Chipping Sodbury Town FC 2 Hallen FC 3
Fourth place Hallen FC arrived at the Ridings in a confident mood having won their previous 6 games and it didn’t take them long to show why they are riding high in the Western Premier League.
The match was just four minutes in when striker Sacha Tong latched on to a through ball from the half way line and slotted home to give the visitors a goal advantage. Hallen went on to dominate the opening quarter however Sodbury battled for parity and on 22 minutes Jack Moore rose above the Hallen defence to head home the equaliser from a corner.
Hallen continued to dominate and should have increased their lead but some excellent goal keeping and defensive work helped the home side establish a foothold in the game and as the half progressed the contest became more even, both sides creating chances but the half ended 1-1.
Within two minutes of the second half kicking off Sodbury found themselves in front. Hallen missed a clear opportunity to take the lead, which created an opening for Dan Brown to begin a move that ended with Zayd Muhammed giving the Sods a 2-1 advantage.
Over the next 15 minutes the Sods looked worthy of their lead and they more than matched their visitors. An incident on 16 minutes turned the game in Hallen’s favour and reduced Sodbury to ten men when a penalty was awarded for a professional foul and Kyle Thomas gratefully accepted the opportunity to draw his side level.
The referee nearly handed Hallen the victory just 3 minutes later when he awarded a free kick on the 6-yard line following what he decided constituted a back pass. Fortunately for Sodbury their visitors could not take advantage. Sodbury spurned a glorious chance to take all three points when a Hallen defender slipped, but the Sods striker struck a post when one on one with the keeper and the chance went begging. It would have been a deserved victory after the ten men of Sodbury more than matched their high-flying opponents in the final half hour.
With 4 minutes of added time played Hallen took all three points with Isaac Reid scoring the winner. The visitors had just struck the cross bar when it seemed easier to score into an empty net but just moments later they applied the killer blow giving them their seventh successive win and rising to third place in the league. Sodbury can take heart from a fine performance that on another day would have secured at least a point.
Report by Mark Lloyd.
Fourth place Hallen FC arrived at the Ridings in a confident mood having won their previous 6 games and it didn’t take them long to show why they are riding high in the Western Premier League.
The match was just four minutes in when striker Sacha Tong latched on to a through ball from the half way line and slotted home to give the visitors a goal advantage. Hallen went on to dominate the opening quarter however Sodbury battled for parity and on 22 minutes Jack Moore rose above the Hallen defence to head home the equaliser from a corner.
Hallen continued to dominate and should have increased their lead but some excellent goal keeping and defensive work helped the home side establish a foothold in the game and as the half progressed the contest became more even, both sides creating chances but the half ended 1-1.
Within two minutes of the second half kicking off Sodbury found themselves in front. Hallen missed a clear opportunity to take the lead, which created an opening for Dan Brown to begin a move that ended with Zayd Muhammed giving the Sods a 2-1 advantage.
Over the next 15 minutes the Sods looked worthy of their lead and they more than matched their visitors. An incident on 16 minutes turned the game in Hallen’s favour and reduced Sodbury to ten men when a penalty was awarded for a professional foul and Kyle Thomas gratefully accepted the opportunity to draw his side level.
The referee nearly handed Hallen the victory just 3 minutes later when he awarded a free kick on the 6-yard line following what he decided constituted a back pass. Fortunately for Sodbury their visitors could not take advantage. Sodbury spurned a glorious chance to take all three points when a Hallen defender slipped, but the Sods striker struck a post when one on one with the keeper and the chance went begging. It would have been a deserved victory after the ten men of Sodbury more than matched their high-flying opponents in the final half hour.
With 4 minutes of added time played Hallen took all three points with Isaac Reid scoring the winner. The visitors had just struck the cross bar when it seemed easier to score into an empty net but just moments later they applied the killer blow giving them their seventh successive win and rising to third place in the league. Sodbury can take heart from a fine performance that on another day would have secured at least a point.
Report by Mark Lloyd.
