Sun Sports v Biggleswade United   23rd February 2016    SSML Premier

Match report courtesy of Biggleswade United website.

The first of two back to back League encounters finished in United’s favour in a very competitive match on a frosty February night in Watford. The 3-1 win gave Cristian Colás’ team their fourth consecutive win and moved them up to eighth in the Premier Division table.
Only the brave turned out for this one and in front of a sparse crowd – due possibly to the cold and a certain Mr Messi making an appearance on British telly – but they were treated to an entertaining match with its fair share of feistiness and periods of eloquent, flowing football.
However, it took time for both sides to adjust to the conditions and the opening ten minutes saw each struggle to maintain possession. United were trying to make the most of the wide pitch, with the United midfield playing in wingmen Adam Drakulić and Tom Cookman at every opportunity but the Sun defenders rallied to block the route through their ranks.
But with 16 minutes on the clock a ball wide from Nick Elliott to Cookman saw the United striker play a quick ball into youngster Scott Batchelor and with a composure beyond his 18 years he managed to lob the ball over the ‘keeper from fifteen yards out and give United an early lead.
As was to be expected the Sun came back strongly and three minutes later a long range strike from the impressive, Ashley Lewis, had United ‘keeper Tom Wyant beaten but the woodwork came to his rescue.
United’s good fortune continued when, in the 25th minute, they were gifted a second goal courtesy of an unfortunate defender’s wayward boot. A combo of play between Cookman, Luke Jones and James Cooper was finished with a strike from Cooper that saw the luckless defender attempt to clear only for the ball to loop over his ‘keeper’s head and in to the back of the net.
Drakulic went close to making it 3-0 in the 38th minute but Sun ‘keeper Ross Hampton managed to get a finger tip to his curling shot and Mohamed Hashem wriggled his way through a packed defence but saw his final effort turned away by ‘keeper Ross Hampton for a corner.
With almost the final touch of the half the Sun pulled a goal back. A free kick from the right flank found Lewis unmarked in the United six yard area and he headed past Wyant to reduce the deficit and save his teammates from the half time hairdryer treatment.
The opening second half exchanges saw neither side able to break down two well organised defences. United had returning skipper, Jones, marshalling proceedings while his opposite number, Scott Bonner, had the home side back line well drilled thus reducing chances for either sides’ strikers to add to the goal tally.
Controversy reined though in the 71st minute when a long ball from United defender, Lee Bilcock, saw an offside Drakulić start to chase down the ball deep in to Sun half. Realising he was off side he left the ball to full back James Cooper and while the Sun players called for a flag, Cooper laid it back to Drakulić who was then upended by a frustrated Sun defender. From the resulting free kick Hashem picked out Elliott who took the ball wide and tucked it away from the narrowest of angles for 1-3 to United.
Sun were presented with a golden opportunity to retrieve something from the game in the 80th minute. A hotly disputed penalty decision given by the assistant referee for a handball that clearly struck Matt Cooper’s chest gave Lewis the chance to claim his second goal of the night from the spot. Wyant was reading from a different script, however, and United’s young ‘keeper pulled off a stunning one handed save to maintain United’s two goal lead that they held on to until the final whistle.