Vs. Wittersham (A)

Starting XI

Tim Nunn

Owen Davies

Gary Wenham

Gary Williams

Darrell Hartley

Dave Mills

Stuart Batchelor

Seb Elliott

Paul Ford

Gary Walsh

Paul Rook

Referee: E Whitney

HT Score: 0-3

FT Score: 0-7

On a baking hot day, an improving Wittersham side looking to move up the Division 3 table by the end of the season, punished Battle Baptists for an uncharacteristic performance.

Although the absence of four Battle regulars gave opportunity for others to make an impression, the home team were uncoordinated and out of sorts from the start. Second to the ball in most challenges, Battle struggled to take control and in the first half, failing to take notice of sun and pitch conditions, and conceding three cheap goals by half time.

A more determined home side emerged but hopes of an immediate comeback were crushed in Wittersham’s first attack when a demoralising fourth goal was bizarrely gifted to the visitors.

The gritty churchmen rallied with great determination and did create three good scoring opportunities, but each one was uncharacteristically squandered. Despite a better second half performance in which the Baptists worked hard and matched Wittersham evenly, three further goals completed the miserable scoreline. Wittersham deserved the points, though Battle will wonder with embarrassment about the size of the defeat.