LITTLE EATON DIAMONDS MATCH REPORT (HOME FIXTURE)
The boys knew a win at home today would be enough to see them crowned as league
champions as no other team would be able to gain the 51 points needed to catch Codnor,
With 6 games still remaining including today�s game Codnor were still looking to try
and keep their winning run going and on the last occasion these two teams met which was
back in September in the Challenge Cup first round Codnor ran out 3-1 winners, since then
this Little Eaton Diamonds team had steadily improved week by week and before today�s game
they were in 3rd place in the league after back to back wins in their last 3 games putting
them still in with a chance of challenging for the runners up spot in this division so both
teams were needing to win.
From the kick-off it was Codnor who started the strongest but Little Eaton who had one of
the best defensive records in this league kept the boys quiet for the first 15 minutes
limiting Codnor to just 2 chances on the diamonds goal, Codnors final ball was lacking
in precision and needed to be a lot better if they were to break through the Little Eaton
defense who were defending in vast numbers, an opportunity finally came when T Childs
played an excellent ball to the far post picking out the unmarked J Miles who punished
the diamonds defensive lapse with a shot to the bottom corner after a one on one with the
Little Eaton keeper with 20 minutes played. The boys kept trying to create further chances
but they struggled to find their rhythm of recent games and went in at half time with a
slender 1-0 advantage.
One substitution was made for the start of the second half giving the boys more of an
attacking option and within 10 minutes they doubled their lead with the best move of the
game when J Griffiths split open the Little Eaton defense with a super back heel allowing
J Miles a run into the area before putting away his shot out of the reach of the diamond
keepers despairing dive, there had been a call for an earlier off side from the Little
Eaton management but the referee gave Little Eaton the advantage as they still had the
ball only to lose it seconds later which resulted in Codnor going into a 2-0 lead, the
Little Eaton management seemed incensed with the decision thinking they had been cheated
but minutes later at the other end they were awarded a penalty for hand ball which seemed
a little harsh but we all know the referees decision is final and from the penalty Little
Eaton pulled themselves back into the game with the score at 2-1, with 10 minutes remaining
the next goal was to be crucial for both sides but Codnor always looked the more likely as
Little Eaton had rarely tested the boys in front of their own goal with L McKenna not
having to make a single save as I recall. With 7 minutes remaining Codnor finally killed
off Little Eaton�s chances of a come back when J Griffiths again provider passed the ball
to leading scorer F Kirk inside the area and he shot the ball home into the far corner
for his 30th goal of the season through a crowd of defenders which left the Little Eaton
keeper unsighted but to be honest he would of struggled to reach the ball if he had a
clear view of it anyway.
The aim now is to try and keep a winning run going for the last 5 games to finish with
22 wins from 22 games. Every player this season so far has given Wayne and I there
all and they deserve their success in winning the league title for their commitment
and hard work. WELL DONE 2003/2004 CHAMPIONS