Division 3 St Thomas Away

The first half started with a flourish of chances, especially for St Thomas as Amberswood's new look central defensive partnership of Ben Stocks and William Hoey looked shakey and struggled with the pace of the St Thomas strikers and within twenty five minutes found themselves three goals down as the long crossfield pass over the top crucified them.

Amberswood goalkeeper Ian Porter found himself having to play sweeper for this period, until the defence found their feet. Amberswood's midfield also struggled to get close to the opposition and could'nt cut the crossfield ball out either, then just before half time Amberswood got one back when Carl Stocks took a throw-in on the left hand side to first half substitute Payam Doustani who layed the ball back to Ben Stocks, Ben passed the ball back to Carl Stocks whose cross-shot into the box eluded the St Thomas keeper and dropped into the bottom far corner of the net.

The second half started and within a couple of minutes Amberswood found themselves four one down with the same crossfield ball to the St Thomas strikers punishing them again. Amberswood forward line of Payam Doustani and Craig Gilligan started to put the St Thomas defence under pressure and a penalty was awarded for a blatant handball, but captain Dean Ainscough was unable to convert and placed the spot kick over the bar.

Amberswood never recovered and tried two or three formations ,but to no avail, Ben Stocks tried everything possible to get some goals back by getting forward at every opportunity, but his Kamikazee defending cost them goals, although he did manage to get a goal back from one of these runs as Payam Doustani recieved and carried the ball forward Ben Stocks made a run through the centre of the pitch, Payam Doustani passed the ball to Sadegh Ramazani who slid the ball into the path of Ben Stocks who knocked the ball past the onrushing keeper. St Thomas went six goals to two up when they scored a free kick which goalkeeper Ian Porter tried to tip round the post, but ended up tipping it into the top corner.

Amberswood scored a third, when goalkeper Ian Porter played a long pass into the path of Craig Gilligan's run over the top of the St Thomas's defence and he passed the ball over the top of the advancing goalkeeper and into an empty net. There was still time for St Thomas to get a seventh before the final whistle. This was a game of a large number of chances and both teams could have had more goals, but the best team won on the day. The final score St Thomas 7 Amberswood 3.

Amberswood Man Of The Match: Payam Doustani.