Saturday 29th October, a day which one can only describe as “flippin’ hot”, saw Sutton Valence 3rd XI make the short journey to K Sports for a highly anticipated local derby.

Sutton Valence took their usual lacklustre approach to a warm-up, and starting the match with a bare 11, with Messrs Edmed running on “Edmed Time”.

The first quarter of the game was hard battled by both sides, both working hard on and off the ball, but unable to make any real advances into the opposition twenty-five. Ben Tragett, Mark Whitmill and Bob Bartlett were working well in the middle, pinging the ball around much to the frustration of K Sports. Olly Sheldon was having a fantastic game also, not missing a tackle and battling hard at left back.

It took a good 25 minutes until the deadlock was broken, with the first real goal scoring opportunity of the game being capitalised upon. Julian Mills got the ball in the opposition D, topped a shot, which bobbled to Rob Cockayne to finishing a diving sweep shot in past the keeper.

Sutton Valence continued to make a number of advances, utilising the vast gaps K Sports were leaving the strikers in the top corners, with one attack very nearly creating a second goal, however the pass across the front of the goal to the back post was just out of Mills’ reach. Debutant Jack Hills made a number of darting runs, grafting hard throughout the half.

The second half saw some positional changes to Sutton Valence to save legs, but the heat got the better of a number of players. K Sports’ younger players seemed less affected, very much stepping up their game, making a strong number of attacks, only to realise that trying to run through seasoned defender Steve Parker was never going to work.

The second half continued to be a struggle for Sutton Valence, with K Sports looking the stronger side.

Disappointingly for K Sports however, they conceded a second goal late in the game which put a comeback out of reach. One of the K Sports team took a side-line ball on the halfway line back to a defender, only to put the ball between four K Sports players straight to Rob Cockayne, lurking/having a casual chat on the twenty-five. Both Cockayne and the defenders simply stood and watched the ball, unsure if it was being passed back for a free hit that they had missed, or a pure accident. Cockayne, still not quite sure what was happening, grabbed the ball, surged into the D for a one-on-one with the keeper, and with ample time, shot the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

A well fought and enjoyable game for both sides sees Sutton Valence remain top of the league.

Goals: Rob Cockayne (2)

Team: Chris Sheldon; Bob Bartlett; Julian Mills; Paul Linaker; Mike Nettle; Steve Parker; Ben Tragett; Mark Whitmill; Rob Cockayne; Olly Sheldon; Jack Hills; John Edmed; Stuart Edmed.

Next week the 3rd Xl are away against Herne Bay 5th Xl at 13.45.

Match Report by Rob Cockayne.