Hellenic League Division One West
Clanfield 0-3 Thornbury Town
After a good pre-season Thornbury opened their league campaign with a trip to Oxfordshire.
Historically not a good hunting ground and with a number of players missing due to injury & holiday it wasn’t going to be an easy afternoon.
Things didn’t start well when the kit was held up on the M4 and Thornbury were forced to wear Clanfield’s change strip.
Clanfield started the stronger and the first ten minutes saw them squander a couple of good chances with Thornbury rarely out of their own half
Brandon Benjamin was pressing forward from midfield and the half hour mark saw him shoot wide and have a penalty shout waved away by the referee.
Just when it looked as if the teams would turn around at nil-nil, stoppage time at the end of the half saw that man again, Craig Lancastle, tuck one away in the bottom corner almost out of nothing.
There was still time for Clanfield to have a goal disallowed and the home supporters certainly felt the scoreline didn’t reflect the first 45 minutes of play but Thornbury, with captain Pete Fowler back to full fitness, had defended well.
Once again Clanfield started the half stronger and young ‘keeper Mackenzie Welsh, on a dual registration with Bath City, was off his line well to smother an attack and then saved well low to his right.
Thornbury were playing deeper and deeper but breaking well and on 70 minutes Lancastle hit the bar only for the rebound to find Frazer Moss who crossed for Lancastle to double the lead.
The game opened up as Clanfield looked for a reply only to see Marcus Wormwell cut in from the right to find the corner of the net in the 80th minute and it was game over
So, with Clanfield having more possession and more shots the headline in the Clanfield Chronicle is likely to be “Robin’s Robbed” but there is only one stat that counts and that is the number of goals.
Thornbury are home in the league this Tuesday evening (September 15, 7.45pm ko) against Hereford Lads Club who are likely to be one of the contenders for promotion.
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