PACE WON MATCH IN LAST MINUTES (From Daily Echo)

PACE WON MATCH IN LAST MINUTES

11:40pm Sunday 23rd November 2008 in Sport

Pace started much the brighter of the two teams.

The football played was quick and incisive and St Francis struggled in the opening minutes to get near the ball. The breakthrough came for the home team on 10 minutes. A break down the left was ended with a long range shot on goal that dipped just under the bar and rolled down the back of the net.

The home team buoyed by this showed yet more resilience and determination. Although Pace were making chances none were clear-cut and it looked like it could be one of those days!

Twenty Two minutes saw Pace get a deserved free kick just on the edge of their opponents penalty area and Blackman strode forward and placed a wonderful shot on goal only to see it flick up off the cross bar and over.

They didn’t have to wait long to equalise though.

Another Blackman effort from distance was fumbled by the ‘keeper and Wilson was there to pick up the pieces. A neat finish from close range made it 1 – 1.

Pace then took the lead on Thirty minutes. Another scramble in the penalty area lead to Cook grabbing a chance and finishing from close in. 1 – 2.

It remained that score until half time.

The second half started in much the same way as the first finished. Some relief came with the Pace third on Forty minutes.

Another long range strike from Blackman finding the target with the keeper well beaten.

Pace should have gone three clear and out of sight on fifty one minutes with the best move of the match. Quick incisive passing involving Herbert, Clark and Wilson, all at pace saw them slice through the St Francis ranks, the final ball to Cook saw him strike it with plenty of power only for the accuracy to take a back seat. The ball only just staying in the sports ground!

A minute later and that miss looked more important than first thought. A mix up on the edge of the Pace penalty area allowed the St Francis centre forward an easy tap in to bring the score to 2 – 3.

The final blow to the heart of the home team came late and was totally effective in finishing them off. A break down the left from Cook saw him deliver in to Wilson who managed to lift the ball over the advancing ‘keeper into the far corner.

Written by Barry Wilson