This Eric Hughes Memorial Cup match saw Division 3 basement side Cavalier FC host Division 2 high flyers White Horse FC at Sands Lane, Rowde.
Cavalier started the match missing two key midfielders in Fraser Dick and Darren Folkard, and were also missing their number 1, Ben Bevan.
Roger Wiltshire started with the same 3-5-2 formation that worked very well in the previous game against Fortune Inn. Marcus Rossi deputised in goal for the absent Bevan. The back 3 was Alford, J Wiltshire and Hunter. Playing just in front of them in a holding role was John Stockman, and playing in the centre of midfield was the in form Stewart Bates and Roger Wiltshire himself, despite suffering from a suspected broken toe. Dan Rance and Carl Ledbury operated as wing backs. Andy Holman and Will Musgrove completed the starting lineup as the strike partnership.
It was Cavalier who started the game brightest, as having 3 men in the centre of midfield seemed to give them more possession and also the opportunity to attack in numbers, throwing bodies in the box.
Midway through the half, the home side could have taken the lead, when good play down the right by R Wiltshire and Rance, resulted in a pinpoint cross by Wiltshire met by the head of Bates 12 yards from goal, but the resulting effort went way wide. It wasn’t long after that Cavalier did take the lead. A corner from the right by Ledbury was met by the head of Jez Wiltshire, who grabbed his first goal of the season.
This seemed to spur White Horse on, and they were soon level after Roger Wiltshire left his man on a corner, and the resulting header crept in at the far post under the legs of Josh Hunter.
HALF TIME – 1-1.
New assistant Stacey Cresswell gave a rousing team talk at the break, switching the formation to 4-4-2. This gave White Horse more possession, as Wiltshire and Stockman were starting to tire in the middle of the park. At the hour mark, White Horse deservedly took the lead with a long range strike by their left back leaving Marcus Rossi rooted to the spot.
Cavalier heads started to drop at this point, and the predictable happened where more goals started to flow.
The final score was 5-1, but Roger Wiltshire and Stacey Cresswell were particularly impressed with the first half display, and a win will surely be just around the corner.
