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The Braves welcomed
back Isaac Alabi after injury and Paul Marin, in place
of Sid Nelson and Joe May who both missed out with other
commitments.
In the early
exchanges both sides vied for control and for 10 minutes
neither team took much of a hold on matters. Soon after
this period though the visitors began to make inroads
down the Mauritius left flank with Isaac Alabi and Danny
Clarke combining well to create a few dangerous breaks
that stretched the home defence. After one of these
, Isaac Alabi had a great strike beaten away only for
Carl Bailey to slam the rebound over the bar.
At the other
end, Manor keeper Michael Wakefield saved well from
a sporadic attack. By now though the visitors were dominating
the game and another great run by Isaac Alabi resulted
in his cross just being scrambled away from the feet
of Manor skipper Dean Frett. Then Danny Clarke fired
a fierce cross shot narrowly wide and this was soon
followed by Isaac Alabi turning the home defence and
getting a good shot away that was blocked out to Clarke
whose strike was well saved by the keeper.
It was now one
way traffic, and somehow the home side hung on with
last ditch defending and good shot stopping by their
keeper. Even Danny Allayne joined in the assault and
his excellent shot was clawed away by the keeper and
from the resulting corner, Carl Bailey's header was
unfortunately straight at the keeper. The best move
so far soon followed when great approach play, again
down the home side's left flank, opened them up, but
once again the home keeper was at his best to deny the
Manor. The interval came with somehow the game still
being scoreless.
After the break
it was more of the same with Danny Clarke turning the
home defence at will and the Braves striker went very
close twice in quick succession. The home side were
reduced to the odd attack and it looked as if they somehow
might steal the points as they got the final touch onto
a bobbling ball in the Manor box to take an undeserved
lead after 65 minutes.
The visitors
looked visibly stunned by this set back but to their
credit showed great character in pushing for the equaliser
and continued to attack. Courtney Linton was introduced
as Kevin Durrant gambled, switching to a 3-5-2 formation.
A promising inroad into the home defence was stopped
by a foul on Dean Frett and up stepped Paul Marin to
fire in the equaliser past a startled home keeper to
level the scores. The visitors didn't rest on their
laurels and poured forward, looking for the winner,
and in one sequence of play had three goalbound shots
either blocked or beaten away. However, just when it
looked like another frustrating league match for the
Manor, Paul Marin swung in a corner to the far post
and Carl Bailey was on hand to coolly volley home to
at last put the Braves in front after 85 minutes. The
Manor now shut up shop and the defence, well marshalled
in the centre gave nothing away and the game finished
with the Braves worthy winners.
Man
of the Match
Paul
Marin - Slotted in perfectly in the midfield.
Manor
Team:
1 Michael Wakefield
2 Danny Alleyne (replaced by number 16)
3 Chris Barratt
4 Carl Bailey - 1
5 Neil Barratt
6 Paul Marin - 1
7 Isaac Alabi (replaced by number 14)
8 Dean Frett (c)
9 Danny Clarke
10 Scott Lovett
11 Tom Nyama
12 Ryan Lynch
14 Joe Nightingill
15 Andrew Gibbons
16 Courtney Linton
17 Paul Norris
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