Whitchurch Men’s 1s  0   Oswestry Men’s  1s  9

It was always going to be a challenging local derby for the Whitchurch team as they took on their local rivals with both teams knowing each other so well.

It was always going to come down to which team managed to get the early advantage and whether the speed and youth of the Whitchurch side or the experience and guile of the Oswestry team would come out on top.

The first ten minutes were equally balanced as both teams attacked and defended looking for the early advantage and this came to Oswestry. Whitchurch seemed to deflate and Oswestry turned on the continuous pressure for the remainder of the match giving Whitchurch no time or opportunity.

Oswestry won the tactical battle knowing the Whitchurch team and thus managed to subdue the key players in the Whitchurch team. It was a credit to the Whitchurch side that they kept their heads and discipline and managed to keep working until the end of the match although it was of little consolation.

The next game will be a big test for the young Whitchurch team as they aim to put behind this result and take the lessons learn’t from the game into their next home game against Leamington next week.

 

Whitchurch Men’s Fathom  3   Stafford Men’s Fathom  2

Whitchurch men’s fathom side returned to winning ways on Saturday against Stafford. The start of the match saw the sides very evenly matched as both sides countered each other and it was not until midway through the first half that Whitchurch opened the scoring when Craig Hockenhull played a well weighted aerial ball through to Aaron Shackleton who beat the keeper with a good shot. However Whitchurch sat back on their lead and were punished as Stafford seized the initiative to take a 2-1 lead into the half time break.

In the second half Whitchurch settled as both sides tired and started to move the ball catching Stafford on the break and defending solidly at the back with through Ben Fry, Mark Sugden and Ian Bones. A Ben Kimberly, brace over a five minute period reduced the arrears and gave Whitchurch the winner shortly before the end of the match.

For Whitchurch three notable performances from our junior ladies Jess Kimberley, Phoebe Jones and Emily Hilton who didn’t have matches this weekend so stepped in to make up the numbers.

Whitchurch fathom travel away next week to Bloxwich.

 

The ladies teams had a break from league action this weekend but return again next week with the 1s away to Golbourne 2s and the 2s away to Wrexham 2s.