Chester & District League (26 September 2010)
Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets)
Sam Jones - 2 (6)
Matt Sheen - 1 (9)
Robbie Foster - 1 (2)
Report
As expected JFC Boughton provided Waverton with their stiffest challenge so far this season, but the Wasps managed to hold on to a one goal lead for the final 10 minutes to take the three points, and they now hold a clear lead at the top of the Chester & District league table.
For once Waverton started the brighter of the two teams, and the frontline of Matt Sheen and Sam Jones immediately started to cause the Boughton defence problems, just as they'd done in last season's cup final. This early pressure resulted in a couple of early corners, both delivered well by Sam, and Robbie Foster got on the end of the second one with a firm header which the Boughton keeper couldn't keep out, giving Waverton a deserved lead.
Instead of pushing on from this goal though Waverton almost seemed to relax, allowing Boughton to get back into the game, especially in midfield where they started to win the majority of the balls. It wasn't that surprising therefore when, after a number of half chances, Boughton finally forced home an equaliser from close range after about 20 minutes. The Wasps reacted well to this setback though and pushed forward again immediately from the restart, and just a couple of minutes later they won a free-kick about 30 yards out, on the right. It was clear Sam Jones would take a shot from this range, and he struck the ball beautifully into the top corner giving the Boughton goalie no chance, putting Waverton back in front.
After this Waverton started to play some better passing football, resulting in a well worked third goal as Matt Sheen calmly slotted home from a Cameron Faulkner cross. Although they'd been pushed harder than during any game so far this season, Waverton, having weathered a storm in the middle of the half, probably deserved to go into the break 3-1 up. The Wasps continued to take this better play into the early exchanges in the second half, and started to look for a fourth goal. When they were awarded another free kick, ten minutes into the second period, "deadshot" Jones again lined it up for another "bullet", and despite the efforts of a Boughton defender to head it off the line it went in to give the Wasps a 4-1 lead.
At this point, with around 20/25 minutes to go, it might have been expected that the Boughton players heads would start to go down and Waverton would add to their lead. To give Boughton great credit though they never gave up and actually played some of their best football over the last quarter of the match, pushing forward strongly to get themselves back into the game. When Ollie parried out a Boughton free-kick their strikers got to it first to force home a second goal with 15 minutes remaining, and five minutes later another scrappy goal made the scoreline a much closer 4-3 to Waverton, with ten "long" minutes still remaining!
The Wasps have added some real steel to their play in the last season and a half though, and where they might have crumbled under such pressure in the past they held firm, with some last ditch tackles, a goal line clearance and overall defending very solidly as team to keep Boughton at bay. On the total balance of play Waverton probably just edged the match, making 4-3 a fair scoreline, but it remains clear the destination of the league title will still, almost certainly, rest on the result of the return match between these two very strong U14s teams.
Manager's MoM: George Gresty
Supporters' MoM: Sam Jones
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