Page 3 - Cribbs FC v Fairford Town 051021

Today’s Game

Firstly, Cribbs FC would like to extend a very warm welcome to the visiting players,
team management, supporters and officials of Fairford Town, together with the
match officials for today’s Hellenic League Premier Division match. We hope that
you enjoy your first visit to the Lawns.
Match Reports
After a barren September, October sees a plethora of Hellenic League matches
which began on Saturday with the visit of table toppers Malvern Town.
Torrential rain saw the postponement of last Tuesday’s planned trip to Westfields
and the poor conditions continued into Saturday, so all credit to the ground staff
for getting the match on.
Despite the weather, a large band of hardy followers travelled from Malvern to
provide an atmosphere befitting of a top of the table clash.
The first ten minutes saw a cagey opening from both sides as they felt their way
around unfamiliar opposition. Malvern were largely on the front foot, drawing first
blood in the sixteenth minute, as Matt Turner’s shot from the edge of the penalty
box fizzed off the wet surface and into the bottom left-hand corner of Liam
Kingston’s net.
There was little fluidity to Cribbs play during the match, but this did not stop us
creating chances during the first half. Jake Hodgson came close to heading home
from a couple of corners and Steve Murray fashioned two chances for himself.
Unfortunately, the Malvern defenders and keeper proved the equals of these
attempts.
The lead was extended before half time after skipper Jake Hodgson was robbed of
the ball on the edge of the box. A delicate cross found the onrushing Joe Bates who
headed home after losing his marker, should there have been one.
The second period saw our boys working hard to get back into the match, but on
the day, things just weren’t happening for Cribbs and Malvern sealed the victory
with a well worked goal that saw an unmarked Bates slide the ball home from 12
yards.
Hopefully in the return match early next year we can show Malvern our true selves.
This Evening’s Opponents
This is the first time that we have met Fairford Town at the Lawns and tonight is
the second meeting between the clubs, after we returned with three points from
our visit to the East Gloucestershire in August.
Fairford have been in the Hellenic League since the early 1970’s and most recently
arrived in the Premier Division after winning Division One West in 2016/2017. Their
first season in the Premier Division saw them finish 18th of twenty sides, but in the
curtailed seasons since, they have been in the upper echelons of the table.
As always, get behind the boys!!!
UTC