Harber goals have Brimscombe all at sea (From Gazette Series)

Harber goals have Brimscombe all at sea

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division One Kingswood 3 Brimscombe & Thrupp 0

A HARD-FOUGHT match saw Kingswood claim the three points, although they were not sure of the result until the final minute.

The well-matched teams, both promoted last season before enjoying a great start to this season and, equally, an alarming post-Christmas slump, sized each other up early on but it was the hosts who ultimately took control.

Kingswood opened the scoring when Adam Eldridge floated a free kick into the goal area and in-form striker Adam Harber struck the ball firmly past Dwayne Portlock in the visitors' goal.

Brimscombe were busy in midfield but, with dangerman Andy Boot on the bench due to a loss of form, it was left to Phil Baker to find the goals and he was kept quiet by the home defence.

Midway through the half, the home side's lead was doubled when Mike Rodman found Paul Bleaken with an accurate pass and the hard-working midfield man scored a superb goal.

With the lead intact at the interval, the home team had to work hard to protect it as Brimscombe strove to get back into the game.

The two Rodman's - Mike and goalkeeper Andy, Eldridge and Shaun Dix were in top form at the back and Mike Shaw had a great game in midfield.

Both teams made changes midway through the second half with Boot coming on for the visitors and Gavin Dibden replaced brother Barrie for his first game for a month due to injury.

The older Dibden made an immediate impact. Picking up the ball, he made ten yards and struck a great shot that Portlock just managed to fingertip onto the crossbar.

At the other end, Boot began to pull the home defence around with his clever play and with ten minutes to go the pressure mounted on Kingswood.

One amazing passage of play saw a goalmouth scramble that seemed to go on for ever, as shot after shot was cleared off the Kingswood goalline as the ball was somehow kept out.

With a minute left, Harber broke the visitors' hearts as he fashioned the third goal out of nothing.