Vs. Catsfield (H)

 

 

 

Starting XI

Substitutes:

 

 

Andy Poulter

 

Owen Davies

 

Alan Cowley

 

Andy Moore

 

Paul Ford

(35 Adam Staplehurst)

Pete Cooper

(72 Stuart Batchelor)

Dale Scowen

 

Andy Mills (c)

 

Dave Mills

 

Ollie Jeffs

 

Ian Rafiti

(85 Max Sztyber)

 

 

Referee: M Southam

Goal: Cowley

 

HT Score: 1-1

 

FT Score: 1-2

 

 

 

In all types of weather condition, both teams deserved praise for their endeavours as they fought hard to play football in this East Sussex league Division 2 encounter that had to be hastily resituated in Catsfield when the referee deemed the Battle pitch to be unfit just 10 minutes before the scheduled kick off.
Battle made good advantage of the wind in the early stages and had the ball in the net twice only to find the goals disallowed for infringements. Catsfield who took the lead after Andy Poulter in the Battle goal made a great initial save but as his defence failed to clear the danger the Catsfield attacker guided his repost between the empty sticks.

Passing was made difficult by the fierce wind and all players tussled for possession as the weather changed between bright sunshine and bitter hail. Starting without their usual striking partnership, Battle looked to the youthful enthusiasm of Ollie Jeffs and Ian Rafiti in attack and they were rewarded for their work just five minutes before the break. A rare left footed cross from Owen Davies, back in the starting line up for the first time since his knee injury in October, floated over the stranded Catsfield defence where Alan Cowley steamed in at the back post to volley in the equaliser.

After the teams changed round both sets of players adapted well to the new state of play. A right wing cross from Jeffs flew across the Catsfield six-yard box narrowly missing Pete Cooper’s outstretched toe as he slid in unmarked at the back post. At the other end the Battle defence stood up competitively to the potent strike force of Colin White and Ashley Jamieson with a special mention going to the outstanding kicking of keeper Poulter as he attempted to clear the Battle line against gusting winds.

With few clear chances at either end and weary legs fading, the game was won by a 30-yard right midfield screecher that whizzed in the top left corner leaving Battle ten minutes to restore a scoreline that their efforts had surely deserved.