3rd Xl - Lose end of season battle

Kent Open Premier C
Sutton Valence 3rd Xl 3 : 5 Sevenoaks 7th XI

SV lose the end of season battle

With Sutton Valence playing 3 games in 7 days, the experienced legs of the team were feeling the previous 2 games still.
The game started with Sevenoaks taking the early initiative, but lacked the cutting edge in the D, until 15 minutes into the half they finally broke the deadlock. It wasn’t long until Sevenoaks scored a second, but Valence quickly scored one back via Dave Lewis. With much of the game being played in Sutton Valence’s half, they were happy to get to half-time only 1 down, but still very much in the game.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with Sevenoaks scoring, but Valence striking back almost immediately from a short corner (Chris Sheldon). As the half progressed, Valence could feel the previous 2 games in their legs and conceded another goal after pushing men forward looking for the equaliser. Now 2 down they once again battled back and this time Andy Devlin scored from a short corner taking the game down to the wire in the final 5 minutes.
As Valence pushed weary men forward, they left themselves exposed at the back to the counter attack, and Sevenoaks scored a fifth with only a few minutes remaining in the game.
The game ended 5-3, with Valence always in the game, but never close enough to take the lead.
MoM: Stewart Young, for his excellent goal keeping, which kept Sutton Valence always in the hunt for some points in the game.

Scorers: Andy Devlin; Chris Sheldon; Dave Lewis

Team: Stewart Young, Mark Whitmill, Ben Tragett, Chris Sheldon, Dylan Queen, James Willmott, Andy Devlin, Andy Barr, Stuart Edmed, Ed Liley, Dave Lewis & Alex Pocock.
Umpire: I SImmons