Staffordshire County Minor Sunday Youth League

Highfields Associates Division 1

This was an entertaining game, played in excellent spirit by two sides intent on attacking. The pitch had been rained on before kick off, which made for a slick surface and helped to make this a game for attacking play.

Despite many canny approaches, good defending and sound goal keeping threatened to keep the teams level with no score as the half time whistle beckoned. Outstanding at the heart of Brocton’s defence was the unflappable David Heath, who read the flow of the game impeccably and was always on hand to snuff out any threat.

It was a high, deep corner kick by Lee Melville which broke the deadlock. It swung  in and looked to be going out over the bar when the wind held it up and despite a valiant attempt by the visiting keeper, he was unable to stop the ball going in off the under side of the bar.

Sandbach were stung into action in the second period and Brocton were reduced to ten     players, so the initial quarter of the second half saw Sandbach on top, but again unable quite to turn their approach work into goal attempts.

In fact it was Brocton who increased their lead, when the industrious Kirwan Fars broke through the Sandbach back line and hit a superb rising shot wide of a stunned keeper. His strike partner Alex Mason had also covered most of the pitch in an attempt both to get in on goal and to break up any possession at the back that the visitors had and so it was fitting that he too added to Brocton’s tally. A darting run into the box was found with a tempting low stab diagonally across his path and Mason coolly slipped the ball beneath the                         advancing keeper with his left foot.

Sandbach had deserved something for their part in the action and were soon back in the hunt with a slick move all down their left flank, which culminated in a neat shot at the near post by Jordan Pakeman.

The final ten minutes could easily have brought them right back into the match as, lifted by their goal, they piled on the pressure. Three times in as many minutes Mark Fleming saved at full stretch. The first was low at his right hand post and the other two were high to his right. He did as much as his more attacking colleagues to ensure that this was Brocton’s day.