The Marches 1 League

Wotton-under-Edge 3rds 2 Lansdown A 4

A YOUTHFUL Wotton third XI gave league leaders Lansdown A lots to think about as they put in their best performance of the season against more experienced opposition.

A bright start by Wotton saw them take control of the game with the type of quick passing, movement and thinking that helped to gain them the league title and promotion last year.

Mature performances by Callum Niddrie and Jamie Chalmers in the centre of the pitch allowed Wotton to control the ball around the top of the opposition’s D, drawing fouls and bringing both the forward and full backs into help spread the play as required.

The breakthrough came at 20 minutes, when Niddrie’s dribble across the top of the D culminated in a reverse stick shot that bounced through the assembled defenders and the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

For all their thoughtful play in the opposition’s half, Wotton could not find a second goal.

It was, instead, Lansdown that found the required inspiration and two short corners in quick succession before half time saw them quickly turn the tables and they entered the break 2-1 to the good.

It was a rejuvenated Wotton team that began the second period as the game began to get more stretched.

The defence of Johnny Glover, Ben Eames, Kieran Latimer and Jacob Symanowksi combined well to repel Lansdown counterattacks, with Latimer, in particular, positioning himself well to overcome several two-on-one situations.

Lansdown scored next, finally moving the Wotton defence enough for their attacker to find himself free at the back post to slot past an unbalanced Dan Dyson in goal.

It is testament to Wotton’s performance, however, that they did not give up.

The high work rate from the young team continued with Rich Watts and Luke Messer working the wings to make chances for Pat Carr and Chris Barton up front.

It was Barton who finally got the reward his efforts deserved, running behind the defence and using his trailing stick to deflect a strong ball into the D past the onrushing keeper.

Wotton kept pushing for an equaliser but, for all their running, the extra substitutes that Lansdown had on the sidelines began to take their toll on Wotton, and the league leaders grabbed a final goal minutes before the whistle to make it a 4-2 victory.

Wotton found themselves defeated but will take great heart from a performance that shows despite being the leagues new boys they are more than capable of beating anyone.

And they will be hoping to do that this weekend when they travel to mid-table Newent A with the teams separated by just one point.

Victory there should push Wotton thirds into the top five before they play another big match before their Christmas break when taking on Cheltenham C who are one point above them at present.