01/04/12: Washington River Bar FC (2) v (2) New Derby FC
Scorers: Calvert, Gourlay
Starting Team: Udale (GK), Bunyan, Horn, Fisher, Robson, Waites (Boiston), Scott (Taylor), Gourlay, Dodsworth, Thompson, Calvert
Subs (Unused): Ashman, Wright, Young
Yellows: Fisher
Reds: None
A spirited second half comeback saw the New Derby come from two down to snatch a 2-2 draw against promotion rivals, Washington River Bar FC.
Scott Linton was forced into two changes with Josh McGill failing to recover from an ankle problem and Graham Binks still heavily under the influence falling a late night of drinking. Matthew Fisher and captain, Ben Horn were drafted in and formed the central defensive pairing. Last week’s centre halves Paul Bunyan and Sam Scott found themselves at right back and centre midfield respectively with the rest of the team unchanged.
The Derby started on the back foot as River Bar enjoyed the bulk of the possession in the early stages.
The Derby were looking a little ragged and experiencing great difficulty in trying to get the ball and play on the particularly uneven surface.
With just over ten minutes gone the Derby fell behind. A neat one-two between a couple of River Bar players saw the striker scamper clear of the flat footed Derby backline before slipping a shot past Steve Udale and into the corner of the net.
The Derby continued to struggle and shortly afterwards, Washington River Bar doubled their advantage. A corner from the left was swung into the box and after Udale failed to collect the cross the ball was scrambled home at the back post by one of the River Bar centre halves.
Only a great save from Udale prevented a third goal as he tipped an effort from just inside the area onto the upright – the ball rebounding kindly into his hands.
Sam Scott was then forced off with a shoulder injury. Luke Taylor came on in his place, a move which prompted another tactical reshuffle from the Derby manager. Taylor went to left back which saw Stephen Robson move to the wing. James Dodsworth dropped back into the centre of the defence and Fisher was pushed up to fill the spot vacated by Scott in the centre of midfield alongside Dave Gourlay.
The best the Derby could muster going forward was a Rob Calvert effort which comfortably cleared the bar although with the aerial prowess of Horn and Fisher they were always a threat at set pieces.
They were unable to force a reply before the break as Washington River Bar held onto their comfortable two goal lead.
The Derby started the second period with much more purpose, pressurising their opponents a lot better and finally starting to string some passes together.
James Waites was very unlucky not to score shortly after the interval but his effort cannoned back off the crossbar with the keeper beaten.
Stephen Robson also came close to pulling a goal back but his well controlled left foot volley from just outside the edge of the area went narrowly over the crossbar.
Just after the hour mark the Derby gave themselves a lifeline when Calvert halved the arrears. A good ball forward from Waites put the Derby striker clear and, after he skilfully rounded the keeper, he slid the ball into the empty net.
The Derby were now making all the running and around ten minutes later they grabbed the equaliser their second half performance had deserved. A long throw in from Fisher was nodded clear by a River Bar defender but Dave Gourlay was waiting on the edge of the area to volley home a sweet strike into the bottom left hand corner.
Both teams pushed in the final quarter of an hour to grab the winner. River Bar saw an effort headed off the line by Bunyan whilst another shot came back off the post. The best chance the Derby had of winning came when Calvert ran through on goal but instead of shooting he surprised everyone by trying to square the ball to Thompson only to see it cut out by a defender.
At full time both sides will look back on the game and think what might have been but no question in the end that a draw was the right result. The Derby need to take today’s second half performance into their next game on Tuesday night as midweek football makes a return to the Downhill Dome. Current table toppers, Ashbrooke S.C are the visitors and no-one connected to the Derby will need reminding of what happened in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season.
