Yardley Amateurs V's OHAFC

Old House started this game with something to prove. After a disappointing performance and defeat earlier in the season at home top Yardley they felt they had something to prove. The game started well with good chances for both sides. Yardley had 2 good chances in the first 10 minutes and Gary Morris put a good opportunity well clear of the crossbar for Old House. Guy Homer was the first to score for Old House to put them a goal in front after 10 minutes. Dan Fox put the keeper under pressure and he couldn't control it, only flap it away towards Homer, who neatly put it away to take his tally to 3 goals in 3 games. Tom Haycock had a free kick on the edge of the 18 yard box go just over the crossbar soon after. With 10 mins of the half left, another Haycock free-kick went just wide of the keepers left-hand post. Old House keeping well disciplined at the back and holding a nice tight line gave their stand-in keeper, John McDermott, hardly anything to do. During the first half, he only had a couple of saves to make. Yardley did have a good opening when they had beat the keeper, but Steve Brookes was there to head clear from his own goal-line. The half finished with the teams seperated only by Homer's goal.

A quick-paced start to the second half saw Yardley draw level after only 5 minutes. They then went in front after 10 minutes and Old House were facing another defeat. However, Old House dug in and played some great football. The Yardley defence were being continually ripped apart by the pace of Nathan Roberts. It was Nick Roberts who pulled Old House back level, with a header over the keeper from a corner, 12 mins in for his second goal of the season. Morris was next to strike, when he scored a great solo effort with 25 minutes of the game left. Soon after, Fox put a great cross into the box and Homer was virtually onto the end of it, put the Yardley keeper was their to push it onto the post and out for a corner. Fox was eventually rewarded for his efforts when he put away a great shot from out on the left when he saw the keeper off his line, to make it a seemingly comfortable 4 - 2 with only 5 minutes remaining. However, Yardley reacted straight away and scored a 20-yard scorcher to bring them back into the game at 4 - 3. Despite this late goal, Old House were not finished either and Fox got on the end of Morris' cross to finish the game 3 - 5.

Another 3 points puts us into securely into 8th place. Only one game left, against the league champions, Smithswood Colts. A victory will allow us to finish 7th. Anything else will mean 8th. Will Old House be able to deliver just one more league upset?......