Thank you to our players, our opponents, our supporters, our hosts Clay Cross Town Football Club. and our Matchday sponsor JEM Transport LTD
After a dominant performance saw a tick in the win column for Derbyshire Community Football Club last month, a quick turnaround posed manager Tom Kemp with the reminder that in charity football, keeping a consistent starting 11 was hard to come by.A welcomed return back from a lengthy injury for Mash Greaves along with a debut for experienced defender, Alex Tipper eased what must have been a welcomed selection headache for Community's manager.
Aaron Tidey United was the opposition this time around and a 4-4-2-Diamond formation was what they opted to start the game with to combat the 4-2-3-1 formation the hosts had grown accustomed to.
The two sides cancelled each other out in the opening exchanges with neither gaining a real advantage. The best of the chances fell to Mujib Saadat, who rounded the keeper, but his effort was cleared away.As Aaron Tidey United grew in confidence they began to dictate the tempo of the game and as the first half neared a conclusion, they heaped further pressure on an already stretched Community defence with United striker, Anderson, beating the offside trap.
Dan Townsend closed down the angle and was able to block the initial effort, but the ricochet fell back into the path of United's striker and a last ditch challenge from Joe Shaffai wasn't enough to stop the visitor's from taking a well-deserved lead into the break.A couple of changes were made at the break by Kemp who's fiery half-time team talk rallied Community with the intention of utilising the wing options that were at their disposal and immediately after the restart, his side almost drew level. Joseph Greaves beat his marker into the area and a late challenge was made just before he could get the shot away, the penalty claims waved away.
Just moments later, the lead was doubled, Vella's first touch took the ball away from the Community centre-back pairing and he placed the ball across Townsend's goal into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.From this moment, it was one-way traffic as Community found the form that had made them so successful the previous month. Rowan Cockin's header fell nicely for captain Alex Godber's who's effort bounced off the under-side of the bar, the linesman confirmed to the referee the ball didn't cross the line and the decision was no goal.
Godber did, however, get himself on the scoresheet in the end, from 20-yards out his blistering effort whistled past the outstretched hand of the United keeper inches lower than his previous effort, ensuring there was no decision the referee needed to make this time around pulling one back.With the last kick of the game, Community had sent everybody forward and United had brought everyone back for Godber's corner into the box, flicked on to the back post by Stubbs, who couldn't help but watch his effort bounce off the outside of the post as the whistle blew.
A hard fought battle by both sides with Aaron Tidey United ultimately coming out on top with a 2-1 score-line.Player of the match; Alex Godber