Match Reports

The heavy rain from the previous day had abated, allowing this match to begin under sunny skies.  And what a match it was! Missing several key players due to injury and suspension, the Mavericks battled magnificently for the entire 90 minutes to overturn a 2-0 deficit and obtain a well earned 2-2 draw.

In such a fine team performance it may seem unfair to single out individual players, but it should be noted that the Mavericks' Ted Hartley was outstanding and hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon. Dillon Nagle, Joe Patching and goalkeeper Joe Sandell all put in decent shifts, but it was the collective team effort that ensured a share of the points.

The opening exchanges were about even with goal-scoring opportunities at both ends. In the 5th minute Sandell saved well from point blank range at the feet of Tyler Goatcher, but the Mavericks' keeper was unable to stop Seaford's Connor Jones slotting home in the 15th minute.

The visitors moved 2-0 ahead in the 38th minute when Owen Muller unluckily sliced the ball into his own net at the far post, and at this stage things were looking ominous for the home side.

Nagle, however, pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time with a low shot into the far corner. It was the psychological boost the Mavericks needed, and after the interval they came out fighting.

Midway through the second half Yassine Jilal equalized with a screamer into the top corner that left Seaford's goalkeeper Josh Measor clutching at thin air. Jilal's goal celebration was something to behold, containing enough backward somersaults and backflips to win a gymnastics bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

All in all, it had been a great game of football, and a wonderful advert for the SCFL.

Keith.

On a blustery afternoon at Lyons Farm the Mavericks were knocked out of the Peter Bentley Cup at the first hurdle, but despite the high winds the match was full of incident, containing four goals and a sending off.

Mavericks' captain Kieran Deacon was dismissed in the first half for receiving two yellow cards, and with only ten men on the pitch the task became difficult.

The Mavericks had their chances however.  In the 20th minute Joji Phillips side-footed just wide of the post, and the same player ballooned the ball over the crossbar from 12 yards in the 27th minute.  Midway through the second half Joel Davison came close, and a Joe Patching free-kick in the 83rd minute was tipped over the bar by Oakwood goalkeeper Ashley Davy.

But this was Oakwood's day.  Josh Neathy opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a precise finish, and in the 45th minute Mitch Casselman made it 2-0 following a poor clearance by Connor Berwick in the Mavericks' goal.

Charlie Adsett added a third in the 67th minute after more terrible defending, and Neathy completed the scoring late in the match with a decent finish. He might have scored a hat-trick but his penalty kick at the death was wide of the mark.

Neathy, it has to be said, hardly endeared himself to the home supporters, going down like a sack of King Edwards each time a United player so much as breathed on him.  Eventually, the referee became exasperated and showed him a yellow card.

Keith.