By Pete Martin – Cover image by Michael Berkeley
The White’s 1st midweek game of the season saw them fall to defeat at home to Hartley Wintney. Salisbury manager Steve Claridge made 2 changes to the starting lineup; Dan Fitchett and Brandon Goodship replacing Marvin Brooks and Ben Thomson in attack.
The home side got off to the worst possible start as they found themselves 2-0 down inside 5 mins, and it was a mess all of their own making. The first goal arrived within the first 30 seconds as Kyen Nicholas was on hand to lash the ball home at the back post following a catalogue of errors by the Whites. Josh Wakefield’s pass to Sam Roberts was short and, following the Hartley Wintney forward nipping the ball away, the chance was missed to clear the ball and after a miss-kick by Zidan Akers, Nicholas got his side off to the perfect start. Just 4 minutes later their lead was doubled with Akers the goal scorer this time. A corner was initially cleared into midfield but picked up Youel Emmanuel who fed Akers and he curled a good shot into the left-hand corner of the net.
Following that frantic start, the game started to settle down, although Gerard Benfield had to be alert to deny a 3rd Hartley goal when Nicholas got in behind the defence again. Salisbury hit back after 17 minutes with summer signing Brandon Goodship getting his 1st goal for the club. The ball was won in the left-back area and fed down the line to Goodship who advanced forward and from just inside the area crashed home a fine left-footed shot to give the Whites hope.
Images by Roger Elliott
With the game approaching the half-hour mark there were half chances at either end for both Goodship and Nicolas before the visitors grabbed their 3rd goal of the game on 40 minutes. A simple pass out of defence from Dinesh Gillela was easily cut out and fed wide to full-back Thomas Leggett and his low cross gave Nicholas the easiest of tasks to fire home from 5 yards and restore the 2 goal lead. It could have been even worse for Salisbury in time added on but Benfield got down well to keep out Hartley skipper Harry Cooksley’s low shot from the edge of the area to keep it to just a 2 goal advantage at the break.
Images by Michael Berkeley
The start of the 2nd half saw Salisbury the more dominant side, with the visitors happy to sit on their lead and look to hit on the break. For all the ball the Whites had, clearcut chances were few and far between. Devon Arnold had a weak shot saved on 60 minutes but 8 minutes later Hartley should have added some gloss to the scoreline only for Emmanuel to put his shot high and wide when in behind the home defence. A further half chance for Akers came and went before on 83 minutes a fizzing low cross from Antonio Diaz saw no Salisbury striker able to get a touch and then 4 minutes later Diaz was again involved to set up substitute Ben Thomson who rattled the post from just 6 yards out when left unmarked in the box. The final chance for the White’s came in time added on but Goodship was unable to keep his shot down from the edge of the area to leave Salisbury disappointed and well beaten.
The White’s will look to bounce back on Saturday when they travel to Yate Town for a 3pm kick-off.
Team: Benfield, Davis, Sommerton, Roberts, Gillela(Brooks M), Wakefield, Mullings, Arnold, Diaz, Goodship, Fitchett(Thomson).
Unused Subs: Penny, Savage, Sutcliffe.
