Bottesford FC — Sat 29 Mar 2008

Match report

Half time: 2 – 0

Samba entertained Bottesford at Burton Road looking to collect back to back wins for the first time since before Christmas. Bruce returned in goal, allowing Ballard to take his place in the heart of midfield and E.Taylor played on the right . The conditions were windy as has become the norm recently and the opening few minutes were fast and furious. Bottesford started the game well but it was Samba who had the first attempts with Swinscoe getting behind the Bottesford back line on a couple of occasions but he couldn't beat the keeper. Samba took the lead after 15 minutes when Gibbons swung in a corner and G.Taylor was inexplicably left unmarked in the six yard box and he made his header look easy, just beyond the near post. Bottesford continued to press without really opening up the Samba defence, though they were winning a succession of free kicks in dangerous territory. The one occasion where Samba were stretched resulted in the Bottesford man firing way over the crossbar. Samba's football was nowhere near the standard of the previous weeks demolition of Kimberley but the Gibbons-Francis combination was worrying Bottesford down their right hand side. On one occasion E.Taylor nearly benefited from a far post cross but was crowded out. Bottesford continued to press Samba and had good pace throughout their side. However, they were hit by a sucker punch when they conceded a 2nd goal from a set play. Gibbons hit a delicious curling free kick into the box, right onto the forehead of the oncoming Boughton, who rose about six foot higher than anyone else to power home for 2-0.

Kicking up the slope in the 2nd half as always seems to happen, Samba knew the first 15-20mins of the 2nd half would be vital. However, bar one or two nice early passing moves that broke down on the edge of the Bottesford penalty box, the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and piled on the pressure. Samba stood up to the fight, blocking and defending for their lives, but lacked composure to play their way out of trouble and consequently the ball kept coming back. Bruce in the Samba goal was relatively unscathed, though a mis-hit cross did come back off the crossbar. As so often happens, when Samba thought they had rode the storm they were undone, by Bottesford's persistance. An excellantly flighted through ball, saw the Bottesford man get behind Bassett and as Bruce came out the striker poked the ball beyond both defender and keeper for 2-1. A few minutes later and Bottesford were given a life-line. The ball struck E.Taylor's arm inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty. The ball was converted down the middle and Samba's two goal lead had evaporated within five minutes. There was some worried faces within the Samba camp but to their credit they started to impose themselves on the game, helped by the return of Lucas on the left side who had been absent for 6 weeks with a hamstring injury. Samba forced a few corners and from one these were awarded a penalty when Holloway was pushed in the back. Francis kept up his impressive 100% record from the spot, though the keeper got close, and Samba were again in the lead. Ballard nearly added a fourth but his shot went agonisingly wide as Samba had their tails up. With three minutes to go Bottesford were awarded a free kick 25 yds out after Boughton was penalised for going through the back of a player. The Bottesford man drilled the free kick, which brushed off the arm of Ballard, though this did not alter the flight of the ball, and it nestled in the far corner off the post, leaving Bruce with no chance. The game ended 3-3 and Samba had contrived to lose more points from a winning position. However, Bottesford with worthy of their point as the race for 2nd place gets ever tighter. A special mention for the young referee this week, who did very well in only his third game.