MASE THE ACE SAVES THE DAY

Combe Reserves 2 - 4 Freeland A

Freeland A produced a fine comeback against a young Combe side after a poor first half display to keep themselves firmly in the promotion mix. With Mobey out injured Jamie Leach donned the gloves, and Freeland were also boosted by the added class of Symonds and Mason in their ranks. It was always going to be a tough game though as Freeland were missing the heartbeat of their side in Lee Tomas who was on international duty.

Freeland made a near perfect start, with the game only a few minutes old Shepherd charged down the right wing and put in an inch perfect cross for Howe to craftily flick home with his left foot. Freeland looked in control for the next ten minutes but then started to struggle in the blustery conditions.

Freeland resorted to playing the long ball, and were gifting possesion to Combe, who also decided to take the arial route. This eventually led to a Combe equaliser, and it came in highly controversial fashion. Sex pest and defensive dominator Ben Symonds was adjudged to have bundled over a Combe player right on the edge of the area, wheter it was a foul or even in the area will be debated in pubs across the country for years to come. The penalty was cooly slotted home only for it to have to be retaken for encroaching, and eventually the second penalty was put in the back of the net and Freeland were on the rack.

"Pantings first error of the season"

It was not long before Combe had the lead, another ball over the top led to Pantings first error of the season as he let the ball bounce over his head and into the path of a Combe striker who cooly dinked the ball over Leach. Freeland continued to struggle for the remainder of the half and were given a rollicking from captain Panting at half time.

Freeland came out pumped up and for the first minute the ticking off seemed to pay off as Freeland chased and harried the Combe players. After the initial minute it was back to giving away possesion, and only John Pyrah looked capable of keeping it.

As the clock ticked down on a game Freeland desperatly needed to win they changed around the team. Eynsham gangster Callum Parker came onto the right wing, Stanley moved into central midfield and Tom Mason rolled back the years and went up top to join Jason Footitt. The change paid dividends almost immediatley, as Mason raced through on goal, and powered home at the second time of asking to draw Freeland level.

Minutes later and Freeland had the lead, Leach picked out Mason, who held the ball in the corner before putting in a great cross, Pyrah was on hand to suprbly volley Freeland into a priceless lead with his left foot. Mason then made sure of the points, reacting quickest to a goal mouth scramble and sliding the ball into the net.

"Venn had out paced the young Combe team to go through"

Marco Venn Basten then caused the Combe backline all sorts of problems as he came on for Footitt to partner Mason in what can only be desribed as a Thames Valleys finest strike force. Venn created chance after chance, two headers went close, the keeper saved bravely after Venn had out paced the young Combe team to go through, and he almost scored a cheeky flick off a Parker cross which could have been put in by three players who raced into the box.

The final whistle blew and Freeland knew they were lucky to come away with all three points after playing poorly for a large portion of the game, but isnt that the sign of a good team?