Intel FC 5, Sherston 2

INTEL kept the pressure on at the top of the table but made hard work of a fixture that should have been out of sight at half time, but in the end ran out with a comfortable score line if not a comfortable 90 minutes.


The first half saw countless wasted chances for Intel, as Adam Smith, Ash Piotrowski and Alec Daley all missed a brace of chances and skipper Ash Stevens could have had a double hat-trick but managed to miss the target with his usually reliable head high wide and handsome.


Eventually, Intel pressure did pay off and some fine work down the right saw Alec Daley fire in from a wide angle and give the home side a deserved lead.

This was followed by more wasted chances but eventually the second goal was secured with some individual brilliance from Luke Daley, after some battling work outside the area he beat two Sherston tacklers, turned full circle and fire the ball into the top left corner from 20 yards. 2-0 and Intel looked comfortable.


Then a strike from an Intel corner which was blocked and appealed for handball, was countered long and the lively No 9 split the defenders indecision and finished coolly off the post right on the stroke of half time. 2-1 and all to play for, the home side stunned by the finely balanced score.

 
The second half started with Shertson pushing hard and after winning a corner, the subsequent set play was curled directly into the goal, levelling the score and generating serious frustrations.

To be fair to the visitors they smelt blood and pushed for another goal and sent men forward and came close with a header from the penalty spot which whizzed past the left upright.


This seemed to kick Intel into action and after much pressure Ashley Stevens finally scored a scrappy effort after the Sherston defence failed to clear.


Finally Intel started to play to their strengths and despite a counter effort being well saved by Mark Shute, spaces opened up and Ash Stevens got his second of the day with a clean header, his persistence paying off.

Intel rounded off the game well when James Joyce was played in and a superb curled finish into the top right hand corner sealed the game
Sherston put up a great fight and battled hard throughout the game on a bitterly cold afternoon.

Intel relieved not to have been left ruing their lack of clinical finishing on the day but individual quality seeing them through the fixture.

Next week Blunsdon away.