Chester Nomads Colts 2 v 3 Waverton Wasps

Chester & District League (28th February 2010)

Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets)

Matt Sheen  1 (32)

Sam Jones  1 (15)

Scott Evans  1 (2)

MoM Awards

Coach's  -  Scott Evans

Supporters'  -  Ollie Tyler

Report

For the first time this season the Wasps "lost" the second half of a game, which resulted in a very nervous final few minutes, but they eventually held on to secure a 3-2 victory and maintain their title challenge.

Waverton started the first half with a strong wind behind them, and used it to their advantage to completely dominate the early exchanges. Despite playing some lovely passing football though it took Waverton quite a long time to get the goal their play deserved, with several chances going begging and some desperate "last ditch" defending from the Colts. Eventually a goal was inevitable, and after about 20 minutes the Wasps finally broke the deadlock, with Sam Jones converting a penalty after Scott Evans was fouled when through on goal.

On the balance of chances during the first half the Wasps should have gone into the break 5 or 6 ahead, but the goals just wouldn't come, with one shot hitting a post and several others saved on the line, or flashing just past the post. When Matt Sheen added a second just before the whistle (his 32nd of the season) the 2-0 HT lead was the very least the team deserved from what was (finishing apart) probably the best half of football they'd played all season.

Five minutes into the second period, Scott Evans met a Robbie Foster corner and headed the Wasps into a 3-0 lead and, at that stage, the game looked all over. Despite now playing into the wind it was still Waverton who looked most like scoring for the next quarter of an hour, but again they were guilty of not making this dominance count with more goals.

Then the inevitable happened and the Colts, who'd threatened little against the strong Waverton defence, pulled a goal back with an excellent long distance strike. This gave the Colts some belief back, and for a while the Wasps started to wobble in defending against an ever stronger wind which meant they were struggling to get the ball clear. From the third Colts corner in quick succession the ball was cleared off the line, but rebounded back into the Waverton net, making the score an unlikely 3-2, with ten minutes still to go.

Once again though Waverton showed the same fighting spirit they've exhibited all season, although this time it was needed to hold on to a slim advantage rather than staging a comeback. All eleven players combined to hold out against a Colts side which was now playing much better, only allowing them one clear chance, from which Ollie Tyler made the "save of the season", to ensure Waverton recorded their 14th consecutive victory and remained clear at the top of the league.