Stotfold v Sun Sports                             8th April 2017                                 SSMLP

Eagles plucked as Sun win away again

Sun Sports were celebrating on Saturday after winning yet another away league match, this time against Stotfold FC.
With the Sun out and playing on a baked pitch, the first half was goalless in a rather dreary first 45 minutes with both teams battling out an aerial affair with the ball being mostly played above head height.
Stotfold made the first attempt at goal bringing out a fine save by Matty Evans, Kerran Lataille lashed in a shot for the boys in yellow which flew just over the bar minutes later.
Mr Evans was called into action again when a Stotfold player was left unmarked and Evans got down well to block the shot to keep the Sun level.
An excellent Kerran long ball from inside the Sun’s half found Jack Johnson who beat off his man and fired a shot cum cross into the six yard area and Tom Gibson threw himself at the ball to try to connect at the far post just before the interval.
Both teams came out for the second half and both sides seemed to be told to keep the ball on the ground rather than in the air, making the second period a more entertaining half.
Matty Evans in the Sun goal kept firm charge of his area and continued to boss the defence.
At the other end the Stotfold keeper seemed to be having a troublesome half with the sun (the planetary kind) in his eyes and a high ball from a Jamie Speer free kick caused him to fumble a catch dropping the ball on the line until he could scoop it up again.
Tommy Walsh (the wrestler’s favourite!) looked up on the halfway line and hit a looping ball over the Eagle’s defence finding Kyle Johnson whose left foot cross was deflected away from the oncoming Kerran Lataille by the Stotfold keeper, the ball fell kindly to Jack Johnson whose shot was stopped on the line by a desperate Stotfold defender.
From here the Sun started to dictate the game and pushed forward to get the goal they craved and a Tommy Walsh free kick curled towards the top left hand of the Stotfold goal, only for the Stotfold keeper to get a finger to the ball to knock it onto the crossbar and over for a corner.
And the Sun were rewarded when a defensive header back towards goal found JJ loitering with intent to take advantage of the back pass as he coolly lobbed the oncoming keeper into the back of the net to give the Sun a well deserved lead.
But barely a minute had gone when a free kick for the Eagles near the edge of the box gave Stotfold an equaliser with a brilliantly executed kick from Ben L’Honore.
The Sun lost the Stotfold back in August due to a free kick from the same person in that same area so were fully aware of the danger that they faced but that certainly doesn’t take away the accuracy of L’Honore’s kick.
With eight minutes remaining an Andy Brennan corner was hit low and hard towards the near post which seemed to hit a few legs and went in over the line for the Sun to take the lead again.
Karl Penny came on and soon found room to send in a fantastic shot which stung the hands of the Stotfold keeper who managed to keep the ball out.
Andy Brennan then received a square ball from Kyle Johnson and had time to hold onto the ball but he hit it first time and screwed it wide of the goal.
With only a couple of minutes remaining it was squeaky bum time for the Sun as another free kick in Ben L’Honore territory was given. Thankfully for the Sun the ball went over the bar on this occasion.
Just before the end of the game Dom David came on and gave Sun fan’s an exhibition of soccer skills despite him still suffering from his knee injury.
It is hoped that he will soon be able to get a scan on his knee which the players as well as the club’s chairman all have gladly donated to Dom.
Such is the attitude and team spirit of the players this season at Sun Sports Football Club.