Post by Admin (Burger) on Nov 21, 2012 5:42:24 GMT -5
A very solid performance, as the scoreline would suggest, which was won in the battle of an overly-physical first half.
The first tackles from SMAFC set the tone for a confrontation that continued for 45 minutes and then largely dissolved in the 2nd half.
Once again (as in other matches this season) it was pressuring high up the pitch that gained WAFC the advantage when SMAFC's goalkeeper was hurried into a clearance and Tim Hall controlled and volleyed a great goal from 40 yards back over the goalie's head.
In a half of relatively few clear cut chances for either side WAFC got their second 10mins, before half time, when an in-swinging free kick was knocked in at the 2nd attempt by Tom Battarbee (his 3rd in the last 2 games from a holding midfield role)
SMAFC occasionally threatened with the odd ball across the box and a couple of long range shots but the WAFC was positionally very good throughout, which is a real credit to them as they had to make 2 key changes during the match due to injuries.
The 2nd half fell into a pattern of SMAFC being slightly more dominant in territory but not necessarily possession and WAFC always looked a threat when they broke at pace from deep with Craig Keane becoming a factor in the hole and supplying excellently weighted balls for the likes of Dec Cadman, Tim Hall and Paul Wilson to run onto. A third never came for WAFC but SMAFC never got goalside of the WAFC defence and so the closest they got to scoring was a couple of shots around a crowded box, with one particularly outstanding block from Wayne Cadman (filling in at centre half).
This felt like a significant 3 points and allows us to look up at Hurdsfield next with a view to whether our season will become a fight for the last champion's league spot or a scrap for Division one survival. We'll know much more about that after Hurdsfield away on Dec 1st!
Referee was good today in trying first half conditions.
JohnHarper
The first tackles from SMAFC set the tone for a confrontation that continued for 45 minutes and then largely dissolved in the 2nd half.
Once again (as in other matches this season) it was pressuring high up the pitch that gained WAFC the advantage when SMAFC's goalkeeper was hurried into a clearance and Tim Hall controlled and volleyed a great goal from 40 yards back over the goalie's head.
In a half of relatively few clear cut chances for either side WAFC got their second 10mins, before half time, when an in-swinging free kick was knocked in at the 2nd attempt by Tom Battarbee (his 3rd in the last 2 games from a holding midfield role)
SMAFC occasionally threatened with the odd ball across the box and a couple of long range shots but the WAFC was positionally very good throughout, which is a real credit to them as they had to make 2 key changes during the match due to injuries.
The 2nd half fell into a pattern of SMAFC being slightly more dominant in territory but not necessarily possession and WAFC always looked a threat when they broke at pace from deep with Craig Keane becoming a factor in the hole and supplying excellently weighted balls for the likes of Dec Cadman, Tim Hall and Paul Wilson to run onto. A third never came for WAFC but SMAFC never got goalside of the WAFC defence and so the closest they got to scoring was a couple of shots around a crowded box, with one particularly outstanding block from Wayne Cadman (filling in at centre half).
This felt like a significant 3 points and allows us to look up at Hurdsfield next with a view to whether our season will become a fight for the last champion's league spot or a scrap for Division one survival. We'll know much more about that after Hurdsfield away on Dec 1st!
Referee was good today in trying first half conditions.
JohnHarper