It all looked very promising as we started the game with a strong squad of players and in front of our fanatical home support. We made the early running, but it was Amberley who struck first with a long range looping shot dipping just over Steve's hand and under the crossbar. We made plenty of chances after that. Bran was unended in the area for a penalty, and when it was saved by the Amberley keeper, it looked like being one of those days.At half-time we brought on fresh legs and managed to level the score...Geoff through on the keeper. 1v1. Then another Geoff effort was turned in at the far post by Chalkie. 2v1. After that the luck deserted us. Joe hit the cross bar and we had any number of other chances, but it was Amberley who scored again, 30 seconds from the end, and it was another long range looping shot over the keeper to level the score at 2v2.
Team : Steve, Simon, Tim, Scholes, Brian (Joe 45 mins), Danny, Bran, Sam (Jon 45mins), Chalkie (1), Geoff (1), Lee J.
That's the end of another fun season, and the end of a great decade of football for the Coal Exchange Football Club!
It was a bitterly cold day at West Chiltington. The pitch was hard and bumpy, and we started the first half playing uphill into a strong headwind. But, despite being up against it we started well and made a few good chances, and absorbed the Chiltington pressure without too many problems.
We suffered a blow after just ten minutes when ace striker Jez went down with a twisted ankle. Swift medical attention was administered by the highly trained West Chiltington medical team....'Do you want me to pour some water on that mate?' But despite the efforts of the emergency services Jez had to come off.
We did well to get to half time only conceeding one goal, and with the wind and the hill in our favour it looked promising for the second half. But we struggled to get the ball under control on the bumpy pitch and failed to create enough clear chances. Geoff, Danny, and Simon all saw long range efforts fly well clear of the goal. New keeper Steve performed heroics in goal, but with ten minutes to go we went to three at the back in an attempt to snatch the equaliser and West Chilts sneaked in for the second.
Team : Steve, Sam, Tim, Chalkie, Simon, Sonny, Bran, Jon, Danny (Ray 80mins), Geoff, Jez (Brian 10mins)
This was a brilliant result to end a string of recents defeats for the Coal Exchange Football team. The conditions were cold and windy, but the mighty Coalie started brightly with strike partnership Bartlett and Bullen (surely the next Shearer and Sheringham) terrorising the Milland defence.
With the wind and slope behind us, we created stacks of chances and by half-time we were three goals up. Two from our very own flying Scott, Bran (one set-up by a Brazilian-like back-heel from Jezza). And one from 'Back-heel' Bullen himself.
The second half was backs-to-the-wall stuff, but we held out for a fantastic win which will hopefully get the Coalie back on track to seal our comfortable midtable position!
Team : Steve, Danny (Brian 45mins), Scholes, Andy, Sonny, Sam, Jon, Bran, Chalkie, Jez, Geoff