Tolleshunt Knights Eagles 2 Spangels 4

It didn't look good for the eleven man Spangels team that arrived at Tolleshunt Knights Eagles home pitch. Admittedly their late arrival due to "direction problems" was not an issue as the Eagles had failed to arrange a referee for the fixture and were frantically scrambling around for a replacement. This set kick-off back to almost 11.30am. What was a concern to the 30-something Spangels' players was the obvious youth of their opposition. However, as it turned out it was the less fit, slower and in most cases fatter team had it where it counted. Between their ears.

The game got off to a reasonable start for the away side, with Eagles resorting to playing the ball in behind the Spangels defence. They created little and indeed it was Spangels that looked the more likely to score as the half wore on. Whiteman and Weeks on another occasion would have buried two one-on-ones in the first twenty minutes. A Weeks effort crashed off the cross-bar on the half-hour mark and Whiteman hit a post from distance some 30 seconds later.

Pritchard had a close range left-footed effort well saved and it looked as though the sides would go in level, but following an excellent Weeks ball into the box an Eagles defender raised his hand to the ball to prevent Whiteman burying what would have been an easy header. A penalty was duly awarded and Whiteman smashed it into the roof of the net. The half-time whistle sounded immediately and the one goal lead was no more than Spangels deserved.

The second half saw a less composed performance from Spangels, but they still moved into a comfortable lead. 15 minutes in, Weeks latched on to a Whiteman through ball and neatly tucked his effort past the home 'keeper. Whiteman added a third and his second with a well taken effort. And Weeks completed the away sides scoring with 15 minutes left after an excellent passing move involving six Spangels players, with Lowe slotting him in. Pritchard, Carey and Tivey also could have notched during the second half.

Eagles managed two consolation efforts in the final five minutes, with identical moves down Spangels left seeing Kemp beaten via the far corner, although he had had little to do in this match.

A good win then, which was bore out of an excellent team ethic.

Team : Kemp, Lynch, Winsborough, Pritchard, Theobald (C), Lowe, Tivey, Underdown, Whiteman (2), Weeks (2), Carey.

Spangels MOM : Daniel Lowe