Beaconsfield Town  0  v  0  Swindon Supermarine

Rams Man of the Match - Jon-Jo Bates

By the final whistle on Saturday afternoon at Holloways Park Beaconsfield Town and fourth placed Swindon Supermarine had been given more to contend with than just each other.

They also had to contend with increasingly deteriorating weather conditions as what began in squally showers gave way to a second half played in virtual monsoon conditions with a swirling cross wind that did nothing to assist either team and forced one half of the visitors video crew to give up as they were unable to obtain any useful footage as the rain was blown into their faces.

The game was a lively affair between two sides apparently well matched on the day despite their relative league positions. For the most part defences held sway in a first half lacking the moments of quality necessary for either side to take the lead.

Chances were few and the home side largely relied on the dead ball accuracy of Charlie Losasso but he was unable to extend Martin Horsell in the visitors goal.

Horsell’s biggest test came when he let a fairly routine through ball slip from his grasp under pressure from Brendan Matthew but as the ball fell between them the keeper was able to locate it and pounce on it before the striker could react.

At the other end Myles Bowman, commanding under the high ball all afternoon, had a similar moment. After coming to claim a cross and punching centre-half Luke Neville’s head instead, the ball fell invitingly for Connor McDonagh but a smothering effort by a combination of Bowman and Nathan Webb managed to snuff out his initial effort before blushes were saved by the award of a somewhat generous freekick to the home-side in the resulting scramble.

 

Half time 0-0

 

In the second half the weather closed in and the heavens opened. The visitors lived up to their name and took control in the early going. However, the home defence remained resolute and organised and despite dominating territory and possession the visitors created little to threaten Bowman’s goal. On the one occasion McDonagh managed to beat the keeper his trundling effort did little to threaten and was easily cleared by Mayo Balogun. At the other end Brendan Matthew ran willingly all day and Jon-Jo Bates was at his irrepressible best, chasing down lost causes applying pressure and creating half chances and opportunities where none seemed to exist. His was the sort of effort that deserved a goal if only to reward his industry but on the day the ball refused to fall his way.

The visitors rang the changes and introduced pace on the flanks but beyond a couple of poorly executed set piece chances and the occasional corner The Rams back four stood firm.

If anything it was the home team who reasserted themselves as they finished more strongly than of late and had chances to nick it at the death.

A Louis Stead snap-shot on the turn from a quick throw fizzed narrowly wide, with Horsell scampering across goal to cover his near post.

Then a half cleared corner fell invitingly for Jordan Ajanlekoko 25 yards out but the big midfielder could not sufficiently control his volleyed effort to trouble Horsell.

Supermarine may feel their second half display merited a win but on a day when the only real winner was mother nature and defences stood firm the draw was probably a fair return for both teams efforts.

If the weather relents The Rams will head to Poole Town on Tuesday night.   

COYR  

Beaconsfield Town   1.  Myles Bowman 2.  Alex Nolan 3.  Mayo Balogun 4.  James Taylor 5. Luke Neville ©  6. Nathan Webb [Sub14. Ade Shokunbi 45] 7. Louis Stead  8. Jordan Ajanlekoko 9. Jon-Jo Bates 10. Brendan Matthew [Sub 15 Kane Guy-Seifert 82] 11. Charlie Losasso   Subs Not Used:   12. Wes Daly 16. Shawnikki Clement-Peter Mihai-Andrei Chiriac17.   Manager: Gary Meakin	Swindon Supermarine   1.  Martin Horsell 2.  Louis Spalding 3.Michael Hopkins  4. James Edge 5. Matthew Coupe 6. Matthew Liddiard ©  7. Bradley Gray  8. Joseph Shepherd 9. Harry Williams [Sub14 Stuart Fleetwood] 10. Conor McDonagh 11.  James Guthrie [Sub17 Ryan Campbell 72]   Subs Not Used:   12. Bradley Hooper 15. Calvin Dinsley 16. Henry Spalding   Manager: Lee Spalding
Ref: Nicholas Metcalfe - Assistants Christopher Willaims - Callum Peter Att:80