Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Sharpness 5 Cam Bulldogs 3

ALL those supporters that braved the weather on Saturday were treated to a great local derby between two sides in good form in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.

The game began with Cam on the front foot – after 10 minutes they broke the deadlock.

A low hard cross from the right deflected off the unfortunate Penlington and forced Neale into a smart reactive save to prevent the own goal.

However the ball fell to a Cam midfielder Davis who slotted home from five yards out to put the away side 1-0 up.

This seemed to wake up Sharpness, who went on the offensive and created a number of chances, twice hitting the post.

On the half-hour mark, Sharpness were awarded a penalty which Ben John slotted home past Jagger in the Cam goal.

The game was level at 1-1 at the break but on another day Sharpness should and could have been 6-1 up after missing their chances to score more.

After the restart to the second half, Sharpness continued their dominance and on 50 minutes a cross came in from the right and it fell to Matt Gardner who span and crashed the ball into the Cam net to make it 2-1.

Manager Phil Orsborn felt at this point that Sharpness needed the next goal and unfortunately that did not happen despite numerous chances and two goal-line clearances.

They were to rue them as well, as on 70 minutes Ryan Stevenson equalised to make it 2-2 after a neat turn and low shot.

Then came a moment of magic from Sharpness when straight from the resulting kick-off a move involving four Sharpness players in one-two passing cut through the Cam midfield and defence and the ball was laid back to Tom Frankham who slotted the ball into the corner of the net to make it 3-2.

It was all Sharpness at this point and their superior fitness was really making a difference.

On 75 minutes a ball from defence over the top of the Cam defence caused confusion between Jagger and Price, which allowed Ben John to round Jagger and plant the ball into the Cam net to make it 4-2.

That should have been job done but yet again a loose ball from a corner fell to a Cam player who smashed it home to make it 4-3 with three minutes to go and set up a grand finale in which Cam looked for an equaliser.

But the Sharks were wise to it and Sharpness continued to press and try and kill the game and yet again their pace and fitness levels made the difference as a quick break was latched onto by Dan Turner who ran onto a Gardner pass and lobbed the ball over Jagger’s head to make it 5-3.

A well deserved victory from Sharpness and they will take that form into their toughest game on paper so far when they visit top of the league Stonehouse away on Saturday.