Warminster Town’s Superb Second Half Comeback Not Quite Enough
Sturminster Newton United 2(2) Warminster Town 1(0)
Attendance 111
Warminster Town trailing by two goals at the break and reduced to ten men, staged a superb second half comeback but just missed out on salvaging a point.
Town started slowly with United dominating the early exchanges. In the 8th minute a United curling shot from outside box was acrobatically tipped over bar by Town keeper, Callum Hotine. On 27 minutes a dangerous United cross into 6 yard box was well saved again by Hotine. Town started to get back into the game and on 30 minutes a corner kick from right was dropped by United’s keeper Theo Crane but he grabbed the ball at the second attempt. In the 32nd minute Jack Newman broke clear into the left hand side of penalty area but his shot was too near to Crane who saved comfortably.
Just as Town were starting to threaten the hosts broke the deadlock. On 35 minutes Buddy O’Shea beat Town’s offside trap and coolly lobbed the ball over Callum Hotine 0-1. Just three minutes later United doubled their lead. A hopeful punt into penalty area was punched out to the right of the box by Hotine but O’Shea was on hand to fire goal wards from a tight angle. Hotine dived back to attempt to stop the ball crossing the line but after consulting with his linesman, the referee awarded a goal, 0-2.
Three minutes before the break Jack Newman got on the end of an Owen Bartley free kick but his shot passed wide of the post. The first half then ended controversially. Town’s Toby Worts and United’s O’Shea had been clashing for the last five minutes of the half. On the stroke of halftime the referee saw something that most of the crowd missed and showed Worts a red card whilst O’Shea escaped unpunished.
Half time Sturminster Newton United 2 Warminster Town 0.
With Town having been less than convincing before the break, their faithful followers feared the worst in the second half. What they witnessed however, was a much improved battling performance from Town’s ten men. On 52 minutes United’s keeper dived to his right to push a long range Reece Collyer shot around the post. In the 56th minute United sub Aaron Lane-Leney slid into Callum Hotine with his studs showing. The forward was lucky to get away with just a yellow card as Hotine needed lengthy treatment.
Three minutes later Town pulled a goal back.Jack Newman broke down the right crossed into the box and Corey Gardner met it first time firing into the top corner, 1-2. On 66 minutes a great turn set Jack Newman clear on the left but Crane saved his shot. In the 77th minute a long range shot from Sam McFarlane flew just over the bar. Then a repeat of the build up that led to Town’s goal saw Corey Gardner get on the end of another right side cross but this time keeper Crane saved at the second attempt. In the 84th minute a United player completely unmarked in box headed wide.
Town pressed for the equaliser and an 89th minute a Town looping header dropped just over the bar. Then two minutes into stoppage time they won a corner and keeper Hotine went up for the corner. The ball was half cleared but Hotine headed it back into the danger area. An attempted overhead kick didn’t connect and the referee blew for an infringement. In the fifth minute of stoppage time another ball into the box almost led to an equaliser. Crane saved twice before the linesman’s flag rescued the under pressure home defence.
That was to prove to be Town’s last chance and it was a frustrated visiting team that were ultimately denied. Had they played in the first half like they did after they were reduced to ten men the outcome might have been a much more positive result.
Report by Geoff Jackson