Wickham were dragged all over the place during the first 10 minutes, as, despite the pre-match team talk and the work in training the week before players were all wandering around out of position. The first chance came in the 10th minute as Jordie cleared a ball to Ben who then sent Ollie on his way but unfortunately his shot just went wide of the left hand post. Play was still very even as Wickham tended to press forward but Wantage broke out with their superior pace. After 19 minute a headed clearance by Jack sent Alex away down the right. As he cut inside and shot the keeper made a great save conceding a corner. The 26th minute finally saw Wantage break clear as the forward raced past all the Wickham defenders but as Ben game out the shot was dragged just wide. In the 28th minute Wantage won a corner but this was gathered in by Ben. His kick down field bounced in the centre circle and over the Wantage defenders for Ben C to run onto before he calmly put the ball inside the near post for a half time lead of 1-0.
The lads were asked for more effort in midfield and to remember how to play together as a unit. The back four were also asked to keep in line, again working with each other. In the 3rd minute Aiden manager to win a throw in which he took quickly to Ollie down the line. He whipped his cross in for Ben to smash home for 2-0. Wickham were now pressing for the goal to kill the game off and were virtually encamped in the Wantage half. With ten minutes gone a corned seemed to have been well cleared but Jack gathered in the ball in the centre circle and went off on a run towards the goal. A gap just seemed to open up for him so by the time he reached the penalty spot he cracked a left footed shot into the net for 3-0. This seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of Wantage. In the 14th minute Max intercepted a goal kick putting Ben clean through to complete his hat trick. Wantage were having difficulty in clearing their lines and in the 18th
minute a goal kick was headed back by Jordie again into Ben’s path for him to go round the keeper and score. Weather Wickham then took their foot off the gas or Wanatge became stronger was unclear but the game then became more even. Wantage were again looking to break clear and with 31 minutes on the clock their forward final raced clear of the Wickham defenders and, despite Ben getting a foot to the ball, it just went into the far corner. From the centre Wickham past the ball around but went backwards, before eventually losing the ball. The forward got his shot away but Ben G made a great save following which, the whistle went for time.
The parents’ votes were very close but in the end with one vote in it the Player of the Day Award went to Ben C.
Stephen Enever, Jack Wild, Jordan Shaw, Aiden Weeks
Alex Olford, Jordie Rowlands, Ollie Norman, Tom Farmer, Max Nicholls
Ben Cipolla.
Subs:- James Davies
