Valiant Greens Fall to Vase Exit

Sleaford were looking to bounce back from a 5-2 defeat away to Melton in midweek, with Tom Ward making one change to that team as Jacob Fenton replaced Marcus Pancho.

Ward wanted a reaction from midweek and he got it as in the 4th minute, a chipped ball forward from Lewis Daff found Fenton who cut his way into the area before being hauled down by the Worcester defender. It was Fenton who dusted himself down to take the penalty kick but Whitcombe guessed correctly down to his right to make the save and Fenton’s rebound was just wide of the post.

It was a fairly even half to follow with only half chances falling to either sides. Sleaford were dealt a blow on 23 minutes, as captain Charlie Ward was replaced by Issa Gaye but the injury is thought not to be of concern. Worcester’s Belmonte was shown an yellow card on 29 minutes for a late challenge on Tristan Drummond and then was sent to the sin bin for dissent, but Sleaford were unable to capitalise on the one man advantage for the next 10 minutes. Tempers flared just before the half time whistle as three Sleaford players were shown a yellow card in a minute but the visitors stood firm to go into the break goalless at half time.

It was a bright start to the second half from the hosts and if it wasn’t for an excellent last minute challenge from Drummond, the hosts would have been in front. That persistence continued as a minute later Hart saw his header cannon back on the post. The deadlock was finally broken in the 57th minute as good work down the right hand side saw a chipped cross into the box was met by a powerful header from Gater found the back of the net despite Liam Flitton's best efforts.

Town responded well but their pressure unfortunately came to nothing and it was the hosts who sealed the victory in the 88th minute. Liam Flitton caught the oncoming attacker who in the box and the home side were awarded a penalty. Flitton did brilliantly to thwart Insall’s penalty with a fine save to his left hand side but Lockett was first to react to score from the rebound. Sleaford’s day ended on a sour note as Ryan Flitton saw red in the dying minutes for a second yellow card, despite a fine game filling in at centre half.

Speaking after the game, manager Tom Ward was full of praise for his players despite the victory. ‘I thought we were superb. I’m immensely proud of the lads the way we dug in and on another day we could have gone on to win that game. Getting clapped off by both sets of supporters shows how much we dug in and I’m really pleased with the efforts today and it’s a big step forward to how we want to play, despite the result’

There’s no game scheduled for next Saturday with the greens back in action on the 11th November at home to Wisbech.