Vospers Oak Villa 5 Foxhole 3

[Darin Morse]

Vospers Oak Villa 5 Foxhole 3

Saturday 8th January 2011

Although Foxhole suffered their second successive 5-3 reverse, they were unlucky not to return home with at least a point after a battling performance in the Devon sun, albeit after enduring a torrid opening half hour when Vospers squandered numerous chances to secure the points. The home team gave notice of their intentions inside four minutes when Almond raced down the right before delivering a pinpoint cross which Honeywill slid wide when well placed, before Holland had to be alert both to field Priddle's header from O'Rourke's centre, and to deny Discombe's effort from eighteen yards. Completely against the run of play, the Foxes went ahead on the quarter hour when debutant Rescorl struck from the edge of the box after Simmons had only half-cleared Bird's free-kick.

Vospers soon resumed their offensive, but appeared to have left their shooting boots at home as Almond and Honeywill were each found wanting on two separate occasions and Beynon nodded wide a floated free-kick from the impressive Mitchell. While the visitors were clearly struggling to cope with some swift attacking play, they nevertheless looked dangerous on the break themselves against a ponderous home rearguard, the bustling Griffin twice unfortunate not to extend the lead. However, it came as no surprise when Honeywill eventually tapped home the equaliser on thirty-six minutes, after Holland had parried Almond's initial attempt, and, four minutes later, Almond finished with aplomb once Ralph had failed to cut out a long ball by Discombe, who almost immediately presented Honeywill with yet another opportunity that was wasted. Such profligacy seemed to have been punished when the unmarked Rescorl doubled his tally moments before the break, flicking home Bird's inswinging corner from close-range.

The second period was a far more even affair, with play swinging from end to end, while the tackles flew in, resulting in cautions for Priddle, O'Rourke and Bird, Griffin having earlier been booked for a tussle with Beynon. While Holland had to deny both Almond and Simmons, and Honeywill's dangerous low cross required only a faint touch, Foxhole began both to enjoy more possession in midfield and to further expose frailty in the Vospers defence. Soon after Griffin had outmuscled Souness only to fire past the upright, the Foxes regained the lead with twenty minutes remaining through a fantastic volley from thirty yards by Spaul, after Barnes had fisted away Bird's corner. Five minutes later, however, Priddle made it 3-3 with an equally impressive strike, his fierce drive crashing into the net off the underside of the bar. At this juncture, there was no predicting the final outcome, but Griffin was unable to convert either of two highly presentable chances, first scuffing his shot after racing on to Spaul's searching pass, and then blazing over from eight yards following unselfish work from Rescorl. Inevitably, therefore, on eighty minutes, Priddle forced home after good work by substitutes Hoblin and Eke, and with Adam Holland pushed up front and Cutlan immobile, Vospers capitalised on the resultant huge gaps to complete the scoring at the death through a suspiciously offside-looking Hoblin.

Foxhole (4-4-2): Ryan Holland; Joe Egan, James Cutlan, Bradley Ralph (sub. Chris Allen), Adam Holland; CJ Bird, Liam Nicholls (sub. Daniel Allen), Matt May, Ben Spaul; Richard Griffin, Tom Rescorl.

Vospers (4-4-2); Andy Barnes; Jason Beynon, Ashley O'Rourke, Nick Souness, James Simmons (sub. Rikki Allen); Robbie Almond, Dan Discombe (sub. Joe Eke), John Scholes, Martin Mitchell; Robbie Priddle, Jamie Honeywill (sub. James Hoblin).

Referee: Mr David Gord (Plymouth).