Heather St John’s 2 v Brocton 1

A brief flurry in the opening minutes of the game saw Adam McMahon burst into the box with only the keeper to beat, but his attempted lob did not quite have the height and a grateful keeper beat the ball away. Then Gary Fife found Matt Skinner with a deep corner and his powerful header flashed wide.

Then it was the home side with a good throw into the box which was heavily contested before being half blocked. A shot from the rebound was well saved by Mike Shelper..

Heather had the better of the midfield exchanges with time when in possession and swift into the tackle when the ball went to Brocton, but it was after Brocton had pressed in the home box that Heather broke out to score. An underarm throw found the centre back deep in his own half, but with time and space to consider his options. A simple pass all along the ground into the centre circle was met with an equally simple, but very effective side foot glance both setting Matt Moore free and catching Dean Crowley, who could do no more then than chase Moore’s shadow. Shelper stood his ground in goal, but Moore slipped the ball past him and into the net.

Despite the home side often looking in complete control of the game, still Brocton found their moments and an Adam McMahon throw and Lee Scott flick on gave Skinner yet another header in the box which the keeper was well placed to field.

The second half gave Brocton the advantage of distance with goal kicks, the wind now at their backs, but initially neither side could threaten. It was on the hour that once more a throw, this time gathered by Karl McLeod and fed to McMahon in the box, saw McMahon hit a shot on the turn, forcing a corner. Fife’s corner was pulled back low before being whipped across goal to the far post where Skinner powered his third time lucky header in from a narrow angle to bring the visitors level.

Heather immediately powered back and in quick succession broke beyond Brocton’s back line to produce one on one situations with Shelper. On both occasions the shot was hit wide, but the warning signs were obvious.

With Brocton still reeling a free kick on the left touch line was swung into the danger area where sheer determination saw a Heather St John head on the ball. Shelper parried, but was powerless to deal with the return just inside the post.

With the home side now rampant, they could have stretched their lead, but profligate shooting continued to let them down and they could easily have come to regret it as yet another flurry from Brocton late in the game saw Gary Fife go close twice and then see a third effort cleared off the line.