Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South

Saturday 11th March 2023

Hartley Wintney 0  Beaconsfield Town 3

Optima Stadium - Attendance 367

Ram of the Match – Lewis Pegg

Rams fans not in attendance at The Memorial Ground may be forgiven for looking at the eventual result and thinking this was a comfortable afternoon for Beaconsfield Town. In truth they deserved the win and the goals but Hartley Wintney created enough problems for the visitors but lacked the ruthless finish that The Rams finally applied, after a wasteful first half when, despite dominating for long periods and creating excellent chances. They somehow managed to miss all of them. 

Elliott Buchanan in particular had Rams fans baffled, as early as the Fifth minute. Given the freedom of the Hartley Wintney box, he advanced Under no pressure and picked his spot, rolling his effort past Marcin Brzozowski but he somehow missed the target altogether from 12 yards.

Nathan Minhas saw a snapshot from a similar distance well saved by Brzozowski.

The Rams dominated the early stages with the advantage of the slope but despite dominating possession and territory the final ball and the finish were lacking.

As the half wore on Hartley Wintney started to get themselves into the game and created threat of their own. Adam Laaref on their left wing in particular created problems for The Ram's defence bringing a sprawling save from Kie Plumley before beating the keeper all ends up with a dipping 20 yard effort from the inside left position, which crashed off the face the bar.

The home side also applied pressure from set pieces but the combination of Luke Neville and Lewis Pegg who played so well at Weston Super Mare, were again superb under pressure and with Sam Togwell tidying things up in front of them assisted by the willing industry of Sam Granville, Dan Bradshaw and trickery of Kyel Reid down the left The Rams sat in and played effectively on the counter.

Buchanan closed the half as he opened it. Played in on the left by Nathan Minhas , he advanced into the box, held off his marker but dragged his effort well wide of the far post.          

 

Half Time 0-0

 

The second half opened with The Row buoyed by playing down the slope pressing as they had in the latter stages of the first half. 

Beaconsfield resisted the initial onslaught and took the lead in the 55th minute. After good work on the right flank, Dan Bradshaw walked the tightrope down the touchline played in Nathan Minhas whose firm shot from a narrow-angle was parried wide by Brzozowski at his near post.

From the resulting corner, Luke Neville's head on fell to Buchanan beyond the far post. Like all good strikers, he showed no ill effects from the earlier misses and nervelessly fired his effort in off the bar from 8 yards. Converting what was by some margin the most difficult of his chances on the afternoon. 

The Row struck back almost immediately but Harry Cooksleys curling effort from just outside the box was brilliantly saved by Plumley flying to his left at full stretch, to turn the shot wide as it curled inside the post.

In the 67th Minute, Nathan Minhas took his tally to 53 goals in 80 appearances. Lewis Pegg, turned provider stepping out of defence he took advantage of the midfield parting like The Red sea in front of him and continued his run deep into Hartley territory where he exchanged passes with Minhas on the edge of the box and shaped as if to continue the overlap before reversing his pass to the striker now in space at the edge of the box. Minhas stepped inside onto his left foot and curled his shot past Brzozowski and inside the far post. 

Minhas then turned provider bursting down the left flank before pulling the ball back for Sam Granville. arriving on the edge of the box in space. The midfielder made good contact on the half volley but in keeping with his current luck in front of goal, his effort brought the best from Brzozowski who produced a flying tip over to deny him.

His midfield partner Dan Bradshaw finished the scoring from a similar move, this time it was Buchanan who made progress down the left his pull back reached Bradshaw just inside the box and his angled drive flew past Brzozowski at his near post as he scrambled to cover. 

The home side kept plugging away and Cooksley again came closest dragging a low shot across the goal and beyond the far post. 

Despite the pressure and a couple of hairy moments, scraping crosses out from under the bar in the end Plumley and his defence earned their clean sheet. Harsh on The Row, who played well enough and created enough chances but will need to be more clinical with their finishing as they continue to battle to survive at this level. 

Since the appointment of Neil Baker and Jon Underwood Beaconsfield have now claimed Seven points from a possible Nine and will hope to continue the run at Dorchester on Tuesday night.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beaconsfield Town :

Kie Plumley, Callum Webb, Toby Little, Sam Togwell, Luke Neville, Lewis Pegg, Sam Granville, Dan Bradshaw, Nathan Minhas, Elliott Buchanan, Kyel Reid

Subs Not Used - Ben Peters, Cairo Richards, Kai Allsop, Oscar Lucey, Lucas Sinclair.

Hartley Wintney

Marcin Brzozowski, Tom Leggett, Archy Taylor, Josh Webb ©, Joe Morrison, Toby Nevile, Zidan Akers, Annis Nuur, Afo Soyemi, Lene Burden, Adam Laaref.

Subs Not Used; Harry Cooksley, Maxwell Mullins, Sharn Quinn, Reece Wylie, Shane Hollamby.

Referee -   Jack Oxenham                 

Assistants - Joe Wright, Benjamin Maskery

 

All images ©Neale Blackburn 2023

Full game images - Here