FOOTBALL: Bright start for Fairford Town (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Steve Hall goal sees Fairford Town begin Hellenic campaign with a win

12:43pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in Sport

Uhlsport Hellenic Div 1 West.

Fairford Town 1.

Old Woodstock Town 0.

FAIRFORD Town began the 2012/13 season with a 1-0 win at home to Old Woodstock Town on Tuesday evening.

On a rain-soaked night at Cinder Lane, substitute Steve Hall turned match-winner with a neat, low finish with 20 minutes remaining of an end-to-end encounter.

Manager Paul Braithwaite included James Eddie at the heart of the defence, with Henry Traas and new signing Callum Parsons included in the starting line-up.

The conditions made playing football a tough ask inside the opening period, with Parsons going close from distance just before the break.

Summer signing Ben Mitchell made a superb save three minutes after the interval and he made another good stop soon after with the visitors coming into the game.

Braithwaite made his first change of the night with Hall coming on for Pocock, who had taken a knock in the first half, and the substitute soon forced a save with a fierce drive from distance.

Ryan Merchant then replaced Richard Knox in the heart of the midfield before the only goal of the game came around.

It resulted from a perfectly-weighted through ball from Traas which was taken into the box by Hall, who shook off his marker before sliding the ball home from the left-hand angle.

Lee Simpson stepped off the bench with nine minutes remaining and showed some good touches as the Reds were forced to hold out with four minutes of injury time.

A winning start for Fairford against a physical Old Woodstock side who could have taken something from the game with their fair share of chances and possession.