Men's 3rd XI take the spoils from intra-club match

Kettering 3rds knew the match against the 4ths would be a tough match, so they were determined not to be complacent. They got the dream start after two minutes when Jacob Tattersall released Andy Bull with a clever pass. Bull got to the byeline and crossed to the back post where Phil Coward was on hand for a simple tap-in. The 4ths didn't buckle and gradually worked their way back into the match. 3rd team skipper Neil Manley was caught in possession and Lee Paris made his way into the circle. Under pressure from the defence, his soft shot seemed to be a routine save for Ray Norwood, but somehow the ball squirmed over the line for an equaliser.
Midway through the first half, the 3rds regained the lead. Nick Cusk found Bull with a pinpoint long pass out of defence, the striker rounded the defender and then smashed the ball home. The 3rds had their tails up now and extended their lead shortly before half-time. Tattersall started the move with another sublime through-ball to Paul Brooker and the winger moved the ball inside to Wallace Cairns. There was still plenty of work for Cairns to do, but he managed to create some space for himself and finished off with an accurate shot into the corner of the goal.

At half-time the 3rds discussed the threat posed by the pace of 4th team striker Finn Smith. Unfortunately, this didn't stop him pulling a goal back five minutes into the second period. A speculative aerial pass wasn't dealt with by Nick Cusk or Jake Coleman and they allowed Smith to run on into the circle. Keeper Norwood came out to meet the striker but he calmly slid the ball home.
As the 4th team tried to ramp up the pressure on the 3rds, the tackles started flying in and the quality of the match deteriorated. Manley in particular was on the receiving end of several foul challenges. Fortunately, the youngsters Tattersall and Hal Robinson showed maturity beyond their years and kept their passing going. Robinson was a constant threat down the right with his neat passes and intricate close-control.
The 3rds managed to force several short corners throughout the second period but didn't create any clear-cut chances. Conversely, the 4ths were happy to absorb pressure and look to counter-attack with long balls up to their strikers.
When Andy Bull managed to get a shot on target, Alistair Brooking was able to make a good save and keep it out. Bull was involved again and his through-ball was inches away from being collected by Robinson who had surged forward. With time running out, the 3rds got the reward for their dominance. Brooker crossed in for Bull whose shot was parried into the path of Tattersall. He capped a man-of-the-match performance with a well-placed shot that made the final score 4-2 to the 3rds.