Report

FRANTIC FINALE AT THE DEATH

Chapeltown Colts 3 Porter 3

An end-of-season emotional rollercoaster at Ecclesfield School.  A sometimes bizarre morning saw a first half of 47 minutes with the home team scoring after 45 and a second period of 40 ending with two goals in the last two minutes and Andy Stevens hobbling off injured and ultimately carried down the slope by Jonathan Walmsley and Gerry Hickey ( thanks chaps and hope the osteopath’s bill isn’t too much Gerry).

In many ways this was typical of Porter’s season – some good flowing football at times but also a number of errors which proved costly. Your match reporter turned caretaker manager in Patrick Egan’s absence had spent many long hours in front of his flipchart planning team formation. For long periods of the first half this seemed to have worked quite well with Porter committed to the cause. Niall Egan’s long range effort struck the bar and Porter took the lead after 22 minutes when Andy Stevens swept the ball out to Reece Pickering whose cross was met by Ruari Skinner to beat the home keeper. Porter’s defence looked generally sound with good performances from Gabriel Hickey, Alex Manton and Andy Stevens.

1-1 at half time but the visiting spectators feared the worse when the Colts took the lead but Porter showed their resolve within two minutes to equalise from close range through Reece Pickering. At 2-2 on a bumpy pitch it was anybody’s game – Nick Ducey’s effort from the edge of the penalty area produced a splendid save from the home keeper. With two minutes to go ( out of 40 ) Reece Pickering’s cross from the left produced a neat finish from Ruari Skinner but a free-kick given away in the last minute saw the ball soar past James Hudson’s grasp. A generally committed performance, though, to end the season.  Well played lads.