Missed Opportunity - Ford Take Lead 4 Times, Ensinger Fight Back to Win

Ensinger 6-5 Chandlers Ford

Mid Solent U14 B League – 6th October 2007

On the back of two straight wins, Ford let slip their good run against a side who had yet to win a game in the league.

Without the commanding figure of Josh Harrigan, CFY looked weak defensively with the home side making a good start to the game.

A piece of individual brilliance from Michael Sawbridge saw the Blues take a 1-0 lead. Liam Godfrey’s free kick down the left saw Mike bring the ball forward and finish with a powerful, unstoppable strike past the goalkeeper.

The weakness at the back was exposed however, as Ensinger were gifted an immediate equaliser.

In an end to end game, Alex Evens restored the lead for Ford with a wonderful strike that found the net from the edge of the area.

Following the same pattern as before, Chandlers Ford threw away their lead letting Ensinger equalise shortly after Evens’ goal.

It was a matter of minutes before the in-form Evens grabbed his second of the game to continue his goalscoring record following an excellent four goal, man of the match winning performance last weekend in the 7-1 win over Lee Rangers. It was another wonderful strike, one which beat the outstretched arm of the keeper to make the most of the poor goal kick’s from the home goalkeeper.

Michael Sawbridge did well for the assist in this goal.

The score remained 3-2 for a brief period with Chandlers Ford creating a couple of chances. Sawbridge had an excellent opportunity to extend the lead when clean through but fired high over the cross bar. Later Tom Pope intercepted well to feed through for Michael once more who this time forced a good save out of the Ensinger stopper from a tight angle.

Just when it seemed Ford had done enough to stay in front going into half time, for the third time in the game Ensinger forced yet another equaliser from a quickly taken throw in down the right. The defence were caught out of position leaving Lee facing the impossible in an easy one on one for the Ensinger forward who was not marked closely enough and punished Ford to level the scores.

HALF TIME: Ensinger 3-3 CFY

At half time Richard changed things around slightly with Michael Wall replacing Lee Robertson in goal and James Parsonage coming across to left back to try and handle the tricky right winger. Liam moved further forward to left midfield and Jacob Ellery came on to play at right back.

Leading the way from the front, Sawbridge wearing the captain’s armband fired Ford into the lead for his second of the game. Winning the free kick in the first place with an excellent run down the middle before being brought down, Michael stepped up to power his shot past a crowd of players and into the net from the edge of the area.

Ensinger, at the opposite end missed an golden opportunity with Wall beaten an open goal to shoot at from five yards, somehow the ball flew over the cross bar when it was easier to score.

This was the start of a whole number of attacks and pressure on Wall’s goal with the midfield losing their grip and the defence struggling with the pace and strength up front from their opponents.

The home side pulled level and then for the first time in the game took the lead to make it 5-4.

Ford did not give in, and substitute Dan Whitlocke scored a lovely goal with near enough his first touches of the ball as he weaved his way through the penalty area before smashing into the bottom left hand corner to keep his side in the game.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for Chandlers Ford. Despite forcing their way back in with a fighting chance of getting something from the game (a point was the very least they deserved), a long ball forward saw Wall come to the edge of his area and tumble allowing the Ensinger centre forward to tap into an empty net.

There was no way back from 6-5 down as Ensinger sealed their first win of the season.

Chandlers Ford will no doubt look back at this game as a missed opportunity to have taken more from the game and will have a lot of questions to answer when the two clubs meet again back at Crestwood later in the season.

FULL TIME: Ensinger 6-5 CFY