Who needs proper goals?

It was back to Brighton Uni this week as the freshly re-laid pitch hosted a cagey cat and mouse affair, as both teams offered very little attacking force and refused to commit bodies forward.

The first twenty minutes were relatively open before the contest decended into a late 80’s Serie A affair with defences well on top and chances and action at a premium.

It was Eason vs Bahrami for the first twenty minutes as they were the only two players to work the first two goal keepers with two efforts apiece.

Bahrami forced two saves from debutant Green, the second effort a fine header which required a tip over by the cricketing specialist.

Around the half hour mark it seemed both teams realised that the first goal was going to be key and both refused to commit bodies too far forward.

Minutes ticked by with the ball retained in midfield with plenty of huffing and puffing and very little quality.

The wind was picking up at this point but both teams demonstrated patience and a desire to keep the ball on the deck.

The teams turned round with Skins taking an age to refuel whilst the bibs players were primed and ready.

Bibs started the second half well, whilst skins appeared to be running out of ideas and on successive occasions gifted the ball back to Bibs with over-hit goal kicks.

The 5th goalkeeper then the 6th & 7th all went in and were pretty much untested apart from the occasional high and wide effort.

Bald rose like a salmon at the back post and his header went reasonably close but never really threatened the goal.

After all the Wish Park/Waterhall talk of we need proper goals, these one’s were rendered redundant for 72 minutes, until Greenwood slowly losing patience went further forward.

His first foray into enemy territory saw him drop the shoulder past Harley before striking a powerful shot which seemed to go through Wilson. 1-0 and it felt like a crucial goal.

Bibs pushed forward but didn’t produce any clear cut chances. Green had a couple of long range efforts but couldn’t test the keeper. At the other end the 18 year old Josh Mitchell was denied a break away goal but the 52 year old Harley who made a great last gasp challenge to deny the youngster.

It needed one final chance for Skins to kill the game and it was Steve (bald) converting from close range who finished the scoring.

In what was always going to be a low scoring affair with Brenchley, Green, Beebee and most importantly the KoW missing we were only 8 minutes away from the first ever 0-0.

MOTM – Danny Greenwood – Made the difference pushing forward and a piece of quality in the final third was the difference tonight.