Saturday 30th April 2011 Alveston 0 Brocton 3

A blustery day caused the players fewer problems than the month long dry spell which made the ball bounce high on a bumpy pitch. Brocton, in a fine run of form, took the game to Alveston and on another day Gary Fife could have had a lot of goals. His first touch was as good as ever, but today his final shot just would not come right for him.
The ball was transferred quickly from end to end but with the wind behind them in the first half, most of Alveston’s forward passes went harmlessly through to Adam Whitehouse when they had not been cut out further up the pitch. In contrast, the ball held up a little for Brocton and their use of Fife on the shoulder of the last man found him through the defence time after time, but initially unable to make his chances count.
His and Brocton’s break through came after 22 minutes when a Jamie Evans over lap on the right produced a deep cross. Alex Barnfather was just unable to reach it but behind him Fife tucked the ball away. Barnfather was a whisker away from another effort when Richard Jones collected and crossed from Matt Skinner’s pass, but the ball was flicked away for a corner almost off Barnfather’s toe.
Andy Chandler, playing in midfield, controlled a clearance from the Alveston keeper before finding Fife once again and Fife shot early with the keeper still well away from his goal line, but the effort went wide. Alveston were not without their own forays upfield and more than once Adam Whitehouse had to be alert to dangerous passes into his box. Then, just before the break Rob Winstanley won the ball in midfield and quickly set Evans off down the left flank. Evans’ volley bulged the side of the net.
Fife had time to ride a tackle in the box and beat both keeper and post early in the second period before Dan Lomas was brought down in the box having pinched the ball and made strides forward. Fife stepped up to convert the penalty.
Whitehouse then had to make a great block from Alveston’s best chance to date and immediately set Barnfather off on a run on the right flank. Only a foul just outside the box could halt his progress and nothing came from the resultant free kick.
With Mick Fox and Dan Richardson replacing the injured Andy Chandler and Rob Winstanley, a Jamie Evans free kick was flicked on by Fox for Fife to volley home his third of the match to seal the points for Brocton and provide a memorable finish to the season.

Brocton: Adam Whitehouse, Richard Jones, Sam Bell, Jamie Evans, Matt Skinner, Sam Fleming, Dan Lomas, Andy Chandler, Rob Winstanley, Alex Barnfather, Gary Fife

Used substitutes: Mick Fox, Dan Richardson