Saturday 29 September 2007

Grampound 4-3 Wadebridge Town

(Duchy League Division 2)
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The opening twenty minutes saw Grampound all over the place as they gave the visitors acres of space to play in and absolutely no pressure. Wadebridge took the lead in the first minute when Dingle's low left foot shot from the edge of the penalty box found the corner and extended their lead 7 minutes later when Witts had an easy header at a corner from their right. Grampound had to do something as they were being overrun and a slight reorganisation made the difference, with Ford dropping deeper to bolster the midfield. Bit by bit, the home team worked their way back into the game, with Shane Weeks looking particularly lively and giving the Wadebridge defence a difficult time with his pace and running. Max Varnell went close after a smart turn and shot and he and Weeks set up shooting chances for Ford who seemed to have left his shooting boots at home. The breakthrough eventually came when Grampound broke down the middle, with Ford and Varnell being a little fortunate to get away with some stiff challenges and the ball was swept wide to Greg Dunn. Dunn controlled the ball and hit a sweet shot from the corner of the penalty area low across the keeper into the far corner. It was now Grampound who were asking all the questions and although a goal down confidence was high.

Grampound made two substitutions at half time and this paid off almost straight away. Grampound's pace on the break does make them dangerous and this was exploited when, following a Wadebridge attack, substitute Ross Turton, back from a 3 week lay off and with his first involvement in the match, received the ball on half-way on the right and exploded down the wing leaving two defenders in his wake. His low cross from wide on the goal line was perfect for Weeks to tap in from 5 yards for an easy goal. Wadebridge were still causing a few problems of their own and good tackles from Webb and Harris were needed, the latter looking more comfortable as the game went on in his first appearance at the back for some years. Cooke in goal made several assured catches under pressure and made one terrific punch when he took the ball literally off the forehead of the charging Witts who looked to be favourite to get on the end of an excellent driven cross from the Wadebridge right. The prominence and prompting of Varnell and Maker in Grampound's midfield looked like eventually giving Weeks and Turton the chance for Grampound to secure the win, and it was Turton who received the ball inside the area where he turned smartly to evade a defender and smashed the ball past the keeper with his right foot. Ahead for the first time, the relief on Grampound faces was evident, but the visitors were not going to give up and two minutes later were back on terms. Dingle evaded a couple of challenges with Grampound claiming handball, but he was allowed to go on and his delicate chip from a narrow angle found the corner of the net. Three all and still twenty minutes to go! Grampound pushed on and their midfield again began to probe and commit players into the Wadebridge box. Some slick passing down the left involving Weeks, substitute Dean Dunn, Maker and Varnell nearly opened up the Wadebridge defence on more than one occasion but a clear cut chance evaded them.With a quarter of an hour left Turton and Ford combined in the same part of the pitch and the ball was rolled back into the stride of Varnell who, from just inside the area, blasted an unstoppable shot into the corner past the keeper's left hand for a great goal that turned out to be the winner. The remaining minutes were nervy for Grampound as the visitors threw players forward in search of the equaliser, but they held out with some uncompromising challenges and sheer determination to claim all three points. A win, four terrific goals from the home team and an end-to-end match full of good flowing football from two very committeed sides gave good entertainment for all those watching and Grampound will be relieved to have taken the spoils after going two behind so early in the game.

Squad

1. Cooke
2. Leaney
3. Webb
4. Harris
5. Bartlett (sub Dunn D, 45)
6. James A (sub Moseley, 70)
7. Maker
8. Varnell M
9. Dunn G (sub Turton, 45)
10. Ford G
11. Weeks

Goals

Dunn G (30), Weeks (47), Turton (65), Varnell M (75)

Man of the Match

Shane Weeks

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