BEXHILL UTD 2ND X1 1 - 6 RINGMER 2ND X1

09/02/08

Match Report by Rob Hawkes

 

The first league game of this season for the Ringmer 2nd XI was a 6 - 1 home win against Bexhill Utd 2nd XI back in August ’07. With their consistent league performance since then, Ringmer were clear favourites to come away with all the points from this return fixture. Today’s identical 1 - 6 score line is a reflection of the strength of the Ringmer 2nd XI squad and particularly so when you consider that only four of those who travelled to Bexhill today played in the first encounter between these sides. Such are the challenges for a Reserves team Manager.

 

Bexhill kicked off the first half, but it was Ringmer who took control of the game for the first 20 minutes and Simon Greatwich put Ringmer ahead in the 8th minute after Jayson Sowter had made his way to the Bexhill by-line and put in a high looping cross for Greatwich to nod in, unchallenged at the back post. However, as the first half progressed it became a rather scrappy affair, punctuated with free kicks and injuries. Bexhill equalised in the 31st minute with a well driven strike from 25yds out, beating the outstretched Stern as he tried in vain to keep the ball out of the bottom right hand corner of his net.

 

Bob and Steve were forced in to the first of two early substitutions bringing on Rob Frost in the 35th minute for Greatwich had to retire injured after a freak injury making a goal line clearance.

 

The second half started with a second substitution for Ringmer: Earwicker replacing Finney who was also forced to retire injured. Not withstanding the fact that there were two forced changes for Ringmer, it was an altogether different Ringmer eleven that came out for the second half. From the first whistle they set about breaking down the Bexhill defence with a renewed purpose and retook complete control of the game.

 

Ringmer took the lead again in the 62nd minute when Lawrence pumped forward a long ball from deep within the Ringmer half, it was flicked on to Betsworth courtesy of a Bexhill head and Ryan maintained his composure, chipping the keeper to make it 1 - 2. Five minutes later Gray scored what proved to be the most telling goal. Scott Taylor had made his way to the Bexhill by-line, cut the ball back to Gray who side footed the ball into the net from 12 yds out, through a thicket of players. (Is that a derogatory term?) Anyway, this was the goal that seemed to defeat Bexhill as their heads dropped and they started to argue amongst themselves.

 

Ringmer’s next three goals came in quick succession. The first of them from Betsworth who capitalised on some confusion over an offside decision in the 78th minute and while all 21 other players set about restarting play from an indirect free kick, Ryan (who seemed to be the only person in the park on the same wave length as Mr Goldsmith) nicked the ball off the keeper’s feet and tapped it back into the open net. Two minutes later Rob Frost’s attacking run through the Bexhill defence set up Ryan for a simple finish to give him his hat-trick and Ringmer their fifth goal of the afternoon. Taylor’s 85th minute goal came after Earwicker sent in a testing diagonal ball to the back post where Scott had the simple job of tapping in past a flailing keeper. Initially it looked as though the keeper had pulled off a great goal line save, but the ball was adjudged to have already crossed the line and Ringmer ran out the eventual victors by 5 clear goals.

 

This was a confident performance by a talented Ringmer 2nd XI and regardless of whose names are on the score sheet, the victory was brought about by a hard working unit with a fantastic team spirit that extends to the coaching staff whose half time talk brought the best out of the lads for a totally commanding second half performance.

 

The game was marred by some baffling refereeing decisions which frustrated players on both sides. Mr Goldsmith found it necessary to issue seven yellow cards, six of which were to punish players who were frustrated by his own mistakes, with only one yellow card being issued for a foul.

 

 

Please note: The above report is a personal view by the writer, Rob Hawkes and should not been seen as necessarily totally factual or accurate. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents no liability rests with the writer and the contents should be studied and approved by the editor and Ringmer FC in general prior to publication.

 

 

	Player	Goals	Comment
1	Jack Stern	.	(GK)
2	Scot Taylor	85	.
3	Josh Lawrence	.	.
4	Elliot Finney	.	.
5	Aaron Last	.	.
6	Josh Hawkes	.	.
7	Jayson Sowter	.	.
8	Jamie Gray	67	(Capt.)
9	Ryan Betsworth	62, 78, 80	.
10	Simon Greatwich	8	.
11	Sam Sowter	.	.

 

	Substitutes	Goals	Comment
12	Rob Frost	.	on for Greatwich (35)
14	James Earwicker	.	on for Finney (45)
15	Louis Munnery	.	Not Used
16	.	.	.
17	.	.	.

 

Referee	Matt Goldsmith
Linesman (Ringmer)	Lee Cramp

 

Manager	Bob Munnery
Coach	Steve Oliver
Physio	.