Penistone Church Reserves

Date:	22 Mar 2008
Competition:	County Senior League Div 2
Home/ Away:	Home
Score:	5-0
Team:	Reserves

Match Report

For this fixture Sheffield FC Reserves played at Davy Sports Ground to relieve some of the pressure on the Bright Finance Stadium pitch. The conditions were fresh with a stiff breeze and sleet and snow later on but this did not stop the Reserves putting on one of the best performances of the season. As nervy as was the previous encounter between these two sides (which Sheffield won 1 - 0) then this was the complete opposite with Sheffield dominating the game from first to last whistle, a penalty miss by the visitors being their only scoring opportunity of the match.

Sheffield set the tone from the off with Eskante looking very lively and getting into good positions; Carney was soon running the game and it took some desparate tackling by the visiting side to prevent Club getting behind the defence and causing damage in the area. Danny Moore had the first scoring opportunity when from a corner the ball came to Carney and he floated the ball in to Moore who somehow missed from a couple of yards out. Cronin then hit the foot of the post when clear on goal after Moore had beaten his marker and delivered a great ball into the box. The next to be denied by the woodwork was Eskante who received the ball in midfield and ran through several challenges but the first gilt edged chance came to Penistone when Taylor, under pressure from his defending colleagues brought down Eastwood in the area. Fortunately for Sheffield the spot-kick was blasted high over the bar by Jagger and Club had got away with it.

Cronin was then fouled on the right side of the area after a good move from the back; Carney's free kick was met by Taylor who headed goalwards and though this was blocked on the line the rebound was thumped home by Cronin to give him his fourth goal of the season. Taylor went really close with a free kick in a central position when Chapman was brought down and Sheffield finished the half well with Kavanagh working hard but the team will have felt that they should have had a better lead than 1 - 0 at the interval.

It didn't take long before the deserved second goal came; Eskante won a corner and the ball came out to Kavanagh who combined well with Chapman who was fouled on the edge of the D. Carney took the kick and keeper Proost could only help the ball into the net. Moore had the ball in the net after working really hard along the line but was given offside by the narrowest of margins. The midfield and forward lines were dominating everything and the game was heading in only one direction with all those watching wondering how many goals Sheffield could get. On 65 minutes manager Dave Morris made a triple substition with Moore, Carney and Taylor bring replaced by Hunter, Oliver and Lipka. Hunter and Lipka were involved early on, and on 67 minutes Hunter was fouled in midfield. Kavanagh received the ball from the free kick on the wide left and slipped a good pass to the debutant Hunter who scored with a low shot from the edge of the area. This knocked the visitors completely and two minutes later it was 4 - 0 to Sheffield when following a good move out from the back involving Gelsthorpe, Kavanagh and Hunter, Eskante was set through on goal with a great pass and he scored with a cool finish, rounding the keeper in the process. In the next move, Foster and Cronin played some great stuff on the right, Cronin sent in a lovely cross which Eskante dummied and Hunter's goal bound shot was blocked and the rebound hit just wide. Oliver had the next chance but he put a good effort just over from 18 yards out. Hunter wrapped up the scoring when Eskante beat the off side trap and after a good run into the area slipped the ball to the on rushing substitute who scored his second and the teams fifth goal with a good finish into the unguarded net from 6 yards.

Team: Sayles, Foster, Gelsthorpe, Taylor (Lipka), Carnall, Carney (Oliver), Kavanagh, Chapman, Moore (Hunter),