Report

SHARPES THE WORD AS TEN MAN DEAN
REFUSE TO ROLL OLVER

An emotional email take's the place of a Match report for the last League game of the season
Karl Curtis writes
Hi Sid,
I don't know if you're aware of how today unfolded but I had both Ollie Webb and Chris Houghton pull out in the morning of the game through illness.
In the dressing room at 1pm I was still expecting 12 players to be there, however by 1.15 I was left with just 10: Gary Stevens had been screwed by work and wasn't going to make it and then Louie Shepperd called to say he was visiting a friend in Farnham, Surrey (just down the road from Sandhurst) and couldn't get away - VERY disappointing.
Even at 1.30 I only had 7 players in the dressing room as we were still waiting for Fordy, Reevo and Sharpey to get there!

So, we started with Olver in goal, me at right back, Webby and Gavers centre backs, Alan Hasler left back; Jamie Moore left of midfield, Reevo and Sharpey Centre mid & Fordy on the right, leaving just Milesey up front to run around on his own.

We didn't leave the dressing room until 1.50 - and so started without a warm-up...

I've gotta say Sid, as the following 90 minutes unfolded it was a sheer pleasure to be a part of it - as everyone battled for everything from the start - right to the finish and we created several good chances.

On 20 mins a great run and cross by Milesey was met by a superb PAUL SHARP header to put us 1 up ! We held the lead for 10 mins or so but then they equalised when Richard Steel somewhat scuffed his shot but it looped into the corner.

5 mins later, their centre midfielder broke into our box, I tackled him just as he was about to pull the trigger, but the ball went across to the far side of the 6-yard box straight to Steel who put it in first time.

At half time we deserved to be at least level and I said to the lads that we had to just keep doing what we were doing and we just might get a result.

DAVID OLVER then took centre stage between the sticks with two out-of-this-world saves midway through the second half; the first when the CM shot from the edge of the box and Olver dived full length to finger tip the ball on to the post before it was cleared.
The second one came when one of their midfielder's hit a dipping volley from 25 yards that Olver, back-pedaling, somehow got up to - and finger tipped it on to the bar before it was once again cleared. It was a superb save - they were massive moments in the game as they kept us right in it at 2-1.

Then, with 15 minutes to go, some great play in the middle of the park involving Milesey, Reevo and Fordy resulted in Fordy lofting a ball forward to the edge of their box, where Jamie Moore got up to head on to the marauding Sharpey, and SHARPEY finished well under pressure from the closing defenders.

They didn't really threaten us after that and their cause wasn't helped when their centre back Rob Candlish was sent off for foolishly head-butting big Webby with 2 mins to go, right in front of the referee.

When the final whistle went it felt as good as if we'd won the game, it really was a top effort from all ten players and I'm IMMENSELY proud of everyone of them.

Sharpey, for his 2 goals - and magnificent driving force performance in midfield, probably just shades my MoM from Olver, who showed great handling throughout, the two blondies at centre back were immovable, but really I think the whole team deserves huge credit for pulling together at a time of desperate need and just refusing to be beaten.

LEFT CLICK THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH IMAGE TO ENLARGE