Style clash results in deadlock draw (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Style clash results in deadlock draw

Highworth Town 1, Almondsbury Town 1

WITH a howling gale blowing directly down the pitch, skilful football was very much at a premium in this GLS Hellenic League Premier Division-encounter.

By and large, Highworth tried to play their passing game, while their opponents continued with their highly physical long ball, 'route one' game.

Such an approach invariably spells trouble for Highworth, who seem unable to deal effectively with this type of play.

However, Highworth managed to construct goal chances but failed to score despite hitting the crossbar on two occasions.

Despite shading the balance of play, the inevitable happened just before half time.

A deep cross from the left produced misunderstanding in the Town defence, enabling Mabel to score with a reverse header.

The second half continued in much the same vein and, with Almondsbury playing against the gale, the physical dimension of their game became even more evident.

A goal from Phil Corcoran, for Highworth, eventually ensured that the score more accurately reflected the balance of the game.

With only sporadic attacks coming from Almondbury's right wing, Highworth had enough possession to have finished with the three points.

An uninspiring game was further tarnished when Jamie Mills was brutally fouled, resulting in a sending off for the perpetrator.

Mills was unable to continue, thus leaving Highworth to play out the remainder of the game with 10 men as manager, John Fisher, had already used the permissible three substitutes.

As a result, this was not a good advertisement for the game or for the Hellenic League.