Posted: 25th ~ April ~ 2009

Wood Bash the....Stortford!?

Date : April 25th 2009
Fixture : League Game - Away
Result : Harold Wood 1 - 0 Bishop Stortford

With Hammond's statement "We must win all of our last 6 games to stand any chance" ringing in the ears of the Wood players, nothing short of 3 points at Bishops Stortford Swifts would do.
2 goal hitman Wettner was absent so Mottram partnered Manzi in attack. Gibson went to cheer on the 1's so Fletcher partnered Sewell at centre half with Jacks on the left and Smy right. Duckworth, Cooke, Huckstepp and Tommy Zoom completed the Wood midfield.
Hammond's instructions were to play on the big pitch and Wood started brightly in an open game, dominating possession for long periods of the half. Manzi, finally back from rehab at Sugar Hut, looked eager and gave the Swifts backline a torrid time but for all their possession Wood only really carved out 2 opportunities. The first fell to Mottram after some superb work down the right from Huckstepp. The drilled cross found the unmarked hitman free from 6 yards with only the keeper to beat. Mottrams volley flew over the bar and into some fields probably somewhere in Hampshire. Woods other chance fell to Tommy Zoom who combined well with Manzi down the left but forced an excellent save from the Stortford keeper. For all Woods possession the chance of the half fell to Stortford when their only corner found an unmarked head and Wordsell somehow clawed out the point blank header. Stalemate at the break. Wood needed to keep playing and keep being patient, just a little more creativity or an extra 10 percent would win this game.
Again Wood started well but Stortford did come into the game a little more and some resolute defending kept the hosts at bay. Wood pushed and another glorious chance was spurned by Mottram who finally made way for ever present squad member Holliday. With ten minutes to go Wordsell ignored the 400 calls from head coach Robinson to roll the ball short and elected to kick long. Holliday gambled on the flick and expertly finished by lobbing the keeper from outside the box.
There would be no way back for BSS and Wood comfortably saw the game out to take the three precious points back down the M11.
5 to go and food for thought for Hammond who's only worry of the day was whether the supplied 5 slices of pizza and greasy fries he wolfed down would interfere with his order from Cosmos later in the evening.

Team Lineup : Wordsell, Smy, Fletcher, Sewell, Jacks, Huckstepp, Cooke, Duckworth (Freddie 85), Zoom, Mottram (Holliday 80), Manzi.

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