Taunton CS v ECV Hornets B

Saturday 29th November saw ECV Hornets B visit Monkton Heathfield to take on Taunton CS. A quick chat before the game ensured there was to be no complacency against a team who had picked four wins in the opening half of the season.

Taunton CS came out of the blocks flying for the first time this season controlling the game early on. The game was played deep in the ECV half and a number of opportunities soon came along for the Taunton forwards. It was however Simon Jones who opened the scoring from a penalty scoring proving that his short comer nightmare of the preceding week was behind him! Having gone ahead Taunton continued to dominate however at times made hard for themselves at the back by losing concentration and shape. Julian Brown, a last minute call up to replace Miles Cave who was on his “sick bed” and Mike Whitman who was supposedly moving house (from London?) was made a couple of confident saves to ensure the home side stayed in front. The continuous pressure from the home side saw Simon Jones capitalise on two more chances to put Taunton 3-0 up with 10 minutes of the first half still to play. With a healthy lead Taunton began to take their foot of the pedal and coasted to half time.

A half time team talk about maintaining the intensity was well received as within minutes of the game restarting a an ECV defender decided to stop a the ball on the goal line with their foot to allow Simon Jones to step up to take the resulting penalty flick to claim his fourth of the afternoon. Not long afterwards a fifth and a sixth followed for Simon Jones showing that the short corner radar was well and truly fixed. Having notched up his sixth Simon decoded to take a break however was soon back on as the Taunton skipper, Ali Johnston took a ball to the ankle at the far post and hobbled off to join Mark Sawyer on the injury list. Having looked so commanding Taunton then sought to try and make things hard for themselves by conceding two quick goals allowing ECV a small glimmer of hope of getting back in the game. It was not to be as a number of other players decided to get on the score sheet. Ben Witt finished smartly before turning provider for Lee Slade who was able to sweep in past an outstretched ECV keeper. Finally Fin Porter, through on goal was brought down by the ECV keeper who was unfortunate to take both ball and player. Fin quickly grabbed the ball to take the flick, thus depriving Simon an opportunity to equal Lee Slade’s record of 7 goals in a game from the previous season. Fin Porter duly scored the stroke to take Taunton’s tally to nine and although ECV claimed a final consolation goal and the end it was a solid performance from the home side who travel to Chard next week with the opportunity to go to third in the league.

Unsurprisingly M.O.M went to Simon Jones for his six goals while also unsurprisingly D.O.D went to Toron Everett.

Team was as follows;

Julian Brown (GK), Jason Harris, Ali Johnston (c), Curtis Bradley, Toron Everett, Jim Smith, Simon Jones (6), Ben Witt (1), Jesse Mooney, Lee Slade (1), Mark Sawyer, James Coles, Fin Porter (1)