Late Stanton strike maintains FC Team C’s 100 percent start
MGBSFL Division Two:
FC Team B 2 FC Team C 3
Sunday, 2 November, 2014
Sunday’s victory was all the sweeter as it also inflicted a first league defeat of the season on their inter-club rivals, a side who went into the game top of the table.
However, playing down all talk of possible title tilts, Gordon said: “I’m very pleased with our start obviously. I think we have lifted the level of our game when it has been required and, as the team get to know each other better, I think we will improve even more.
“But we genuinely haven’t even talked about winning the league, just winning each match that we play and we’ll continue to adopt this approach until the end of the season.”
Following a delay to the start of the game after referee Bob Caplin deemed the pitch unplayable, AC Mill Hill manager Daniel Beresford took over and officiated a first 45 minutes which was shy on both chances and entertainment.
However, just as it seemed the teams would go into the break level, Beresford awarded the B’s a penalty after Richard Salmon was tripped in the box. Goalkeeper David Grossman stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot kick past Matt Davis in the C’s goal.
Not though letting that late opener deflate them, the C’s were back on level terms soon after the restart when Aron Barnes fired in a low drive. And buoyed by the equaliser, went ahead soon after when Adam Rones, under pressure, headed into his own net.
However, in what was now turning into a see-saw encounter, the B’s found themselves on level terms within five minutes, Stuart Haring this time turning the ball into this own net.
As the game entered its closing stages, both sides pushed forward in search of the winner, and it was the C’s who scored a goal worthy of winning any game, a counter-attacking free-flowing move resulting in Daniel Stanton lashing the ball home.
Delighted with the performance of his side, Gordon said: “I’m really pleased with how every single one of the boys played. Everyone worked hard and they all had a part to play in the win. I’m especially pleased at how we have been mentally because this is the third time we have gone behind this season and we have come back to win every time. We have a never say die attitude and we always believe that we can win no matter what.
“I thought it was an even game with the B’s on top in the first half, however we were the better team in the second half, defended excellently and took our chances very well.
“We talked at half-time about being better in attack because we didn’t really trouble them in the first half. Defensively I thought we were good all game but we just improved our forward play and in the end that was the difference.”
B’s player-manager Mitch Young believes his side can still win the title despite the defeat and felt a draw would have been the fairer outcome. He said: “I was happy with the first half, going 1-0 up which I think we just about deserved. We then came out second half and should have really been out of sight in the first 10 minutes, but we came up against an inspired Matt Davis who was exceptional and kept them in the game during that period.
“We then lost our way and I was disappointed with the goals we conceded. All credit though to the Cs, the result speaks for itself they certainly had a spell in the second half where they were in control and congratulations goes to them.
“I think a draw was the right result given the amount of chances we missed.”
But confident that the title is still theirs to lose, having won five of their opening six games, he said: “I’m happy with the start. The league is still in our hands, we are only a third of the way through a long season and we are grateful to have the rematch against the Cs in two weeks’ time.”
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