Match Report Tuesday 11th August
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1 - 1 Sherborne Town FC
Wessex League
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1 Sherborne Town 1
Sherborne Town approached this game in a dilemma. All three goalkeepers were unavailable. Step into the breach Will Seeley on-loan from Dorchester Town, whose Facebook page proclaimed: "He is everything you want in a goalkeeper, a great shot-stopper, very calm under pressure, great distribution and he's as brave as anything."
That'll do nicely then. Unfortunately, after three minutes young Seeley was picking the ball out of the net. Not that he was in any way to blame.
At least it meant the Zebras had plenty of time to recover, which they did thanks to a first-half equaliser from Ant Herrin, before holding on for a well-deserved point against their energetic hosts.
Just for a change the visitors were greeted to a lush green playing field at Moon Park, although the concrete perimeter wall will be of concern to the Bemmy executive.
As for the new home kit, the design brought back memories of the 1950s and the vinyl flooring in my granma's bathroom!
Perhaps it was those black and white diamonds that dazzled the Zebras defence, who backed off Tyler Sheath shortly after the kick-off and allowed him to pick his spot with a cross-shot from the left.
Bemmy were certainly on the front foot, forcing two early corners and firing a shot just over the cross-bar. Such was their movement it seemed at times as though the Zebras were up against 14 players.
The visitors gradually settled into the game, however, and drew level on 18 minutes. Following a foul on Herrin out wide on the right, the free-kick was launched beyond the back post where Josh Williams was lurking. The captain adroitly chipped the ball back across the goalmouth where an unmarked Herrin planted a header firmly past a stranded Lewis Gunstone-Gray from about eight yards.
That gave Sherborne a lift. They soon forced a corner which involved some entertaining verbal jousting between home skipper Kimron Quashie and Bemmy old boy Jordon Matthews.
Then Jake Graziano's deep cross, whipped in from the left, was nudged back by Ash Guppy to Aaron White, whose close-range shot was blocked by a defender. Duncan McCabe, teed up by Herrin, was next to have a dig at goal, but his effort was beaten out by Gunstone-Gray.
It was end-to-end stuff and on 27 minutes a huge chance was squandered by Bemmy. A screw-back from the right found an attacker unmarked in front of goal but he somehow managed to blaze the ball over the bar and into the fir trees.
The hosts fashioned another scoring opportunity in the 35th minute, a curling left-footer fired just over the top. But the final chance of the half fell to the men in green. Maxwell Andrews tried to dribble the ball out of defence but was robbed by Herrin who quickly threaded a pass into the path of Alex Murphy. The striker drove deep into the penalty area but Gunstone-Gray narrowed the angle and blocked his shot.
Half-time 1-1.
The Zebras had to be on their mettle. Bemmy began the second half with an early corner, a header just wide and a shot also narrowly off target. Those harlequin shirts were all over the place, stifling the opposition and winning the majority of the second balls. The hosts were also dominant in the air.
At the other end Gunstone-Gray had to be careful, too. Murphy did what he does so well, closing down the keeper and getting a boot in the way of the intended clearance. The ball spun away to safety but one of these days Murphy's efforts will surely lead to a goal.
Fresh legs from the bench injected more zest into the Zebras. After McCabe had seen a 22-yard thunderbolt just clear the bar, Joe Crisp's right-wing cross was almost converted by Herrin. Arriving at an awkward height, the ball was cushioned off Herrin's thigh inches over the top.
Then substitute Ollie Hebbard shimmied past his marker down the right before crossing to the near post where Murphy and a defender challenged for the ball. The result should have been a corner but a goal-kick was awarded.
A wide-open game could have gone either way. A dangerous cross for Bemmy was headed behind by a diving Matthews. On 80 minutes Hebbard raced clear for the Zebras but his angled drive from 14 yards was saved at full stretch by Gunstone-Gray. The lively Hebbard was then fouled as he threatened to cut back from the byline. With Matthews and Quashie still chirping away at each other, Herrin's free-kick was cleared at the near post.
In the 90th minute Bemmy won their ninth corner of the game but all 16 players in the six-yard box missed the ball and a home man ended up prostrate on the deck. Screams for a penalty fell on deaf ears and an entertaining game finished with honours even.
Team: Seeley, White, Graziano, Matthews, Williams, McCabe, Guppy (Bryce 68), Mullins (J Crisp 59), Murphy, Herrin, O Crisp (Hebbard 59). Subs not used: Ansell, Watson.
Scorer: Herrin (18).
Booked: White, Matthews.
Attendance: 100.