Gedling Southbank A — Sat 17 Nov 2007

Match report

Half time: 0 – 1

Samba went back into league action following last weeks dismal showing in the cup. They welcomed back Messrs Boughton, Lucas, Clifford and Gibbons into the side with Sharp, Rose and E.Taylor unavailable and Loach suspended. The game started very shakily for Samba with Bassett immediately giving the ball away from kick off. Southbank were sharper out the blocks and they capitalised When Boughton was robbed on the Samba left and the Southbank man was sent clear. As he raced into the box, Wilford covered well but appeared to be tripped. The referee was not concerned and the striker finished well to give Southbank an early lead. That sort of start could have spelt big trouble for Samba but to their credit they started to stamp their authority all over the park. The long punts upfield by Southbank were easily dealt with by the Samba back line and the passing, so absent the previous week was of a high standard. It wasn't long before Samba exerted real pressure on the Southbank goal. There was a succession of corners which were in the main defended well, though on one occassion a Taylor near post header was desperately unlucky to cannon the bar. Though Samba were clearly on top, Southbank did have a couple of opportunities to extend their lead. A corner was palmed on by Ballard but Hawkins did supremely well to head onto the underside of the bar, from on the line. The other Southbank threat came from a breakaway which saw the ball flashed acorss the 6yd box with Clifford diverting out for a corner, with a gaping goal a real danger. As the half wore on it was Samba who continued to create chances. A deflected shot from Taylor was just wide, and he also drove a shot beyond the far post. Gibbons threatened with a mazy run, and Francis was lively but Samba could not get the equaliser their play had more than deserved.

The message at half time was simple - keep playing in the same manner and rewards would come. The second half started in the same fashion as the first half ended with Samba having all the possession and the territory. Chances came and went but on 55 minutes they got the breakthrough and a little luck that they deserved. Gibbons attempted a cross field pass to Lucas but the ball instead found Francis whose header powered into the centre of the goal, with the keeper grasping fresh air. Buoyed by their equaliser Samba went about finishing Southbank off and they took the lead within minutes. A cracking reverse pass by Gibbons sent Lucas down the wing and his deep centre dropped perfectly for the on-coming Hill who headed down into the net for 2-1 Samba. Samba were rampant and Southbank could not get out of their half. On one of the few occasions that they managed to get upfield it back-fired as a quick Samba clearance was pounced upon by Taylor. He drove at the home teams defence and fired a low left shot which beat the keeper at the near post to make it 3-1. Southbank grew a little after this, with their right winger a threat with his pace. The threat didn't amount to much in terms of chances though with Ballard untroubled in the 2nd half. The final goal of the game came Samba's way and Hill poked the ball home following a scramble in the box. It capped a throughly pleasing day for Samba, whose performance, for 85 minutes at least, had been one of the best of the season.