Vs. St Helens (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Simon Cutler
Owen Davies
Doug Morris
Gary Wenham	(65 Chris Mammone)
Darrell Hartley	(45 Paul Ford)
Pete Cooper
Andy Mills (c)
Dave Mills
Gary Walsh
Tom Frere-Smith
Dom Fowler	(55 Adrian Gaylon)
Referee: M Southam
Goals: Walsh (7,57,82), Frere-Smith (41,50,63,68), D Mills (75).
HT Score: 2-1
FT Score: 8-2
Bookings: Morris, Gaylon.

On a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon, the Baptists finished their 2005/6 campaign in style, with a majestic performance at Battle Recreational Ground, emphasising their runners up spot in Division 4.

Scoring four of the eight goals, Tom Frere-Smith went one better than player/manager Gary Walsh whose goal drought ended with a flood. Dave Mills was the other Baptist goal-scorer, with Steve Winchester and Nick Parkinson replying for Saints.

On a bony surface, St Helens started well but loose marking at a corner in the 7^th minute, allowed Walsh to head in the opener unchallenged from close range, his first goal since mid-January.

Although neat passing by the visiting team pinned the Baptists back, Frere-Smith missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead, skilfully evading defensive tackles before skimming the top of the crossbar with a fierce shot from an acute angle. Relying on counter attacks to oppose the territorial advantage of St Helens, Battle went close again, Dominic Fowler firing an 18-yard volley just wide after a good move down the right. St Helens’ pressure was finally rewarded with a goal following a near post corner that sucked Battle defenders in, enabling Parkinson to smash an unstoppable equalising volley from 16 yards.

As the interval loomed and it looked like both teams would settle for half time parity, the largest home crowd of the season were treated to a typical Baptist goal when Walsh threaded a through ball to Frere-Smith whose pace and determination penetrated the defence enabling him to crack in Battle’s second.

Moments after the restart St Helens levelled again thanks to a stunning 25-yard thunderbolt, accurately fired by Winchester inches inside the right hand post.

Coming like a dagger to the heart, the goal tested the character of the Baptists who have only lost 3 times in the League throughout the season. There was no indication that the afternoon would end so comfortably for the men in orange until firstly a push on Walsh inside the box yielded a penalty that Frere-Smith coolly converted, and then a Davies’ free kick was met behind the defensive line by Walsh who steered his shot inside the post for a two goal lead.

Although visibly demoralised by frustrating defending, St Helens re-organised and continued put together good passing moves, but they conceded a second penalty when Frere-Smith was upended, as he broke free of his marker. The usually dependable Pete Cooper encroached into the area on Frere-Smith’s first spot kick, but the cool-headed young striker netted again from the retake. Frere-Smith followed up with his 24^th goal of the season in just 11 appearances, controlling Baptist keeper Simon Cutler’s enormous drop kick after one bounce and stroking the ball past the disheartened Saints keeper.

St Helens began to throw caution to the wind in search of another goal, and Battle’s counter attacks looked increasingly threatening. Dave Mills helped himself to a well-earned goal, locking onto another accurate Davies’ free kick and volleying into the roof of the net for the seventh.

Battle’s defensive record is the best in the Division and Saints couldn’t create goal-scoring opportunities, settling instead for long range shots that caused little problem for the well-organised and hard working home team.

In a fitting climax to the season, the most spectacular goal was saved until the last. Taking a throw in on the right wing, youngster Chris Mammone, now on at right back in place of old-hand Gary Wenham, spotted space behind the St Helens defence and guided his long throw towards Walsh who swivelled and shot in the same action, rocketing his volley across the face of goal upwards into the top left hand corner, rattling the stanchion before rippling down the back of the net.

The result secures Battle Baptists clearly in second spot and gives confidence to the Club as it plans to expand to two teams next season.