This was always going to be a cracker of a game, with two young sides looking to play football and give great entertainment along the way. Manor started the more positive of the two and Abbey soon realised that they could be up against it, as Manor pushed for the break through in the early stages, successive corners saw Midford and Passfield go close for the Manor and then Morris tested the Abbey keeper with a well struck shot . The visitors kept their composure and started to ease there way back into the game, Prince needed to be alert when a through ball caught the Manor defence napping and he made a great save from the Abbey attack. Abbey then took the lead as another through ball looked to have caught four of the Abbey players offside, however the assistant referee saw it differently and Billy Holland nipped in to strike the ball into the bottom corner, beyond the reach of Prince. Manor seemed to lose their shape, and the visitors started to dictate the play, but with Grant Smith in superb form, Manor always looked dangerous as he went on run after run down the right flank, whipping in quality crosses for the front men. Manor started to gain the upper hand with 10mins remaining in the half and when Lewis Passfield fired a rocket of a shot towards the Abbey goal, the keeper was at full stretch to make the save, only for the ball to run loose across goal and with Lee Whitelock running in an equaliser looked on the cards, but he somehow hit the ball straight back into the keepers arms from 5yds. 0-1 at the break and Manor needed to up the tempo to enable them to gain something from a very close match, and they did just that as constant pressure kept the visitors on the back foot for long periods. Grant Smith was the instigator of a number moves which saw the Manor go close to getting an equaliser, it was his cross field ball that sent Morris on his was and when he hit a 25 yd drive a goal looked certain only for the Abbey keeper to divert it for a corner, still Manor pressure the visitors and when the ball found it’s way to Whitelock from the corner he smashed it goal wards but found the keeper instead of the back of the net, the it was Pamplin’s turn as the ball was played back in, he raced on to it and struck a great left foot shot, beat the keeper and watched the ball strike the bar and come out. It was looking like another one of those afternoon’s for the Manor, and as time was ticking away, a quick throw deep in the Abbey half was picked up by Sam Marks, he laid the ball into the path of Grant Smith, who flicked it up with his left foot and then volleyed it into the top corner of the net with his right from some 20yds, a great goal and thoroughly deserved. 1-1 at the final whistle, and Abbey looked the more relieved of the two side when the game ended. Manor’s MoM went to Grant Smith, absolute quality on the day, but a great all round team performance from all involved.

Team: Prince, G.Smith, Marsh, Barrett, Snazel, Marks, L.Whitleock, Passfield, Morris, G Midford, Pamplin, Subs – J.Smith, Jones, Scales, Richards, Young