MATCH REPORTS 2007/08 SEASON PAGE 3

Wednesday 26th December - British Gas Business League Premier Division - Chippenham Town 1 Mangotsfield United 0

Mangotsfield United suffered only their fifth league reversal of the season after Simon Allison's twenty ninth minute goal was enough to separate the two sides. Despite making a bright start it was the hosts who enjoyed the better of the first half to deservedly go in a goal up at half time. However, for a majority of the second half Chippenham were forced to play on the counter attack as Mangotsfield went in search of an equalising goal. In a second half which saw five bookings both teams were reduced to ten men after Chippenham Town's Kes Metitiri and Mangotsfield United's Dave Morrissey were both shown red cards for off the ball incidents.

After an evenly contested opening twenty minutes Mangotsfield created the first chance when former Chippenham Town frontman Alan Griffin received the ball on the right where his low cross to the near post was cleared behind for a corner.

Minutes later Aaron Cornwall showed a glimpse of his ability when after being found on the left side of the Mangotsfield penalty area he skipped past Alex Ball before drilling in a low shot to the near post where John Rendell blocked.

The home side almost took the lead on twenty four minutes when a deep corner from the right was met by Kes Metitiri who climbed well to direct a header goalwards only to be denied as Alan Griffin headed clear.

After a spell of pressure Chippenham were gifted the lead on twenty nine minutes. After being awarded a free kick ten yards inside the Mangotsfield half Tom Etheridge pumped the ball into the heart of the Mangotsfield penalty area where Sam Allison rose to out jump John Rendell to guide a looping header into an unguarded net.

With just four minutes of the second half played Chippenham went close to doubling their lead when a corner from the left was met by Kes Metitiri who headed a yard wide, whilst on fifty six minutes a Chippenham counter attack saw the ball worked to Sam Allison who was given time to line up a strike from twenty five yards forcing John Rendell into a fine save low to his left.

After a shaky start to the second half Mangotsfield enjoyed their best spell of the match as the home side were forced to play on the counter attack with the pace of Aaron Cornwall and David Pratt being a well used outlet.

Mangotsfield went within inches of pulling level on the hour mark after central defender Paul Milsom was picked out wide on the left where after evading two challenges he crossed low to the near post for Luke Ballinger whose first time strike rolled agonisingly wide of Chris Snoddy's right hand upright.

Another chance went begging ten minutes later when the Chippenham rearguard failed to clear an Ellis Wilmot free kick from wide on the left and with the ball dropping invitingly for Paul Milsom his strike from ten yards was deflected wide of goal.

On seventy eight minutes a break down the Chippenham left saw the ball worked inside to Alan Griffin who after glancing goalwards flashed a shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Chippenham were reduced to ten men with ten minutes remaining when central defender Kes Metitiri left the referee little option but to show a straight red card after raising his hands to Paul Milsom.

With Mangotsfield throwing men forward in search of a deserved equaliser Chippenham almost added a second on eighty six minutes after an error from Ronnie Mowatt led to a counter attack down the Mangotsfield left which culminated with the ball being worked inside to David Pratt whose shot from the right side of the penalty area was turned behind by John Rendell.

As the match entered added time the numbers were evened up when Mangotsfield United's Dave Morrissey was shown a red card after the linesman attracted the referee's attention after an off the ball incident as the players awaited a free kick.

With five minutes of added time played Mangotsfield almost snatched a dramatic late equaliser when substitute Mike Kilgour got on the end of Ellis Wilmot's deep free kick to the far post only to volley just wide.

Tuesday 1st January - British Gas Business League Premier Division - Mangotsfield United 2 Clevedon Town 2

Mangotsfield's frustration in front of goal continued when on the half hour mark a cross from the right was met by the unmarked Ronnie Mowatt whose goalbound header from eight yards brought a fine reaction save out of Danny Greaves who dived to his left to divert the ball away from goal.

With six minutes of the half remaining Mangotsfield's pressure was rewarded with a deserved opening goal after Dave Morrissey's persistence on the left paid dividends as his low cross to the near post was bundled into the net by Alan Griffin after Clevedon goalkeeper Danny Greaves appeared to let the ball run free from his grasp.

The second half saw the visitors enjoy early pressure but despite this it was Mangotsfield who created the first chance of the half on sixty minutes when Alan Griffin and Dave Morrissey combined with Griffin flicking the ball to Morrissey whose curling left footed strike from the edge of the area was turned behind by Danny Greaves.

Not to be denied Morrissey doubled Mangotsfield's advantage two minutes later when receiving the ball on the left side of the Clevedon penalty area where his sweetly struck volley found the bottom left corner.

After taking a two goal lead Mangotsfield appeared to lose their way and were duly punished on sixty nine minutes as the advantage was cut when Geraint Bater was found in space on the left where his strike from twenty five yards took a deflection to beat John Rendell.

With the deficit reduced Clevedon grew in confidence as they pushed Mangotsfield back for the remainder of the match. On seventy six minutes Steve Cook was allowed to make ground through central midfield before going close with an effort from twenty five yards whilst four minutes later Danny Haines was denied when his shot on the turn was deflected behind for a corner.

Clevedon were rewarded for a spell of sustained pressure with an equalising goal on eighty two minutes after Geraint Bater's free kick from the right wasn't cleared and with the ball being returned towards the six yard box Mike Symons outjumped John Rendell to head into an unguarded net to earn Clevedon what had looked like an improbably point.

Saturday 5th January - British Gas Business League Premier Division - Team Bath 2 Mangotsfield United 1

A Mangotsfield United side looking for their first win since early December went down to Sean Canham's seventy eighth minute winner as the students of Team Bath recorded their first win in six outings. The hosts went in a goal up at half time courtesy of Marc Canham's fortuitous forty fifth minute strike, however Alan Griffin levelled with his sixth goal of the season eleven minutes into the second half only for Team Bath's leading scorer Sean Canham to add a second from close range with twelve minutes remaining.

After an evenly contested opening twenty minutes Team Bath enjoyed good spells of possession but rarely looked like opening up the Mangotsfield defence. The only notable chance of a disappointing first half led to the opening goal on the stroke of half time when the hosts were awarded a free kick wide on the left flank which Marc Canham curled into the penalty area where a misunderstanding between John Rendell and the Mangotsfield rearguard allowed the ball to creep into the far corner.

Team Bath wasted a glorious chance to double their advantage five minutes after the restart when a cross from the left found the unmarked Sean Canham who blazed over from twelve yards out.  Canham was guilty of another poor finish three minutes later when a deep ball from the left was met at the back post by Takumi Ake who guided a cushioned header back across goal to the unmarked Canham who volleyed over from close range with only John Rendell to beat.

After being on the back foot for much of the match Mangotsfield drew level on fifty six minutes after a swift counter attack which saw the ball worked to substitute Luke Ballinger who made ground down the Team Bath left before cutting inside and finding Dave Morrissey whose cross from the left was met at the back post by Alan Griffin who guided a glancing header into the bottom right corner from six yards.

The home side should have regained the lead on sixty seven minutes after Andy Criddle was hustled into an error midway inside his own half which led to Takumi Ake receiving the ball wide on the right where he wasted little time in crossing to the far post for Sean Canham who failed to find the target.

As the match entered the final fifteen minutes Mangotsfield went close to taking the lead when the Team Bath defence failed to deal with a low ball in from the left allowing the ball to break to Dave Morrissey whose miscued strike across goal eventually found Andy Criddle on the right edge of the area where he drilled in a low strike which Darren Chitty turned behind at his near post.

Minutes later Mangotsfield fell behind after Matt Lock found Dean Smith in space on the Mangotsfield left and with time to look up and pick his pass he squared the ball to the unmarked Sean Canham who despite missing a number of earlier chances had the easiest of finishes as he side footed past Rendell from inside the six yard box.

Saturday 12th January - British Gas Business League Premier Division - Tiverton Town 1 Mangotsfield United 1

Mangotsfield United picked up a hard earned point with a determined performance in difficult conditions at Ladysmead. Despite the match being given the go ahead after an eleven o'clock pitch inspection there was still some doubt as to whether or not the match would be played just an hour before kick off. Frank Gregan opted to leave goalkeeper John Rendell out of the starting line up bringing in Josh Clapham whilst Neil Arndale and Dave Morrissey were both ruled out through suspension. Mangotsfield were dealt a further blow when Andy Criddle and Chris Douglas both fell victim to 'Flu.

On a heavy rain soaked pitch Mangotsfield made a bright start and went close to taking the lead with just two minutes played when Jack Allward's cross from wide on the left found Luke Ballinger in space at the far post where his low strike across the face of goal just evaded the on rushing Alan Griffin.

However within two minutes Mangotsfield were ahead courtesy of Luke Ballinger's seventh strike of the season. The goal was crafted by Ellis Wilmot whose astute pass sent Ballinger clear inside the Tiverton penalty area where he confidently planted the ball past Ray Johnston into the bottom left corner. This proved to be Ballinger's last contribution as he was withdrawn on nine minutes to be replaced by James Crew.

After being forced onto the back foot for much of the opening twenty minutes the home side created their first chance of the match on twenty one minutes when a corner from the right was met by Tom Gardner whose header was punched clear by Josh Clapham but with the ball being returned into the heart of the Mangotsfield penalty area Clapham was called upon as he dived full length to his right to deny Gardner for a second time.

Tiverton finished the half strongly but despite enjoying good spells of possession rarely threatened. The final action of an absorbing first half came in added time when Ellis Wilmot's deep corner from the right was met by Alan Griffin who headed narrowly wide.

With rain sweeping in both teams continued to do there best in what were now very testing conditions. The first chance of the second period fell to Tiverton after a cross from the left was cleared as far as Chris Vinnicombe whose strike from twenty yards curled wide.

After this initial scare Mangotsfield dictated play for a fifteen minute spell. On the hour mark James Crew received the ball in the inside left channel where after making ground into the Tiverton penalty area he was denied as Tiverton goalkeeper Ray Johnston advanced quickly off his line to save low down. Moments later a counter attack saw the ball worked to Alan Griffin wide on the right where he cut inside to drill in a low shot which flashed across the face of goal.

A Tiverton side which had rarely threatened came to life in the final quarter of the match after the introduction of all three substitutes in an eight minute period.

With seventy three minutes played the hosts drew level after Simon Bochenski's strike from the right cannoned off the foot of the post and with the rebound falling kindly for James Fraser he drove the ball home from the edge of the area.

The equalising goal galvanised Tiverton as much of the remaining seventeen minutes were played out in the Mangotsfield half. On seventy five minutes the hosts twice went close to going ahead, firstly through Tom Kinighton who found space on the the left side of penalty area only to be denied by Josh Clapham who dived to his left to make a fine save but with the ball running free Gary Thorne made a goal line block to deny Paul Wyatt.

With just a minute remaining Tiverton went close to snatching all three points when Matt Bye's mishit cross from the right sliced towards goal forcing Josh Clapham to back peddle furiously to tip the ball over the bar.