Croft kicked off with the slight wind on their backs and immediately Charlie won the ball. He played it out to the right where both Karl and Jesse seemed to tackle each other but eventually the ball was switched left to Callum. As her was closed down he knocked the ball inside to Charlie who hit his shot over the keeper and into the top left corner for 1-0 after 27 seconds. In the second minute Albie went down the line got a great cross in for Callum to crash home but somehow he was adjudged to be off side. Wickham were battling for everything today and in the 6th minute a ball which should have been an easy corner for the Croft defender was turned into a corner by Duncan’s harrying. Duncan took the corner quickly to Albie who sent a cross to the back post. Both William and Charlie went up for the ball but it was Charlie who headed the ball home. Considering the conditions Wickham were passing the ball well but Croft were also defending well. In the 13th minute Wickham built an attack from the back at it was Jack out on the right wing. He hit a cross into the middle which Charlie either dummied or missed with the ball going onto hit Albie and then into the net. The croft keeper was having a great game in goal turning efforts wide of the posts and grabbing the ball when he could. In the 18th minute Callum was down the left. He got to the by line and then cut back to this time get a cross in off his right foot. The keeper then made three cracking saves before finally the ball came out to Jack, who smashed the ball across the goal and into the far corner for his first North Wilts goal of the season. Wickham had very little defending to do as the majority of the play had been in the Croft half. In the 27th minute Albie had a shot which the defender partially cleared onto his own post and then away for a corner. In the 29th minute a quick throw from Olly went to Ollie who played it inside to Duncan. He immediately sent Callum away and with no defenders near him he was able to cut inside and score with ease to make the half time score 5-0.
Croft came out with more fight in the second half and seemed a little bit quicker into the tackles. However the first 4 minutes were still played in their half until a clearance seemed to catch both Bert and William out leaving the forward to race clear. As James came out the shot went past his right hand and into the corner of the net. Wickham went straight back onto the attack with Karl and Albie breaking clear. The initial attack was stopped but the ball came out to Jack who drove the ball past the keeper onto so see a defender clear the ball off the line. Albie swung the corner into the box where a defender, under pressure from William turned the ball into the back of the net. The keeper was still pulling off saves as Wickham continued to press but Croft were getting into the Wickham half now but the back four were dealing with most things. In the 15th minute a Croft corner was turned into an attack as three quick passes saw Charlie race clear. His cross shot came back off the far post with the follow up blocked on the line, but the rebound came out to Ben, who had only been on the field for a minute, who drove the ball into the back of the net. Three minutes later which had a corner on the right which Albie took short to Jack. He duly gave him the ball back and Albie’s cross nestled nicely in the back of the net at the far post. In the 23rd minute a Croft defensive throw in was won by Ollie who gave the ball to Karl. Karl sent Charlie through who played a one two with Callum before going around the keeper to slot the ball away with his left foot. Croft to their credit kept going but near the end Jack won the ball at right back and sent it up the line to Albie. It was then Albie’s turn to play a one two, this time with Jesse before getting his cross in. Charlie had the initial shot which was blocked on the line but Ollie was there to complete the scoring for the day.
In such cold wet conditions both sides should be pleased with the way they kept going right to the end and it was a good passing and moving game from the Wickham lads. The Player of the Day voting was tight but went to Karl for his very good workman like effort in midfield throughout the game. So it’s onto Wroughton now, both next weekend in the League and in the next round of the cup.
Jack Wild, Bert Cherrill, William Herrington, Olly Sopp
Albie Oakman, Jesse Bowers, Karl Admans, Duncan Lorraine
Charlie De Fraine, Callum Johnson
Subs:- Ben Cipolla, Ollie Norman.
