| Match Report |
After back to back wins the first XI began against table-toppers Market Drayton with confidence. Lacking captain Griffiths, Ablard stepped in to offer an understated pre-match speech to send out an organised unit for this tough game. The first half was evenly balanced with few chances at either end. Drayton's runaway leading scorer Brendan Jones was neutralised by Al Brown, and they were limited mainly to penalty corner opportunities. At the other end Pritchard battled to create anything for the front men to feed off. The second half began in much the same style. Lally's aerials gave Wulfs an outlet that almost lead to a breakthrough, but the organised Drayton defence began to close up, and they started to push forward a little more. A yellow card for an innocuous offence didn't help much. The first goal would always be crucial, and the visitors took the lead after the ball was fed back to the top of the circle. Pearson and Brown collided and the shot found the right hand corner. Wulfs attempts to fight back meant inevitably that the defence became more exposed. However there was one glorious chance for an equaliser, a ball flashed across the face of an empty goal was spectacularly missed by two attacking players. Head in hands time. 1-0 would have been a fair result but Drayton finished two more chances to make the game look less close than it was. Another good performance from the team though, and plenty to be proud of. Man of match: Brown. |