Saturday 8 September 2007

Saltash Utd. 3-0 Grampound

(Duchy League Division 2)
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Grampound returned to league action at Kimberley Stadium after a two week break and in the opening 20 minutes showed good composure and passed the ball around sweetly on the beautiful surface. After looking much the side in that opening period Grampound passed the initiative to the hosts when player-manager Leaney's mistake allowed Jane a free shot at goal and he duly gave Saltash the lead. Grampound still looked the better side and Harris had an excellent chance to pull the deficit back but his chip when put clear was not good enough and the keeper saved. Maker's 25 yarder hit the post and good crosses, especially from Ford down the right, just eluded strikers. Grampound were also frustrated by a couple of offside flags when Weeks felt he was level with the last defender and his pace took him clear, and then Saltash scored two more goals, again soft ones from a defensive point of view. A corner from the left was not attacked as planned and the loose ball was banged in by Jane for his second. A free kick from the left was met first by Pomeroy and the ball ended up past Cooke in the Grampound goal. Before half-time Webb had a recurrence of his groin injury and was replaced by Bartlett with Ford moving into the back three. Ford had an excellent game there but this took away his threat in the last third of the field for Grampound.

The second half was evenly contested, perhaps just shaded by Grampound, but again half chances came to nothing and as time ran out it looked more and more likely that Saltash would hold their lead. Harris and Weeks worked hard up front but became isolated as Grampound's wide players seemed to drop deeper and deeper. Harris went close on a couple of occasions and a clear penalty claim was first awarded by the referee and then changed on the advice of the home linesman. Most on the field and in the good crowd were very surprised when the eventual decision, a goal kick, was given as this was the only outcome it could not have been.

Squad

1. Cooke
2. Leaney
3. Webb (sub Bartlett, 40)
4. Fletcher
5. James A (sub James R, 60)
6. Dunn D
7. Maker
8. Ford G
9. Dunn G
10. Harris
11. Weeks (sub Moseley, 75)

Goals

Man of the Match

Glyn Ford

Yellow Cards

Dean Dunn

Red Cards

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