| Tuesday 3 August 2010 at 7:00 PM |
 Group A |
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| SSTL Athletic |
4 |
V |
5 |
WWF-UK |
Stephen Dixon
Mark Taylor (3)
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Andy Clements (2)
Christopher Clark
Damien Fleming (2)
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| Played |
| Squads |
 Tim Gilbert
6
 Gary Martin
6
Stephen Dixon
5
 Mark Taylor
 Sami Alsami
5
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Andy Clements
9
David Southern
9
Dave Tickner
9
Iain Taylor
9
Joe Rummery
9
Christopher Clark
9
Hugh King
9
Adrian Warburton
9
Damien Fleming
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| Match Reports |
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SSTL Athletic 4 - 5 WWF
What a game! It-s not often the Pandas get a chance to revel in a victory like this, so we really should make the most of it. Before that though, thanks must go to SSTL for a very fair and competitive match. They were without subs, but being from the premier division that didn-t seem to bother them too much - we had 9, but I-m not sure which team was more exhausted by the end.
WWF started promisingly. Our passing wasn-t bad, we were closing SSTL down quite well and we looked pretty comfortable on the ball. Joe began the night as he meant to carry on, with a decent run down the left forcing an early save. The game took some shape, though, with the premier side pushing the ball about, creating a few openings only to be shut down at the last.
The Pandas went into the lead. Pressure from the front paid dividends as Andy, working hard as ever, got the bounce of the ball, finishing with precision. More pressure came from SSTL and was dealt with, Adrian coming on and working through the midfield, chasing and harrying while Damian stretched them up-front. Dave Tickner at the back was his usual mercurial self. Never one to break into a much more than a trot, he watched, waited, tidied up and then went back to what he does best: front-line commander-in-chief.
WWF started to get more possession as the half wore on, David Southern getting on the ball more and creating chances. That always spells trouble! As we pressed the ball broke and, with Clark slipping, it was 1 on 1, swiftly becoming 1-1. Honours even it stayed through to the change of ends and we were in the game, but there was no suggestion of what was to follow as we kicked off again.
From the re-start the Blacks passed and moved better than they had all game. Iain was causing them problems. Picking the ball up and playing it round corners or holding on to it and committing them. It was looking good.
Then Hugh had a bit of a moment! The ball running through to our keeper, he was slightly on his heels. Athletic-s forward shut him down quickly and before we knew it we were 2-1 down. There-s something about Hugh, though. He-s got character and he-s got fortitude. He got his head up and he got on with the game. On other occasions something like that could have finished the Pandas, but Hugh-s attitude ran through the team. We went 3-1 down soon after, but we weren-t finished. Far from it!
On came Joe, on came Damian. Forward we went and got one back from a corner. Andy roaring in at the back stick for his second of the game. We had our tails up and we got closer to them, winning the ball back, making them make errors and counter-attacking. 10 minutes to go and the equaliser came. In some style at that! A touch, turn and volley into the top corner, capped by a wild celebration by the scorer, Clark.
Both teams looked tired, but they carried on slugging it out. Hugh was throwing himself at everything, Damian chased back in determined fashion. Joe broke down the wing, putting in a great cross which Clark just couldn-t get on the end of. And then Adrian picked the ball up, played it through to Damian who hit it into the corner of the net with composure. Not long to go and victory was within touching distance.
But it looked like it wasn-t to be, SSTL got back into it with a break of their own and a cool finish. They hadn-t reckoned with Damian Fleming, though! A man who had never enjoyed victory in the Panda shirt. In fact before last night he-d only ever lost. But there he was, 4 seconds remaining, pushed out wide by their defender and nowhere to go. So he smashed it into the top corner at the near post. What a goal and what a game.
After all that effort, 3 wins out of 4 in the group stages, we-re out of the Champions cup on goal difference, but ready for a proper tilt at the Junior cup - Play like that again and it could be our year.
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