United FC — Sat 10 Mar 2007

Match report

Half time: 0 – 1

Samba were out for revenge against a United side who were top of the league and had beaten Samba 4-1 just three weeks earlier. A win for Samba would see them go back to the top of the league and so the game was the most important of the season. Ballard returned in goal, with Francis and Doughty also back in the first XI after injury. There was also a welcome return for Lucas who has been missing for two months with an ankle injury as he was named amongst the substitutes. Samba started the game like a house on fire with Francis looking much sharper in attack. Within a minute he showed just how sharp hitting a left foot shot which cannoned off the underside of the bar and away to safety. The fast opening gave Samba plenty of confidence and G.Taylor forced the United keeper to tip his shot over the bar. Samba were rampant with Gibbons buzzing in midfield alongside Jackson, Wilford and Doughty. Francis was only just wide with another attempt as United were genuinely surprised by the pace and intensity to Samba’s game. In the first 25 minutes United barely threatened except when Samba over-committed on a corner kick and United broke swiftly. Bassett was the last defender and managed to usher the forward wide and his shot was weak and straight at Ballard. The game was on the edge, Bassett was having a running battle with the diminutive United No.7, whilst Ballard was whacked in the face during a United set play. After 35 minutes Samba were dealt a body blow when a United player wriggled clear on their right and put in a low in-swinging cross which was converted by the unmarked striker despite the best efforts of Ballard. Incredibly Samba were behind as the half-time whistle blew but were buoyed by their display which had easily been their best for several months.

The second half began and it was not long before Samba continued to create chances. Francis was put through and he chipped the advancing goalkeeper only for the ball to drift inches wide as a defender made a last gasp attempt to clear the ball. C.Taylor was also so close with a header which just went wide after he rose so well from a corner. The chances kept on coming and when the keeper saved excellently with his feet from a Francis shot you felt that maybe it was not going to be Samba’s day. Hawkins had to be replaced due to a knee injury with Paskin his replacement and Jackson reverting to right back. Samba lost some of their momentum in this spell and so 10 minutes later Paskin was placed at right back and Jackson back into midfield. Unfortunately it was United who got the crucial goal, converting a penalty after Paskin had caught the United winger as he attempted to cross. The lack of complaints from Samba players said it all and the penalty was near perfect. Two minutes later Samba were dead and buried when a long hopeful ball was latched onto by the United man and he finished well to make it 3-0. Samba could scarcely believe that they were 3-0 down in a match where they had played so well. However before they could get too down about the situation Gibbons pulled a goal back, after he smartly rounded the keeper and slotted home to reduce the arrears to two. Shortly after all hell broke loose when Wilford crossed from the bye-line and Taylor forced the ball in for 2-3. The referee overruled the linesman who claimed the ball had gone out and with just 2 minutes remaining it was game on. Incredibly it was United who could and should have scored when they nearly forced the ball in, only foiled by the heroics of Ballard and Sharp. A few seconds later the full time whistle sounded and Samba had ran out of time. The blow of defeat was softened by the performance but it in the cold light of day it appeared that Samba’s championship ambitions were over and their promotion target was in severe danger as well.