Forest Row began their league campaigne in winning ways as they came through a tough opening fixture againts TW Ridgewaye with a 2-1 victory. It was Forest Rows first league match as a team after their 5-2 previous result in a pre season friendly agains Forest Ro U17s the previous week. TW Ridgewaye's manager said it wasnt good enough from his team today and they need to learn from this quickly and re start there season as quickly as possible. Jason Fitzpatrick on the other hand remained calm but seemed very pleased with his teams performance but still feels that there lack of chance taking could prove costly unless they resolve this problem, they were however missing their main talisman upfront George Pleon who is still trying to get a work permit to play in this league.
The game begun with Forest Row seeming he more alive team with chances contiually coming for the deers, with the closest chances coming from Fergus Twigg, when he done brilliantly to tackle the Ridgewaye right back and continued a run into te box where he came one on one with the goalkeeper but sadly didnt connect with the ball right and his shot sailed over the bar. More chances kept coming for Frow with skipper Tom Hawkins making it all tick with great runs and throughballs, and he had too very similar chances down the right hand side of the box after neat passes and dribbles to beat opponents where he found himself in on goal but couldnt find the target with both chnaces skimming past the post.
But luck finally run out for Ridgewaye when with just over five minutes left to play in the first half left back Frank Morgan-Rowe drived up the left wing and with no oncoming defender coming to close him down he deliverd a brilliant cross in towards Christian Hewitt, Fergus Twigg and Tom Hawkins where the ball fell kindly onto Hewitts knee and the ball nestled into the right hand corner of the net, Hewitt didnt know too much of what happened but he took the goal well on the volley, 1-0.
Into the second half and Ridgewaye finally started to come out of the blocks with great chances being created and they looked threatening on every attack, Forest Row looked slightly nervous due to this unexpected pressure and under five minutes into the second half Ridgewaye equalised from a set piece from the half way line where they delievered a ball over to the oncoming right midfielder who took the ball down nicely and he sliped it underneath oncoming frow goalkeeper Dan Wright, 1-1.
Throughout the rest of the game it was all Forest Row where the continued to create big chances espically from set pieces, and with quater of an hour to go Forest Row re took the lead through centre half Conor Thornley-Gibson who rose up from a pack of defenders from a corner whipped in terrifically by Frank Morgan-Rowe for his second assist of the day and Conor delivered a thumping header into the back of the net which roared a sigh of relief from the forest Row players and supporters, 2-1.
Forest Row had chances at the end to win it but Ridgewaye created nervy last moments for Frow with a corner driven in but skipper Tom Hawkins single handedly headerd the ball out twice and drove the ball up to the opposite end of the pitch, it was like he was carrying the team out of trouble as everyone was able to regroup and clear the lines, and it finished 2-1 to Forest Row a great start to an exiting season for the deers.
Man of the match went to goalkeeper Dan Wright after a fanastic performance keeping Frow in the game everytime when called apon during the game.
