4th April 2009
Keymer & Hassocks vs Linfield II
Junior Cup
What a pleasure to see a contest played out with no rows on the sidelines abuse for the linos or overt dissent towards the referee who in turn was approachable and treated the players as adults.
Such was Keymer & Hassocks v Lindfield in the Junior Cup which went to extra time before K & H eventually won it 3-2
That result did not seem likely however with Lindfield posing all sorts of problems in the first half at times making the K & H defence look ponderous and heavy legged.
The first goal was slightly bizarre, James Harris rattled the upright with a pile driver, only for the ball to fall to a slimmed down captain Ben Watson just back form a lengthy lay off who hit a brilliant air shot! The resulting rebound set Lindfield on the counter attack and they carved through K & H like knife through butter to open their account.Worse was to come from a corner as the smallest player on the field was able to score with a header in the six yard box without even having to jump-surely one of the worst goals ever conceded at Adastra.Interestingly it was so bad from a team point of view that it galvanised a fight back by K & H with Matt Thomas replying shortly before half time.
After the break K & H were fully back in the game but despite that few real chances were created until Toby Raftery came on as sub and set up James Harris following a jinking run in the box.Harris then almost won it as Mike Ridley hit him with a perfect deep cross but his header came back off the bar.
So to extra time with K & H the more lively in the first period.Raftery fashioned the winner outpacing the Lindfield defence-he looked certain to shoot but instead cut the ball inside to Harris who made no mistake with an open goal.
Lindifeld never gave up although K & H should have sealed it when James Handford & Raftery broke clear but the keeper managed to scramble the ball away.Lindfield forced K & H back into their box in the last five minutes and were nearly rewarded with a half chance but it was scooped over the bar.
K & H MOM went to James Harris for his work rate and goals but Matt Thomas ran him close with a tireless display in midfield.
