Match Report

And so it ends – a season that began on 2 September last year, struggled through the snows and floods of winter, and even a game at the Valley chucked in for good measures to emerge in the sunlight of May with the traditional fixture of youth versus experience as the Young Vets pitted the exuberance of youth against the wisdom of age.

Farnborough Young Vets lined up as follows

GK, Gary Rosslee
LB, Neil Connelly
CB, Andy Cobham
CB, Mark Friend
RB, Richard Davies
LM, Ben Clunn
CM, Dean Wyatt
CM, James St John
RM, Jason Miller
CF, Simon Davies
CF, Simon Reynolds

Subs:

Paul Tanton
Daragh Nott
Danny Saines
Jeff Jenner

I would be lying if I said we were not confident of winning this one – even with one or two regulars missing we remained a potent force.

We had scored through Mark Friend after only ten minutes from a corner. Quietly the older Vets must have feared the worst at that point but somehow they restricted us to that solitary goal. Gary Fentiman was having an inspired match in goal and pulled off a number of saves, coming for crosses, commanding his 6-yard box and getting good distance on his goal kicks (the latter destined mostly for Young Vets’ heads). Colin Brazier cleared another set piece off the line; Mick O’Flynn cleared the ball against the base of the post after Gary had got his hand to a low Simon Reynolds shot and diverted the ball against the same post. An acrobatic point blank save from Jim St John was the pick of the saves of the match.

At the other end Gary Rosslee, in the Young Vets\' goal, was having a more relaxed morning but had to save smartly from Andy Faulks. The Senior Vets were making inroads into the Young Vets’ half but the final ball or cross was never produced and in the main their attacker was isolated whilst their defence played too deep. But there was only one goal between the teams at half time and all who know football know this is often not enough. The Young Vets made several changes at half time and that seemed to affect their play. Paul Tanton drew a good diving save from Gary Fentiman who was equal to all the crosses and corners that were put in.

By then the older Vets were making a better fist of it. Graham Donnelly carved out a great opportunity as he intercepted an attempted flick over his head by the last defender and was clean through on goal only to fire over the bar from ten yards out. With ten minutes left on the clock the older Vets got a fortuitous equaliser as Robin Lipscomb attempted a shot from twenty yards out – the dubious goals committee was not entirely certain about this one. Gary Rosslee may have had it covered, or it may even have been bound for the giant holly behind the goal – but the diversion off Jason Miller wrong-footed Gary Rosslee and the older Vets had scored their 100th goal this season. Five minutes from the end Andy Faulks produced a long range shot cum cross that had Gary Rosslee scrambling back on his line to palm the ball onto the bar. And that was the end of the excitement, and the season, as the final whistle was heard soon after for what was a fair 1-1 result.

The records of both Farnborough Vets teams stood thus at the end of it:

Young Vets: P26 W15 D7 L5 GF105 GA47 GD58 Pts52
Senior Vets: P31 W17 D6 L8 GF100 GA68 GD32 Pts57


Shot of the match: Mark Friend\'s powerful header

Save of the match: Gary Fentiman’s excellent tip over from Jim St John

Man of the match: Mark Friend

Moan of the match: Conceding 2 wicked deflections in one week!