700 for Hoggy but no double triumph over Triumph (12.12.09)

Coventry Alliance Football League

A W Engraving Premier Division

Bourton & Frankton 1 Triumph Athletic 2

The 700th career goal from player-manager Mark Whitehead was not enough to salvage Bourton a point on a crisp afternoon at The Field. 

In an evenly contested but ultimately goalless first period, the home side had the better of the opportunities, creating some useful openings with some fine delivery from the flanks, but without getting the final decisive touch in front of goal.

However, the deadline was broken six minutes after the interval as Triumph came out the stronger and after a spell of early pressure were rewarded with the opening goal. The visitors broke into the penalty area and although B & F keeper Rich Parsons saved the initial shot well, the rebound was knocked in from close range, to the delight of the travelling contingent.

That seemed to knock the wind out of Bourton as their confidence and fluency from the first half deserted them. The hosts could not threaten the visitors to any great extent as Triumph themselves gained in confidence and looked the more likely of the sides to score next.

And that they did although it took until four minutes from time to do so, with a breakaway down the left seeing an unchallenged cross turned in by Triumph's unmarked substitute to kill the game off.

There was still time though for Whitehead's landmark goal deep into added time. Having come on as a late substitute, the striker's initial shot was parried before he made sure at the second time, ironically netting against one of his former clubs.

On reflection, a point would have probably been a fair outcome to this encounter, which nows means Bourton's games before and just after Christmas against teams around them take on a little more extra significance to move them away from the lower reaches of the Premier Division table.

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