3rd Xl - Battle of the short corners

Sutton Valence travelled to Burnt Ash on a high from the recent win against Cliftonville. Starting the game where they left of the week before SV retained possession of the ball well and distributed it from defence through to the forwards at will. After 10 minutes of dominant play Valence broke the deadlock and scored from a saved short corner, with Andy Barr picking up the deflection and lobbing the keeper while he was getting back to his feet.
The goal was enough to spring Burnt Ash into life and it was their turn to turn the screw on the visitors, with long passages of play eventually culminating in a short corner, which was struck towards the bottom corner, and with Valence’s stand-in goal keeper opting to save with the stick instead of the glove, it flashed in the goal to make it 1-1. It remained that way until half time.
With Sutton Valence feeling a little hard done by for letting Ash equalise so close to half time they needed to reset and get back to playing like they did at the start of the first half, but it wasn’t to be. Burnt Ash had been awoken and they broke up many of the Sutton Valence’s attacks, while countering well themselves. They eventually scored from another short corner that dribbled under the goalie’s foot while trying to clear it, and Valence found themselves behind for the first time in the game.
Looking to get back level they pushed men forward, but the fluid attacking play they had in the first half wasn’t there, and with possession being broken up easily, they never quite got to the final third of the pitch to cause Burnt Ash many problems. While over-committing in attack Valence conceded a third goal with 10 minutes left on the clock, but there was that feeling there wasn’t quite enough in the locker and momentum was firmly with Burnt Ash.
Not for the want of trying, the game finished 3-1 to Burnt Ash who simply had the better second half, with Valence not really having anything with which to respond. Man of the match went to Freddie Hulbert for the second game in a row. Freddie had been moved to centre back, but played like an attacking midfielder, creating problems for Burnt Ash when moving forward, and whilst tracking back to get back into his defensive position.

MoM: Freddie Hulbert

Goal Scorer: Andy Barr

Team: Mark Whitmill, Dave Lewis, Ben Tragett, Gareth Davies, Freddie Hulbert, Tom Harris, Andy Barr, Geoff Bell, Stuart Edmed, Alex Sandberg, Andy Devlin, Chris Sheldon
Umpire: I Simmons

Next week Sutton Valence 3rd Xl continue their Kent Open Premier C League season lying 9th with a game in hand, at home against Maidstone 3rd Xl, currently lying in 2nd position.