28/04: WOOLPACK FINISH WITH A WIN AGAINST BITTER RIVALS
Category: Match Reports
Posted by: Dan
The Woolpack FC 2 - 1 Helion
Starting Line-up: Battye, Kirby, Herbert, Shaw, Turpin, Ginty, Linford, B.Ramsden-Reilly, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Ri.Hawkyard
Subs: Cosgrove on for B.Ramsden-Reilly, L.Stanger on for Battye
Subs not used: Martin
Goals: Turpin, Ri.Hawkyard
Yellow Cards: Ri.Hawkyard
Man of the Match: L.Stanger - After being thrown in at the deep end, against his will, he came up with 4 or 5 fantastic saves that won us the match.
It was the last game of the season and it was against Helion. Local rivals, who beat the Woolpack twice last season, including their first game. They are also the former club of James Turpin and Dave Ginty, so it was always going to be a feisty game. Especially with the Woolpack looking to improve their league position to 5th, and Helion, who were already destined for relegation back to the second division, but they needed a win to avoid finishing bottom.
Helion started the much stronger side, with the wind blowing at the Woolpack defence. In the first 15 minutes Helion could have been winning by 4 or 5 instead of just the 1. The goal was a rather scrappy, easy goal in the end, but they almost scored from a corner, a free-kick from their own half and they saw both Kirby and Ginty make a goal line clearance.
At the other end The Woolpack looked dangerous in every attack, Ritchie Hawkyard down the left was almost playing as a striker at times, and Adam Linford was linking up well on the right. The equaliser came from an unlikely player, but probably the most eager to score, James Turpin. After Arnold's brilliant header hit the bar, Turpin was the first to react and nodded in his first of the season.
Soon after Ritchie Hawkyard made it 2-1 when the Woolpack out-numbered the defence and played the ball wide and past the keeper. Hawkyard's shot took a deflection on it's way it but he will still claim it, although it's certainly not his most glamorous goal of the season!
As the first half pressed on The Woolpack could and should have been in front by 3 or 4 goals. Arnold missed a clear open goal, Linford hit the side netting, the post and bar were both struck, and a succession of free-kicks went straight to the keeper.
As the second half started Helion clearly wanted to go for the win and pushed everyone forward, sometimes just leaving 1 sweeper. But they just could not break down the Woolpack defence. Shot after shot was blocked, saved, or sent wide.
When Battye took a knock and had to be replaced, Luke Stanger out-performed in goal, and the other sub, Sean Cosgrove made some brilliant blocks coming back from midfield.
In the end it was a good result for The Woolpack, one of their better and more memorable ones. And unless Walpole can beat Britannia Sports they will finish in 5th spot, with a points tally of 23, which is 2 below the pre-season target, but beyond what was eventually expected.
Starting Line-up: Battye, Kirby, Herbert, Shaw, Turpin, Ginty, Linford, B.Ramsden-Reilly, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Ri.Hawkyard
Subs: Cosgrove on for B.Ramsden-Reilly, L.Stanger on for Battye
Subs not used: Martin
Goals: Turpin, Ri.Hawkyard
Yellow Cards: Ri.Hawkyard
Man of the Match: L.Stanger - After being thrown in at the deep end, against his will, he came up with 4 or 5 fantastic saves that won us the match.
It was the last game of the season and it was against Helion. Local rivals, who beat the Woolpack twice last season, including their first game. They are also the former club of James Turpin and Dave Ginty, so it was always going to be a feisty game. Especially with the Woolpack looking to improve their league position to 5th, and Helion, who were already destined for relegation back to the second division, but they needed a win to avoid finishing bottom.
Helion started the much stronger side, with the wind blowing at the Woolpack defence. In the first 15 minutes Helion could have been winning by 4 or 5 instead of just the 1. The goal was a rather scrappy, easy goal in the end, but they almost scored from a corner, a free-kick from their own half and they saw both Kirby and Ginty make a goal line clearance.
At the other end The Woolpack looked dangerous in every attack, Ritchie Hawkyard down the left was almost playing as a striker at times, and Adam Linford was linking up well on the right. The equaliser came from an unlikely player, but probably the most eager to score, James Turpin. After Arnold's brilliant header hit the bar, Turpin was the first to react and nodded in his first of the season.
Soon after Ritchie Hawkyard made it 2-1 when the Woolpack out-numbered the defence and played the ball wide and past the keeper. Hawkyard's shot took a deflection on it's way it but he will still claim it, although it's certainly not his most glamorous goal of the season!
As the first half pressed on The Woolpack could and should have been in front by 3 or 4 goals. Arnold missed a clear open goal, Linford hit the side netting, the post and bar were both struck, and a succession of free-kicks went straight to the keeper.
As the second half started Helion clearly wanted to go for the win and pushed everyone forward, sometimes just leaving 1 sweeper. But they just could not break down the Woolpack defence. Shot after shot was blocked, saved, or sent wide.
When Battye took a knock and had to be replaced, Luke Stanger out-performed in goal, and the other sub, Sean Cosgrove made some brilliant blocks coming back from midfield.
In the end it was a good result for The Woolpack, one of their better and more memorable ones. And unless Walpole can beat Britannia Sports they will finish in 5th spot, with a points tally of 23, which is 2 below the pre-season target, but beyond what was eventually expected.
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