With storm Dudley and Eunice still making their presence felt, Sutton Valence were looking to cook up their own storm against OId Wills. The first match earlier in the season saw Valence edge an away win by 1 goal to nil, so they knew the return fixture was always going to be a close affair.
Both teams sparred with each other from the first whistle, with Valence slightly winning the possession stats, but unable to convert time on the ball into goals. Although never in any real trouble defensively, Sutton Valence kept taking the ball into contact, or turning the ball over in the wrong areas of the pitch. Both sides had their share of short corners, but the game remained deadlocked going into half time.
To win the game, Valence knew they had to tighten up turning over possession cheaply and continue playing in the confident manner they had been for the first 35 minutes. The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with both teams sparring with each other once again. But it was Old Wills who would strike, in what would turn out to be the winning and only goal of the game. Old Wills’ attack started from open play and the first shot on goal forced a save from Stewart Young, the Valence keeper. The ball dropped kindly to the visitors’ skipper who was unmarked just past the far post, from where he managed to get a quick follow up shot on goal, which was again partially saved from Young, but it somehow managed to hit the inside of the other post, before crossing the line by the thinnest of margins, and then spinning back out again. It was, unfortunately, clearly a goal.
Finding themselves 1 down, the home team had plenty of time left on the clock to find an equaliser, but despite multiple attacks and several short corner attempts, they were unable to respond, and it was Old Wills this time that edged the game 1 nil.
Both teams headed back to the Queen’s Head for sausage beans and chips just before the next batch of torrential rain hit the Prep School. Old Wills may have won battle on the day, but Valence clearly won the war of post-match teas.

MoM: Dickie Turnill

Team: Stewart Young, Ben Tragett, Chris Johnson, Russell Blanchard, Dickie Turnill, Alex Stamp, Jack Davies, Chris Sheldon, Jack Sheldon, Andy Turnill, Mark Whitmill.
Umpires: Darren Thompson; Adrian Gander.

Match Report by Mark Whitmill.

The 2nd Xl’s game next week will be at home at 11.15, against Blackheath & Elthamians Heathens.