The clash of Feltonmix Metro and Hutt Valley Cartage Lynn-Avon United on July 11 had, on paper, all the ingredients one would associate with a top-of-the-table clash. But someone forgot to advise the Met. Office that the game was on.
As a result, the Bluebird Premier League encounter, which, despite the inclement weather, attracted 500 hard souls, did not fulfil its potential, although it wasn’t for the want of trying on the player’s part.
Lynn-Avon enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, many of their attacks foundering on the Shaun O’Mara-marshalled Metro defence. But they did find a way through in the eighteenth minute, only for Geoff Gray to shoot straight at Wayne Roach.
Metro took a while to settle into their stride, but enjoyed a little spell just before the interval which tested United’s defence to the limit. Firstly, Willie Thompson’s 34th minute shot was tipped round the post by Duncan Martin. Soon after, there was an almighty goalmouth scramble, in which Greg Clark, Jason Thompson, Neil Woodhams and captain Richard Harris all stood firm as the home team pounded away without reward..
The second half was similar in pattern to the first, but there were more opportunities to score. A fine save by Roach foiled Gray two minutes into the half, and Metro’s man-of-the-match later denied efforts from Rob Van Bakel - a super volley, Aaron Beckham and Ryan Dawkins, as the league leaders sought the vital goal which would most likely prove decisive.
They got it, too, in the 66th minute, only for Gray’s coolly taken strike to be disallowed for a foul on Sakdy Phommahaxay, the young Metro defender, whose stumble appeared, from a distance, to be prompted by a gentle nudge from Gray as the pair contested possession near Metro’s penalty area.
This served as a spur to the defending champions, and they responded to Lynn-Avon’s onslaught with two devastating counter-thrusts in as many minutes. In the 69th minute, Steve Nickson gathered possession and surged forward. A pass to Stu Roberts brought with it claims of offside, which proved fruitless, and the ball was quickly switched inside to Steve Goddard.
The former Lynndale player had only come on as a substitute four minutes earlier, and this was virtually his first touch of the ball. What a touch! From the edge of the penalty area, he unleashed a beauty which curled away from Martin and found the top corner of the net to open the scoring.
The contest had the makings of a one-goal game throughout, and this looked like being the case - for all of two minutes. Nickson played a one-two with Danny McHenery before, from twenty-five yards, unleashing a screamer. Martin barely moved as the net bulged behind him, the league’s leading scorer’s laser-like strike settling the showdown’s outcome. 2-0 to Metro, and with it, the league lead.

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