Vs. Beulah Baptists (H)
Starting XI	Substitutions:
Jamie Pooley
Owen Davies
Gary Wenham
Gary Williams
Darrell Hartley
Andy Mills
Stuart Batchelor
Andy Frere-Smith (c)
Dave Mills
Steve Chapman
Gary Walsh
Referee: A Bampton
Goals: Walsh (20), Chapman (21).
HT Score: 2-1
FT Score: 2-3
Booking: Batchelor

A lacklustre second half performance was to blame for the loss of another 3 points at this critical time in the season.

BBFC went behind on the quarter hour mark when Beulah broke quickly and their midfield player was brought down for a free kick about 20 yards out. As the free kick was fired past the orange wall Jamie seemed to have it well covered, but in trying to catch the jaded shot, the slithery ball slipped through his gloves, bouncing agonisingly on the wrong side of the goal line.

Within 5 minutes Battle were in front. Firstly Gary Walsh surged from midfield, penetrating the Beulah defence to latch onto a Stuart Batchelor pass. With Roger the Beulah keeper advancing to narrow the angle, the aged attacker struck his shot powerfully to the goalkeeper’s right to ripple the net and level the scores.

Then immediately on the restart, confusion in the Beulah defence gifted the ball to Stuart Batchelor who this time found Steve Chapman. The even more aged attacker showed all his wily experience, dropping his shoulder to beat the last defender and trickling his pass into the side netting leaving Roger to question his evaporated defence.

The home side then took their foot off the pedal, content to reach the break in front.

As Beulah came out strongly for the second half, the meanest defence in the division withheld attack after attack. Battle struggled to win good possession and struggled equally to keep it.

On 55 minutes a right wing attack ended successfully for the visitors when the Beulah forward stretched out a toe to poke a flighted cross low into the corner of Jamie’s goal.

In a rare attack, an Andy Frere-Smith pass dissected the visitor’s defence on 75 minutes to give Gary Walsh a golden chance for 3-2 but the striker’s left foot effort passed inches by the right hand post.

Another free kick conceded just outside the penalty area lead to the Beulah winner. As the shot flew towards the grateful hands of the Battle keeper, the hapless Dave Mills stuck out his head to clear, and deflected the ball cruelly between helpless defenders and into the goal.

In one last gasp attack Darrell Hartley skilfully drove the ball past 3 midfield players, swapped passes with Gary Walsh and lashed the ball across the goalmouth just out of reach of the incoming Steve Chapman.

On a pitch that resembled a Martian monsoon (whatever that would look like), BBFC endured several tackles that were left over from last Christmas, and verbal language that belongs to the Neolithic period. We must pray that the actions of our opposition do not discourage our friends and family from enjoying a Saturday afternoon supporting their favourite Baptist team. Well done to all our players for their creditable attitude and behaviour.