This game against Evostick South outfit Lincoln united was
the penultimate game of what has been a testing preseason, largely played
against higher placed opposition in the football pyramid was used by Brett
Marshall and his management team to try out a few different players and
scenarios because as anyone who has followed a non-league side will know sooner
or later someone will be unavailable due to one reason or another and players
will have to play in a number of positions and forewarned is forearmed as they
say.
To that end Ross Goodwin moved from his customary central
midfield role to the centre of defence alongside Captain Matt Varley. Adam
Wisdom came in for Kieran Watson up front and Adam Scott made his first start
of preseason.
Staveley threatened first off when Jamie Brown slid a
reverse pass behind the United defence for Kurtis Morley to shoot low and hard
only for goal keeper Sam Vince to save with his legs.
A good spell of early Staveley pressure was undone in the
eighth minute however when Sam Duncan and Paul Grimes rapidly exchanged passes
to out fox Staveleys defence and found Matt Cotton in oceans of space with only
Jason Fisher in goal for Staveley to beat.
Whilst the Trojans and their faithful band of followers
claimed offside, “Whites” number seven scooped the ball over Fisher but saw his
effort rebound off the post, unfortunately for Staveley the offside wasn’t
given and the rebound fell at the feet of winger Scott Ruthven who couldn’t
miss the open goal from six yards out.
0-1
Not that it matters too much in preseason, there was still
plenty of time to get a result and Adam Scott wriggled, twisted and turned to
find space out on the right sliding an inch perfect ball inside the fullback to
play in Ellis Wall, likewise Wall twisted and turned but couldn’t quite shake
off the attentions of Jake Gibson who had recovered well from Scott’s pass.
Wall did enough however to find Steve Carty on the edge of the box who was
fouled but, unfortunately the free kick came to nothing.
Staveleys pressing game then came to the fore and caused
panic in the visitors defence and a host of hurried back passes and clearances
led to a number of dangerous set pieces but frustratingly they again came to
nothing.
With fifteen minutes on the clock the home side began to
test Sam Vince between the sticks a bit more… with his back to goal tall
powerful striker Adam Wisdom held up the ball and flicked it to his left into
the path of Kurtis Morley who burst through the up till now resolute defensive
line but the ever alert Vince was able to gather, and Wisdom similarly set up
Jamie Brown towards the end of the half but again the flying left winger saw
Sam Vince save.
Before that Brown effort though Adam Scott tried his luck
from 18 yards but could only fire his shot ,straight at the ‘keeper after a
mazy dribble across the edge of the box and on 35 minutes showed great
determination and desire to win the ball off Uniteds left back, Jake Gibson
before firing a dangerous ball into the box.
Arguably Staveley deserved to be level but despite the
exciting attacking play only half chances had been created and as the half time
oranges loomed they had Jason Fisher to thank for keeping the score line
retrievable when he acrobatically palmed over a stinging goal bound strike from
Matt Cotton.
HT 0-1
The second half started promisingly enough when substitute
Kieran Watson on in the first half for Adam Wisdom closed down a back pass and
blocked the attempted clearance from Sam Vince, unfortunately though the
rebound fell kindly for the ‘keeper and he was able to clear.
Matt Varley and Steve Carty were replaced as a precaution
due to injuries which held the game up for a while and the delay upset
Staveleys rhythm and caused them to fall further behind…
… in the 58th minute Paul Grimes slid in Matt
Cotton who once again had slipped the offside trap and he fired a low left foot
shot just past the out stretched fingers of a diving Jason Fisher which agonisingly
arrowed into the tiny space in the net which hadn’t been covered.. great
finish!
0-2
The score line was now a tad flattering but far from being
deflated the Trojans pressed on and Jamie Brown won a corner following another
burst of pace, that corner was unselfishly nodded back across goal by Ross
Goodwin but was cut out by the defence as was a square ball across the box from
Jamie Brown who was doing his level best to get the home side back into the
game.
Kurtis Morely finally found the back of the net for Staveley
in the 85th minute with a ‘dink’ over an advancing Sam Vince, and
late on Jamie Brown very nearly got the equaliser but saw, not for the first
time Sam Vince make a crucial save.
FT SMWFC 1 – 2 Lincoln United.
A game summed up pretty well by Lincoln Uniteds match
reporter
“All in all a good workout at a nice ground, Staveley
obviously work hard to keep their ground and facilities in order - good luck to
them for the forthcoming season”…(likewise!)
