Final score Stoke Gabriel 1 Holsworthy 2
From a spectators point of view this match was very enjoyable to watch, but Stoke must be asking the question how they had so much of the play and lost. It was said to me before the game that Stoke do not have any money to get in the players required at this level. I’m not sure that is the problem and I could not fault the hard work and commitment shown by the Stoke players today. Is there a weakness in defense? Or just a lack of real fire power upfront? Because Stoke maybe should have won today’s game and this defeat won’t help them in anyway.
A quick mention about today’s ref, in one word POOR. Me missed so many fouls, missed a clear penalty for Holsworthy and with some of the challenges coming in from both sets of players, could have had some nasty incidents taking place in a game he failed to control. No good just claiming he was trying to play the advantage as he did, he let some not so nice tackles and fouls go completely unpunished.
Stoke started the match strongly enough but soon found themselves behind, it was a goal that was against the run of play even though it was early into the half. The goal was made by Holsworthy danger man Nathan Bonney ( think that’s how it is spelt) he was a thorn in the Stoke defence whenever he got onto the ball. He was played into the Stoke box and laid the ball back to Dom Abbot who hit a good first time shot. I thought Nathan Murry might have saved the shot but it seemed to come off his gloves and into the back of the net
Danger man Nathan Bonney then made a great run into the Stoke box and from where I was standing it looked liked he was tripped from behind. I can’t see any other reason why he would have gone down from his position inside the box, so maybe Stoke got lucky on that one.
I thought Stoke had scored after a fine effort by Olly Critchlow from just outside the box, I saw the ball hit the back of the net but the shot had just gone over the crossbar and not straight into the goal. Stokes Dave Worthington worked his magic out on the left deep into the Holsworthy half and put in a fine cross to the back post that Jamie Micklewright headed over.
Olly Critchlow had the ball at his feet on the edge of the Holsworthy box and turned neatly and got away a shot on goal. He was unable to get that much power in the shot and stood and watched as the ball rolled past the left hand post. It was nearly all one way traffic with Holsworthy only able to make the odd break into the Stoke half. One long clearing ball fell to Holsworthys Carlo Chandler who ran straight towards and into the Stoke box. Stokes Jake White made a fantastic tackle to stop Carlo getting a shot in on goal.
The Holsworthy manager might have been unhappy with the ref for not awarding his side with a number of free kicks that should have been given, but has to thank the ref in part for Holsworthys second goal. There was a clear foul on the halfway line on a Stoke player, the ref did not give it and the ball was then hit long up to Dom Abbot. The goal itself was real class as Dom turned this way and that before curling a left foot shot from the edge of the box into the left hand corner of the goal.
Stoke came out fighting in the second half and the game was much the same pattern as the first half with Stoke having most of the play. There were a few times the game was in danger of boiling over and the ref has to take the blame for that. He did end up booking Stokes Steven Bowker and Holsworthys Carlo Chambers who did come close to blows.
Holsworthy were starting to get stretched to much for their managers liking and Stokes Dave Worthington made a good run into the box but the angle was always to tight and his shot was saved with ease by Chris Hoare at his near post.
Stoke made two changes to try and get back into the match and score what would have been a deserved goal. The ball did end up in the back of the Holsworthy goal after the keeper cleanly caught the ball and was barged over the line still holding the ball by Steven Bowker( see pictures below)
Stokes keeper had nearly nothing to do for the entire second half, but he did have to make one save at his near post from that danger man Nathan Bonney who should really have fired the ball across the keeper towards the other post. He had to make just one more save as the ball fell to Dom Abbot very fortunately just inside the Stoke box. I thought it was going to be a certain goal for Holsworthy, but Nathan pulled off a very fine diving save getting the ball behind for a corner.
A number of shots were fired well over the Holsworthy crossbar as the game was nearing an end and with just three minutes to go Stoke were given a lifeline. They won a free kick just out side the box and Sam Dicken fired a lovely shot just inside the left hand post ( see pictures below) Stoke nearly got the second goal they were looking for just as the ref was about to blow for fulltime. Sadly Scott Beattie was unable to keep his shot down and had to watch it fly high over the Holsworthy crossbar.
So there we have it another Stoke defeat, but there is nothing to much wrong with the team that I’m sure can’t be fixed.
