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ABINGDON UNITED 2 TAUNTON TOWN 1
United started with a high tempo
and took the game to their visitors, closing them down quickly
and harassing them whenever they tried to settle on the ball.
After taking ten
minutes to relax into the season they took control.
After a scrambled
clearance, they regained the ball and it was laid back to Jamie
Brooks whose fierce drive went straight at Simon Cooper but he
took it comfortably.
Billy Beechers was next and he saw Cooper claw away his
shot from 20 yards going into the top corner but the keeper
couldn’t stop the first goal of United’s season on 19 minutes.
A corner beyond the far post was headed back across goal
by Matt Davies and Micheas Herbert rose above everyone to head
down and home.
A minute later and Anaclet Odhiambo fired way over but
with Beechers was causing the visitors all sorts of problems.
Town showed it was not going to be
all one way however when Charlie Welch nearly got the equaliser
but his effort was just wide of the post.
Soon after Alex
Pounde saw his shot from 6 yards hit the legs of Lee Farrow who
had to react smartly after he had wriggled his way through two
defenders, and the ball was deflected a foot wide of the
upright.
With half an hour gone Pounde, who
looked a very useful player, put a good chance over the top but
it was Cooper in the visitors goal who was having the busier
day.
A lovely move saw
the ball moved swiftly between Odhiambo to Beechers and flicked
onto Herbert who hit a cracking shot first time.
Cooper was down
fast and did well to block the ball with his legs as Abingdon
looked for their second goal.
Odhiambo was not to be denied and
four minutes into the second half he got his goal.
With Town going
for an early score the Abingdon forwards broke at pace and a
very high ball looked to be the keeper’s but he got caught in
two minds and froze. Odhiambo had gone after it like a train and
with Cooper stranded out of his goal he lobbed him from 25 yards
to put the home side two up.
Town upped the pace and threw more men up with nothing to lose, which allowed United to counter quickly into the space at the back. Pounde had a shot but sent it straight at Farrow who parried it away.
United looked that they would extend their lead at any moment and nearly did as Beechers outpaced the defence and with two onto one put the ball square to Odhiambo who hammered the ball beyond the keeper but watched agonisingly as it hit the bar and went over.
With a hour on the clock Beechers
broke clear again, although there was a suspicion of offside, he
tried to chip over the goalie but didn’t get enough height and
it was plucked out of the air.
It was Beechers
again as he got behind the defence and Odhiambo ducked below his
cross to let it run to Ryan Curtin who thumped the ball on the
run forcing a diving save out of the visiting keeper.
With 18 minutes to play the complexion of the match
changed with Taunton trying to put pressure on the home area and
a free kick was flighted into the crowded goalmouth. Farrow came
but Herbert got his head on it but couldn’t direct it to safety
and turned it into his own net for his second goal, one for each
side.
Odhiambo had a chance to restore the lead but having
done the hard work to create some space he pulled his chance
wide of the far upright.
Taunton sensing a chance of a
point gambled to push on and came strong in the last few minutes
and the match was going end to end and became a little edgy as
the time ran down.
However the home
side kept the visitors out to hang on to all the points and make
it a good start to their campaign
Team:
Farrow,
Burton, Organ, Davies, McCalmon, Parker J, Brooks, Herbert,
Beechers, Odhiambo, Curtin
Subs Used:
Holden on for
Beechers (70).
Janes on for
Brooks (70)
Subs not Used:
Smith, Woodley,
Thomas.
Attendance: 75