Archive - Thursday, 23 January 2003


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Wantage suffer as Fairford Town FC run riot

FAIRFORD Town returned from a fortnight of inactivity to record their biggest win of the season on Saturday, smashing seven goals past luckless Wantage.

What made the Cinder Lane team's overwhelming league victory more fascinating was that all the goals were scored in a frenetic second half.

On a poor surface, the local side found it extremely difficult to string more than two passes together during a frustrating first half.

Nonetheless, with some sound advice from manager Mark Webb during the interval still ringing in their ears, Fairford broke the deadlock through a goal from Neil Matthews with the second period barely ten minutes old.

Cheekily, and somewhat surprisingly however, Wantage scored an unexpected equaliser 11 minutes later.

This only served to provoke an onslaught from the hosts who peppered their opponents' defence, scoring five goals in a 20-minute period.

Richard Watkins bagged the first one of his eventual hat-trick on 67 minutes while Matthews added his second and Fairford's third three minutes later.

Watkins' scored his second goal in the 73rd minute and Lee Stoddart made it five with the first of his brace on 77 minutes.

Barely a minute later, Watkins put Fairford 6-1 ahead and Stoddart complete the rout with a strike just four minutes from the end of the match.

This Saturday, Fairford are set for a difficult trip to face Glo'shire County League side Roman Glass St George in the quarter-final of the GFA Senior Cup.

"It won't be an easy ride," Mark Webb was quick to concede, "for Bristol teams are notoriously difficult opponents to beat."

As far as Fairford are concerned, this is possibly their last chance of winning some silverware this season.

Webb, though, has previously tasted success in this competition when he was assistant to former Fairford Town boss Denzil Brislington.

Fairford are attempting to arrange a league fixture away to Shortwood United next Tuesday.