02/18/07

2006 / 2007 Season 11/10/2006

This match report will be subtle blend of fact and fiction due to the reporters sketchy memory.  Only those who took the field that day will be truly able to separate the realities...

This was a match eminently winnable in Buxted’s minds, due to the poor form of the home side, and the rising form of the Buxted team.  The bitter sting of last weeks acquiescence still fresh, the lads took the park full of commitment and passion for the win.  The first ten minutes saw Buxted create chances and pile on sustained pressure against a frail looking Ardingly back line.  This pressure was duly rewarded on the 15 minute mark when a Chris Scott corner dropped like a stone on to the head of Jörn Kroger deep at the back stick.

Keen to make amends from last week, the pressure continued and Shane Bill was more than happy to collect his third of the season with a low shot from 18 yards after a determined and battling run across the box.  By now Buxted’s confidence was sky high...and then it happened.  The back line, so far untested, failed to deal with a long goal kick, after the keeper had finally delegated his kicking responsibilities.  The ball bounced free into the path of the on rushing left winger who, like a man of ice coolly slotted the ball past the outstretched palms of Harper.  This was a warning shot across the bows highlighting the danger Ardingly could still represent with the long ball.  Despite this warning Buxted were again to fall foul of the long ball down the Ardingly left wing.  This time, to far more comical effect the ball was not cleared by Gareth Houkes, who stumbled and fell to the ground like a drunk on a Friday night, leaving the Ardingly winger to tidy up the scraps.  This error is what is commonly known as a collectors item, as for the other 89 minutes Gareth was his usual commanding self.

At 2 – 2 Buxted could easily have fallen, however these thoughts vanished like an ice-cream in a fat kids hand as within 5 minutes of the restart Buxted had again taken the lead through some strong play down the right wing.  Buoyed by this event the lads continued to battle hard and dominate the game, constantly menacing the shaky Ardingly defence.  Five minutes before half time Dean Morris earned himself a freekick opportiunity deep into enemy territory.  The resultant cross was met by Shane ‘Leaping Salmon’ Bills (I know, it just doesn’t seem to add up!), and the dubious flappy clearance by the Ardingly Keeper was dutifully tidied away by Jörn for his second of the game.

Half time : Buxted led 4 – 2, Substitution S Carvey for D Morris.

After the half time substitutions were made Buxted started slowly, with Ardingly putting pressure on the back four for the first time all game.  The dominance shown in the first half seemed to be ebbing away as the game was being lost in the centre of midfield, with Ardingly scoring a fruitless attempt that was ruled offside.  This was the wake-up call the team needed and with Gareths suggestion of moving Lee into centre, and Pat out wide the gaps that had appeared slowly stitched back together again – and with it came the dominance and confidence of the first half.

Despite having drank his body weight in water, Mark Houkes still managed to have the speed and awareness to tuck away his second and put Buxted into  a strong 5 – 2 lead that would prove unassailable.  The home team put up no real fight and when their striker met an unfortunate end (Dislocated knee – ouch!) the side was left impotent.  As if to highlight this point Buxted decided to send three out of four defenders up for each corner.  This was almost justified when Gareth Houkes headed back post goal was disallowed for offside due to the linesman and ref not noticing the two defenders hiding behind each goalpost.

The last five minutes saw the introduction of Bob Spencer for Mark Houkes, who had by now done his yearly quota of exercise.  When the final whistle blew there was a lot of deserved back slapping going on, and to make matters even better Maresfield has just succumbed to Scaynes Hill on the adjacent pitch, does life get any better?

Final score : Ardingly 2 – 5 Buxted, more importantly 3 points...

Good points

Mark Houkes lasted a full 85 minutes, and bagged a brace in the process.  Lots of good movement created time for himself, and space for his strike partner.

Jörn Kroger, partnered with Gareth looked a commanding presence in the back line, and with his two goals posed a threat all game from corners and set pieces.

The lessons from the previous weeks collapse seem to have been learnt 

Man of the match

This game was about wing play, using the width of the pitch to tear up the opposition; both Chris Scott and Lee Turner did this with relish, and as such earn joint MoM for their efforts.

Reporter :  Dean Morris