Styal (H) 23/08/11
With just 1 point from their opening 3 games, Sports went into this midweek encounter hungry to get their season up and running at last.
The preparation was good and there was hurt in the eyes of Rosterne & Crawford. Today was going to be a good day, long overdue maybe.
Sports started well and Anderson and Rosterne both in deep lying midfield positions stuck a marker down to the opposition. Adam won more headers on Tuesday than he won in the whole of the previous 3 seasons towering above Styal's colossal 6' 3" number 9 who was likened to ex-Germany strike Carsten Jancker in his hey day. The tone was set early, and it didn't change much.
Lee Mannion fresh from high-altitude training in Magaluf seemed to have the bit between his teeth and his composure was too good for Styal. Adam's through ball found Lee in on goal and the pint-sized luxury player drove the ball past the keeper to put the Grasshoppers one up.
As half-time approached Sports needed something in the bank to show for their toils and they got it in the form of foreign import Dave France after he reacted quickest to Si Blight's forceful header from a corner. His first of the season. Josh Brand wanted a piece of the action and he got it ....... finishing sharply with his left foot swinger to put Sports 3 up as they went in for their half-time break.
The 2nd stanza saw a fairly even half, Fin Todd showed at right back that he is maturing as a senior player and Dan Sisson and Lee Mannion always looked dangerous. New signing from facebook Mike Howarth squeezed into a Sports shirt and came on with 20 to go for the injured Josh Brand and caused all sorts of jip for Styal's backline and Mike got his reward by sliging in Sports 4th with 10 to go. Styal missed a pen and did get a goal back which veteran keeper big Tim Ecclestone could do little about.
Great win for the Grasshoppers and they travel to Tarporley this Saturday to hopefully get 3 more deserved points.
Sports: Eccelstone 9, Todd 8, Elcoat 7, France 8, Blight 8, Anderson 7, Rosterne 8, Crawford 8, Mannion 8, Sisson 7, Brand 7 Subs: Macintyre, Fryman 7, Howarth 8
