CRC win match in injury added on time!!

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION - WEDNESDAY MARCH 23rd CRC 3 BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 1 We made the journey midweek to Cambridge to face CRC and from the start they were prepared to push men forward. Our new signing, Thomas Wray, who had a very good game at Kirkley was ruled out with a bruised foot while Andy French could not get away from London to get to the game and this meant a rather hurried shuffle round of the team for manager Tony Hall. Simon Mann dropped in at right back and Lewis Blanchett played out wide. CRC had the first real chance when a cross into our area was headed just wide by Ingrey. We had to defend in depth for the first ten minutes with CRC making ground down the flanks and causing us a few problems with their quick passing of the ball. However, we started to settle down and started to play some good attacking football. We had a couple of good chances with both Ollie Mann and Lee Grimwood going close before we took the lead through Sean Gunn, his second in as many games. The ball was laid back into the path of Sean Gunn a good 25 yards out, Sean looked up and saw the keeper just off his line and lobbed the ball over him and into the back of the net. CRC's Eades put a good cross into our area and Simon Mann, under pressure, managed to clear the ball for a corner. From the corner CRC's big centre half, Blaine Hudson, all 6 foot 5 of him. headed the ball at goal only to see it hit the bar, phew!! Brantham midfield general David Grimwood was having some problems with an injury but he still kept involved in the game and had a couple of chances to add to our score. The first caution of the game came to CRC when Lewis Blanchett turned his marker and was making ground only to be dumped onto the ground by a cynical tackle. From the free kick the ball fell to Sean Gunn who sent in a good shot on the run which the keeper managed to get to and hold. For a while we looked slightly the better side going forward and both David Grimwood and Ollie Mann had good efforts well taken by the CRC keeper. Kieran Lawler, after his great success at Kirkley, was determined to do well with a free kick about 25 yards out which he blasted at goal but with the keeper struggling the ball went just over the bar. The first half ended with a good move by us down the wing and it ended with Sean Gunn, who seemed to be popping up all over the show, putting his first time shot just over the woodwork. Half time - CRC0 Brantham 1 The second half saw CRC make changes and they pulled a goal back when from a corner the ball was played back to Brighton who made no mistake with a crisp shot into the net. Both our central men, Adam Bloss and Jack Sibbons were getting through a lot of work keeping CRC men out. Jack was called upon to make a superb clearance as the ball sped towards our goal and Jack was able to get the vital touch and clear the ball away from our goal and danger. Adam Bloss also made a telling tackle when a forward looked clean through but somehow Adam managed to get to him and with a cracking tackle took the ball clean away from him. Despite CRC running at our defence and looking composed on the ball we still had our fair share of chances. Ollie Mann made a great run down the flank and as the ball bobbled about Ollie laid it back to Lee Grimwood who hit it first time only to see it strike the woodwork. The game went into injury time, time added on by the referee, and in that time CRC grabbed two goals and the three points. The first came from a corner for CRC in the 2nd minute of injury time, Hannant lurking in the area was not picked up and he headed firmly home leaving Ryan Bedingfield no chance of stopping the ball. In the fourth minute of time added on CRC added a third goal when Hannant latched onto a through ball and he hit home from just inside the area which left our lads a bit deflated as you can imagine. From having a point in the 90th minute we had none after injury time had been added on, despite us looking at our watched every few seconds and saying " surely he must blow for full time now!!" but it was not to be. Brantham - 1.Ryan Bedingfield. 2.Lewis Blanchett. 3. Chris French. 4. Jack Sibbons. 5. Adam Bloss. 6. Simon Mann. 7.Kieran Lawler. 8. David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10.Lee Grimwood.11. Sean Gunn. sub used - Ben Spencer. ---barry felgate---