As the season starts to draw to a close another midweek game saw the trip to Ferndale Rodbourne. Jack was still suffering with his bad knee from Thursday and Ollie Norman was out so in stepped Aiden and Callum. Bassett were also playing tonight at Highworth so potentially there could be a big turnaround at the top of the table.
The lads started the game well enough attacking almost at will. In the second minute Albie got a cross in from the right which just cleared Charlie but Marcus got his head to it only to see it drift wide of the post. In the 4th minute Duncan did well to win a corner on the left. Albie hit it into the box, the ball cleared William but Marcus following in behind could only head over. It was all one way traffic and you felt that a goal had to arrive shortly. In the 8th minute Duncan was fouled near the touch line but about 35 yards out. Ablie hit the ball into the box but no player could get their heads on it and the keeper gathered it in without having to move. In the 12th minute Ferndale had a free kick midway in there own half which Karl intercepted. He knocked the ball forward to Charlie, in the post position and he played a lovely reverse pass into Albie’s path. He raced away towards goal and neatly slipped the ball past the keeper into the back of the net for 1-0. In the 15th minute Charlie seemingly chased a lost cause to the by line and won a corner. This came into the middle where Marcus again unfortunate headed over. In the 17th minute Ferndale had their first real attack. The forward seemed to outpace William but he got in the tackle to stop the initial danger. However the ball was clipped back into the box, Jordan went up for the header but it fell to a forward who shot against the post, the ball was still not cleared and another shot came in which James turned round the post for a corner. This seemed to wake Ferndale up and they now seemed to believe that they could get a goal back. In the 23rd minute an Albie corner came into the near post, was partially cleared to Karl who gave it back to Albie. He hit a cross back into the middle but no one could get a touch on it as it hit the back post before being scrambled clear. In the 28th minute some panic in the Wickham defence as a Ferndale throw in turned into a game of head tennis before William thumped it of for a throw near the half way line.
No changes were made at half time but the boys were told to concentrate and pass the ball around to create the chances. In the 2nd minute a ball through the middle saw James come out and dive at the forwards feet at the edge of his area. A minute later the roles were reversed as this time Charlie was put through but again the keeper got to the ball just in time, and in the 4th minute it was Duncan’s turn to be frustrated by the fast advancing keeper. Ferndale seemed to have much more belief in the second half and they seemed to be pressing forwards the most. In the 12th minute a forward first got past Jordan and then as Bert came across got the cross in for James to push out for a corner. Callum now came on for Jesse and 3 minute later he almost got ontot he end of an Albie cross but the defender just got there first to concede a corner. In the 19th minute Ferndale really should have equalised. Wickham had chances to clear the ball but didn’t. Eventually the ball came across from the Wickham left to a player totally unmark. Jordan made great efforts to close the guy down and just did enough as the shot flew over the bar. In the 22nd minute Karl brought the ball out of defence and slipped it between the centre backs for Charlie and the left back came across he found Callum who chipped the keeper only to see the ball come back off the underside of the bar. Charlie’s follow up header was then pushed wide for a corner. It was end to end stuff for the last 8 minutes but neither side really created a clear cut chance. However a potential blow for Wickham happened in the 28th minute as James cleared the ball he seemed to pull his groin. Jordan took over in goal with Aiden playing at right back but we just need to hope James will be fit for the cup final on Saturday as Ben has not qualified to play in the game.
This was a pressure game which the lads battled for but at other times panicked a little. The back four were again strong with all the votes going to three of these players but it was William who got the Player of the Day Award. Bassett won 5-0 at Highworth, so Wickham remain just 1 point clear.
James Davis.
Jordan Shaw, William Herrington, Bert Cherrill, Olly Sopp
Albie Oakman, Marcus Guest, Karl Admans, Jesse Bowers, Duncan Lorrain
Charlie de Fraine
Subs:- Aiden Weeks, Callum Johnson, Fraser Roberts.
