Hellenic League

Division One West

Moreton Rangers 1

Thornbury Town 2

Back to league action for Thornbury - only their third league match of the season due to participation in four cups – and a trip to Moreton who were a bit of an unknown having won the division below to gain promotion and with a mixed bag of results so far, writes Mark Franklin.

With the referee deeming both Thornbury kits – red home and blue away - clashed with the home strip a quick search of the facilities revealed some yellow shirts from the 1980s.

Moreton had the better of the early exchanges but the first 30 minutes produced little in the way of clear chances and at times the two keepers seemed to be trying to out do each other in the long kick department.

Having shot straight at the keeper, Brandon Benjamin then turned provider after being released down the left and his pull back was met by Toby Bennett whose shot from 20+ yards found the bottom corner

Minutes later Harry Brock looked to have been taken town in the area but the referee adjudged it to be just outside and the resulting free-kick was driven in but the deflection cleared off the line.

There was still time for another chance when Craig Lancastle’s attempt to chip the keeper was met with an acrobatic save.

Half time – one-nil to the visitors who were the better of two good footballing sides.

Thornbury started the second half brightly and within a minute Jacob Farthing had found the side-netting and soon after Bennett fired past the left-hand post

Benjamin limped off on 51 mins with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Rhys Hodgson and

Thornbury now had the better of the possession. A rare foray into the visitors box saw a home forward go over in the box only for the referee to show a yellow card for diving.

Marcus Wormwell, ban over, replaced Farthing on the right on 68 minutes and it was only a few minutes later when Brock put the home defence under pressure, dispossessed the defender, broke forward and his chipped pass across goal found Lancastle at the far post to side-foot home – now scoring in seven consecutive matches

When Brock’s cross-shot hit the post on 80 minutes there was little sign of a nervy finish but when on 83 minutes Franklin somehow managed to release the Moreton No.11 to round Parkin and fire into the roof of the net – the home sides first attempt for 50 minutes – the game wasn’t quite over

Franklin nearly made amends in the very next minute when his deflected shot produced the save of the match.

Back-to-back league home matches now with Hereford Pegasus the visitors this Saturday and Hereford Lads Club next Tuesday (Oct 1).