the penalty area, before the Portuguese striker regained his footing to coolly slot home.
More controversy would follow soon after too, as Sam Blatch was penalised after making an inch-perfect sliding tackle on the edge of the Yetminster penalty area. The Yetminster players, incensed at the decision showed plenty of resolve, and after a resulting period of Cary pressure, managed to clear their lines.
Chances were few and far between in the latter stages, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw which, on the face of it, was the most appropriate and fair result considering the enterprise of both sides.
Jones and Marsh will no doubt be delighted with the attitude and resolve shown by their charges in their opening pre-season bout, not least to have stretched such a prominent BVFL side to frequently, as well as having been more than up to the challenge defensively throughout.
Top marks awarded to all players who participated, the effort and cohesion was superb.
