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First Team - Report
Date: Tuesday 7th August 2012 - Kick Off: 19:45
The North West Counties Football League - Premier Division
Attendance: 41
| Stone Dominoes | 2 | vs | 2 | Stockport Sports |
Stone Dominoes 2 - 2 Stockport Sports FC
Peter Withe's men gain a point away at Stone Dominoes
The home side were unfortunate not to win their opening game away at Glossop, only denied by a last minute equaliser and they were clearly intent on taking all three points from this game.
For The Saxons Peter Withe made one change to his starting line up from Saturday preferring Tyron Sealy to Nicolas Niagorian on the right of midfield. The Saxons had produced a tremendous display of passing football on Saturday and the playing surface at Stone should have been ideally suited to a similar display. There is surely not a better playing surface in the league than that found at Wellbeing Park. The hosts however were in no mood to let The Saxons dominate possession and were more than a match for their visitors in the early exchanges.
The first chance of the match came ten minutes in, John Marsden slipped the ball through for Saturdays hat-trick hero Gomez Dali, the Frenchman hit a fierce drive from a tight angle but was denied by a fine save by Adam Leake the home keeper.
The game became a midfield battle, both sides battling for supremacy in the engine room, Aliou Traore the only player looking likely to produce anything out of the ordinary on the left of midfield. The young French winger was the victim of some tough tackles from the home defence as they struggled to cope with his trickery, in spite of which he continued to torment his markers throughout the match.
The home side created the first real chance of the game. A break up the right hand side saw a low cross into the area turned just wide of the post by Dwayne Spence. Spence was a constant thorn in the side of The Saxons throughout the game, his battle with Raphale Evans being a fascinating tussle.
As the game approached half-time The Saxons began to finally take control of the midfield and create chances. On 37 minutes Djeny Bembo-Leta ran onto a chipped through ball, cut inside a defender before curling just wide, then a minute later Marsden dribbled into the area and from the resulting challenge Dali hit a snap shot that was again well saved by Leake.
On 42 minutes the deadlock was broken. Gomez Dali powered through a challenge into the area, he rode another challenge, which had he gone to ground would surely have resulted in a penalty, before squaring for debutant Tyron Sealy to sweep home.
The goal sparked the home team into action and the pushed forward looking for an equaliser before half-time, their best effort being a long range looping volley that was turned over well by Danny Taberner.
The Saxons started the second half in great style, pressing for the decisive second goal. It arrived seven minutes into the half when Ryan Stayte, marauding forward from right-back, slipped a reverse pass through for John Marsden. The young striker ran clear on goal but before he could get a shot away a recovering defender appeared to poke the ball away from him and into the corner of his own net. It was not clear whether the ball had struck Marsden on its way in, but his team mates seemed to believe so as they congratulated him for the goal.
A minute later Marsden nearly added a third, and there would have been no doubt that this goal would have been his. Gomez Dali produced a dazzling run up the left flank before feeding Marsden on the edge of the area. The young Liverpudlian span his marker expertly before curling his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
The Saxons were clearly in the ascendency and looked likely to emerge as comfortable winners at this stage. Their hosts however had other ideas. On 53 minutes Jamie Street was robbed of possession by Dwayne Spence and the striker raced clear to reduce the deficit. It was better still for Stone just minutes later, another attack up the left flank resulted in a squared pass being drilled home by Liam Kerrigan from 20 yards out.
The Saxons were stunned by the fight back the home side had produced and it took time for them to regain a foothold in the match and try to force the victory. They enjoyed a lot of possession but were unable to grab the winning goal. The nearest they came being a fizzing shot wide by Stayte from around 20 yards out.
So 2-2 it ended and on the balance of play that was probably a fair result. The Saxons created chances, but the Stone attacking trio of Errico, Spence and Fletcher were also a constant threat.
In the immediate aftermath the draw may well have felt like a defeat to The Saxons followers, but based on that performance Stone will be a formidable opponent to any side this season and Peter Withe, and his men, may well look back in time on this result as a point gained rather than two points lost.
Line Up: 1. Danny Taberner 2. Ryan Stayte 3. Arron Best 4. Liam Irwin 5. Jamie Street 6. Raphale Evans (c) 7. Tyron Sealy 8. Djeny Bembo-Leta 9. John Marsden 10. Gomez Dali 11. Aliou Traore Subs: Josh Symons, Callam Gardner, Franck Atangana, Theo Bailey-Jones, Joseph Greenhalgh
For The Saxons Peter Withe made one change to his starting line up from Saturday preferring Tyron Sealy to Nicolas Niagorian on the right of midfield. The Saxons had produced a tremendous display of passing football on Saturday and the playing surface at Stone should have been ideally suited to a similar display. There is surely not a better playing surface in the league than that found at Wellbeing Park. The hosts however were in no mood to let The Saxons dominate possession and were more than a match for their visitors in the early exchanges.
The first chance of the match came ten minutes in, John Marsden slipped the ball through for Saturdays hat-trick hero Gomez Dali, the Frenchman hit a fierce drive from a tight angle but was denied by a fine save by Adam Leake the home keeper.
The game became a midfield battle, both sides battling for supremacy in the engine room, Aliou Traore the only player looking likely to produce anything out of the ordinary on the left of midfield. The young French winger was the victim of some tough tackles from the home defence as they struggled to cope with his trickery, in spite of which he continued to torment his markers throughout the match.
The home side created the first real chance of the game. A break up the right hand side saw a low cross into the area turned just wide of the post by Dwayne Spence. Spence was a constant thorn in the side of The Saxons throughout the game, his battle with Raphale Evans being a fascinating tussle.
As the game approached half-time The Saxons began to finally take control of the midfield and create chances. On 37 minutes Djeny Bembo-Leta ran onto a chipped through ball, cut inside a defender before curling just wide, then a minute later Marsden dribbled into the area and from the resulting challenge Dali hit a snap shot that was again well saved by Leake.
On 42 minutes the deadlock was broken. Gomez Dali powered through a challenge into the area, he rode another challenge, which had he gone to ground would surely have resulted in a penalty, before squaring for debutant Tyron Sealy to sweep home.
The goal sparked the home team into action and the pushed forward looking for an equaliser before half-time, their best effort being a long range looping volley that was turned over well by Danny Taberner.
The Saxons started the second half in great style, pressing for the decisive second goal. It arrived seven minutes into the half when Ryan Stayte, marauding forward from right-back, slipped a reverse pass through for John Marsden. The young striker ran clear on goal but before he could get a shot away a recovering defender appeared to poke the ball away from him and into the corner of his own net. It was not clear whether the ball had struck Marsden on its way in, but his team mates seemed to believe so as they congratulated him for the goal.
A minute later Marsden nearly added a third, and there would have been no doubt that this goal would have been his. Gomez Dali produced a dazzling run up the left flank before feeding Marsden on the edge of the area. The young Liverpudlian span his marker expertly before curling his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
The Saxons were clearly in the ascendency and looked likely to emerge as comfortable winners at this stage. Their hosts however had other ideas. On 53 minutes Jamie Street was robbed of possession by Dwayne Spence and the striker raced clear to reduce the deficit. It was better still for Stone just minutes later, another attack up the left flank resulted in a squared pass being drilled home by Liam Kerrigan from 20 yards out.
The Saxons were stunned by the fight back the home side had produced and it took time for them to regain a foothold in the match and try to force the victory. They enjoyed a lot of possession but were unable to grab the winning goal. The nearest they came being a fizzing shot wide by Stayte from around 20 yards out.
So 2-2 it ended and on the balance of play that was probably a fair result. The Saxons created chances, but the Stone attacking trio of Errico, Spence and Fletcher were also a constant threat.
In the immediate aftermath the draw may well have felt like a defeat to The Saxons followers, but based on that performance Stone will be a formidable opponent to any side this season and Peter Withe, and his men, may well look back in time on this result as a point gained rather than two points lost.
Line Up: 1. Danny Taberner 2. Ryan Stayte 3. Arron Best 4. Liam Irwin 5. Jamie Street 6. Raphale Evans (c) 7. Tyron Sealy 8. Djeny Bembo-Leta 9. John Marsden 10. Gomez Dali 11. Aliou Traore Subs: Josh Symons, Callam Gardner, Franck Atangana, Theo Bailey-Jones, Joseph Greenhalgh
Player Of The Match
Not Selected
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