Ringmer 1 East Preston 1

12/10/07

Report by David Ruffles

 

Ringmer’s controlled passing game gave the Blues the edge in terms of possession in the first half. However, with both defences on top goal scoring opportunities were in short supply. After a quarter of an hour Joe Dryer’s persistence won possession inside the visitor’s penalty area and from his pass Marc Whiteman blasted the ball into the net via the post to give Ringmer the lead. East Preston’s response was immediate with Joe Lawley cutting in from the right only for his shot to strike the outside of the post with Joe Adams beaten. Neat approach play involving Dan Evans, Whiteman and Luke Gedling ended with Aaron MacMillan just failing to connect with the ball as he closed in at the far post. Then Gedling’s shot from the edge of the penalty area was spilled by goalkeeper Tom Rand and scrambled clear. With half time fast approaching East Preston equalised with a very scrappy goal. In a congested Ringmer penalty area a shot from James Virgo struck a fellow attacker on the goal line and, with the Ringmer defence anticipating an offside flag, the ball rebounded to Virgo who made no mistake with his second shot.

 

Whether this goal inspired the visitors or whether the enforced substitution of Whiteman or whether it was a change of tactics, the second half bore little similarity to the first. East Preston seized the initiative from the whistle and with their midfield denying Ringmer’s play-makers time to dwell on the ball Ringmer struggled to string more than two passes together. As a consequence the Blues offered little up front apart from two early efforts which Rand struggled to deal with. The first a shot from wide on the left from Evans was too hot for the keeper to hold and he reacted well to recover the ball at the feet of Miles Scerri. Then the keeper just managed to turn Andy Hart’s shot from the right over the bar when it seemed destined for the top corner of the net. After this Ringmer relied heavily on their defence to keep the opposition at bay which they did so successfully that neither side could score. However in a late flurry of activity both sides had chances to snatch victory. First Lawley’s shot flashed across the Blues goalmouth and just wide of the far post. Then a shot from Evans appeared to be goal bound before Rand, at full stretch, managed to turn the ball past the post for a corner.

 

 

 

No	Players.Name....	Substitution ...,,	Goals	Remarks
1	Joe Adams	.	-	-
2	Andy Hart	.	.	.
3	Dan Evans	.	.	.
4	Dave Soutar	.	.	.
5	Ryan MacMillan	.	.	.
6	Luke Gedling	.	.	.
7	Jack Johnson	Glen Matten	.	.
8	Danny McLaughlin	.	.	(C)
9	Mark Whiteman	Miles Scerri	1	17 (MW)
10	Aaron MacMillan	Norbert Sule	.	.
11	Joe Dryer	.	.
-	SUBSTITUTES	-	-	-
12	Glen Matten	Used	.	.
14	Ryan Betsworth	Not Used	.	.
15	Miles Scerri	Used	.	-
16	Norbert Sule	Used	.	-
17	Paul Thomsett	Not Used	.	..
.	.	.	.	.
Manager		Steve Johnson
Coach		Paul Thomsett
Sports Therapist		Ian Fairs
Referee		Neal Wallace
Assistant 1		Mike Day
Assistant 2		John Hitchcock
Attendance		81