[JonInMiddleGA]

April 8, 2012
Our Reserves beat Spennymoor 1-0 in a friendly meant for fitness purposes. Chris McCabe scored in the 35th minute and Max Johnson posted a clean sheet.

April 9, 2012 (afternoon)
Blyth (2nd, 23-5-10) at Histon (3rd, 20-8-10)


We lost to Histon 2-0 back in November after a scoreless first half we gave up a couple of goals in the final 20 minutes. We'll still be no worse than 2nd place if we don't win here but three points would certainly put the pressure on Nuneaton.

We'll go 4-4-2 Defensive to start, and of course Scott Duncan is the referee today.

GK - Knight
D: Kendrick - Mellish - D'Laryea - Sinclair
MF: Matondo - Osborn - Groves - Emms
F: Mole - Armstrong
(Available: Jones - Vipond - Taylor - Slaughter - Hartley)

5:39 - Sinclair intercepts at midfield & drives the ball ahead to Armstrong, Weaver tackles it away but can't control ... Armstrong back on the ball & shoots ... GOAL !!! (1-0) Stadelman couldn't react quickly enough to the surprise shot. That breaks a drought of more than a month for the captain
09:00 - Knight comes out & robs Sparkes who had launched a rocket but it was parried with authority
10:30 - Armstrong comes forward & narrowly misses a shot, pushing it wide left
12:28 - Emms with a steal & a lovely ball ahead to Armstrong ... quick pass to Mole ... he's got space & misses wide left
24:04 - Holman works himself free & into the area, misses wide left
25:22 - Holman misses wide right
34:09 - Kendrick crosses for Mole, Stadelman misses the interception attempt and Mole buries it (2-0) Histon is furious insisting
36:04 - Trademark strike from Holman who just abused Knight (2-1)
Brought it into the area, lost D'Laryea easily & pounded it home
40:00 - Sinclair picks up a yellow card for impeding Sparkes
42:11 - Matondo has space after a pass from Kendrick, misses wide of the far post

Halftime - It's a close one, 7-5 in shots, 51% poss, we're going to have to keep on our toes & if anything improve our effort if we're to hang on here. Mellish (5.8) must be thinking about his contract worries, Osborn bitched about not starting & is already running out of gas. No changes yet, but they're surely coming.

52:54 - Brilliant cross by Armstrong to Matondo ... he misses the shot by inches. No excuse for that one not being in the net honestly

59:30 - Armstrong & Mole advancing ... the captain decides to launch one from well past 30 yards away ... it's IN !!! (3-1) The ball just kept rising & locked onto the back of the net

68:49 - We can't stand prosperity ... Holman finds himself alone in the area & fires it past Knight (3-2)

71:00 - Sub Slaughter for Emms (knocked) ... Sub Jones for Mellish (6.0)
Switch to Defensive ... Histon changes to a 4-1-2-3

79:00 - Sub Vipond for Osborn (tired)
85:29 - Mole gets a yellow card seconds after Armstrong narrowly missed a hat trick as Stadelman bobbled a tight angle shot

90:00 - 3 mins extra time ... 91:20 - Matondo plays a great looking ball for Armstrong who has only the keeper to beat ... he missed it high ... switch to Contain

92:00 - Holman has a clean look ... he misses wide left

Fulltime - I'm not entirely sure we deserved this one, but I'll certainly take it.
We outshot them 12-11, they had 51% poss, we did just enough.

Knight 6.8
Kendrick 7.7 & 1 assist, Mellish 5.6, D'Laryea 6.9, Sinclair 6.9
Matondo 6.8, Osborn 6.8, Groves 6.9, Emms 6.9
Mole 7.9 & 1 goal & 1 assist, Armstrong 8.8 & 2 goals
Subs: Slaughter 6.7, Jones 6.6, Vipond N/A

April 9, 2012 (post-match)
The two goal outburst by Armstrong ended a scoring drought of 679 minutes.

Nuneaton keeps pace, pounding Vauxhall 4-1. Histon falls to 9 pts back in third, Bishop's Stortford is 13 back in 4th, Droylsden is 14 back in 5th. Corby & Hinckley are both 16 back of first, 2 back of the last playoff spot. Now 3 games left to play all around.