Saturday 18 November 2006

Lewdown Rovers 2-3 Grampound

(Duchy League Division 3)
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Grampound aimed to secure their fourth win in a row at Lewdown but after the long trip into Devon started the match very slowly. The narrow pitch did not suit Grampound's style but manager Glyn Leaney was more concerned with their apparent lethargy during the opening period. Grampound found it hard to string passes together and almost their first move of any quality brought a reward. On fifteen minutes Shane Weeks was released down the right and his low, driven cross was met by John Brooker at the far post. His shot hit the bar but Dai Moseley, following up, hit the rebound low into the net from eight yards. Almost straight from the re-start Lewdown played long into the Grampound half, where defender Matt Fletcher allowed Lewdown forward Richard Metters a little too much room and in the resulting confusion he was able to take the ball round the keeper and roll the ball into an empty net for the equaliser. That blow seemed to invigorate Grampound, lacklustre until this point, into decisive action and it was Moseley with his tackling and driving runs and Ryan Maker with his range of passing and tight control that gave Grampound a definite edge. The Lewdown side was finding it hard to contain Maker in particular and he was unlucky when several good efforts went close. Several of his defence-splitting passes gave the visitors opportunities to score but when the breakthrough came it was a little fortuitous. On 35 minutes Maker chipped the ball into the run of Glyn Ford but a Lewdown central defender stretched to reach the ball, only to chip from 30 yards over his advancing keeper for an own goal. Glyn Ford, Weeks and Andy James missed a number of further opportunities to put Grampound out of sight before the break. With Maker controlling midfield it seemed just a matter of time before the hosts folded under the pressure, but they somehow managed to reach half time just one goal down.

Lewdown, buoyed by their first half relative survival, started the second half well. Grampound had reverted to their earlier sluggishness and within 10 minutes had paid the price as a good run and cross from the left was hit home by Mark Gibbs for Lewdown’s second equaliser. Grampound continued to try to play their football and Ford and Weeks both had excellent chances to regain the lead. With 20 minutes remaining Ford pressured a Lewdown defender and his back pass was poorly cleared by the goalkeeper. Ford latched on to the clearance and hit the ball back past the keeper to restore Grampound's lead. Lewdown tried to apply pressure in the closing stages but it was Grampound who looked the most dangerous as they had for most of the game, only for more good opportunities to be spurned.

Grampound should have won by a considerable margin but in the end were satisfied by a narrow victory and 3 more points. They will be pleased, though, with the commanding midfield performance of Ryan Maker, whose desire and form has been a revelation since returning from suspension just over a month ago.

Squad

1. Ford T
2. Webb J
3. Leaney
4. Fletcher
5. James A (sub Woodman A, 65)
6. James R
7. Maker
8. Moseley
9. Brooker J
10. Weeks (sub Berry M, 75)
11. Ford G

Goals

Moseley (15), own goal (35), Ford G (68)

Man of the Match

Ryan Maker

Yellow Cards

Red Cards

Nonen of the Match Yellow Cards Red Cards