Spangels 2 Braintree Sporting 5

Neil Horrocks Memorial Trophy Round One

Spangels went down to loftier opponents in Division Two Braintree Sporting in this match and will consider a lack of chances created and poor defensive work at corners as their downfall.

Hagan retained his shirt in the starting eleven, with Collis returning. Crow was named a sub' along with the Livermore brothers. Putt & Whiteman formed the partnership upfront. Tivey went into the back four in captain Theobald's absence.

Spangels started poorly and were two goals down as early as the tenth minute. Pritchard was beaten to a cross by Sporting's big number ten and the ball squirmed under Ramsay's body for the first, whilst another corner was headed in at the far post.

The home side responded, with a Whiteman penalty that was driven straight down the middle saved by the away 'keeper. Whiteman did convert another chance a few minutes later after a 40 yard ball by Tivey.

Unfortunately, Sporting restored their two goal cushion from another corner, a carbon-copy of their second goal, being scored at the far post.

Rivett burst on to a Sayer dink to put Spangels back in the fixture five minutes before half time.

In the second half, despite the encouragement of only being a goal down, Spangels struggled to create anything clear cut and Braintree Sporting took the game beyond the home side scoring two quick fire goals, both from corners.

One Gary Livermore effort whislted past the post late on, but Spangels never looked like getting themselves back into it.

Team : Ramsay, Lynch, Wilson, Pritchard, Tivey (C), Rivett (1), Sayer, Collis (Crow), Hagan (G.Livermore), Putt (T.Livermore), Whiteman (1).

Spangels MOM : Neil Rivett