Match Report Wednesday 2nd September
Sherborne Town FC 1 - 2 Downton
Wessex League
Sherborne Town 1 Downton 2
A red card for Jordon Matthews early in the second half underpinned this midweek defeat for a Zebras team that, during the first period, had done an excellent job of knocking high-flying Downton out of their comfort zone.
Zebras led at the break, but ended up playing the last 35 minutes a man short and, despite a valiant defensive effort, they succumbed to a goal three minutes from the end. Their cause was compounded by being forced to change keepers just after the Robins had equalised.
It was a shaky start by the visitors and within a minute a lack of communication between keeper Heath Bartram and captain Cam Beard was almost capitalised upon by Dec Cornish.
At the other end Matthews had the first of many brushes with Ronan Clancy, but the resultant Downton free-kick came to nothing with Clancy shooting wide.
On 21 minutes the hosts had a goal ruled out for offside after Alex Murphy had nodded in Aaron White's volleyed cross following a free-kick.
However, the ball was back in the same net three minutes later, and this time it counted. Bartram looked favourite to reach a chip over the Robins back-line first in a race with Joe Crisp, but the keeper shirked the challenge and the diminutive Zebras midfielder stabbed the ball past him and into an unguarded goal.
In the 27th minute it should have been 2-0. Bartram, weak under an aerial challenge from Murphy in the corner of the penalty area, dropped the ball which ran loose and was neatly rolled into an empty net by the striker. Typically, the goalkeeper being a protected species was adjudged to have been impeded and another one was chalked off. A contestable decision.
A minute later Cornish cut inside from the right and let loose from the edge of the 18-yard box but his effort was pulled just wide.
Robins did look a threat, although the final ball often let them down. On 32 minutes Ben Satterley's puny effort was easily smothered by Marshall. Beard did much better five minutes later but his well-struck long-range effort fizzed just over the cross-bar.
Half-time 1-0.
Two minutes into the second half and Matthews went into the book for another foul on Clancy.
Up at the Clubhouse End, Murphy reacted quickest to a Bartram fumble but was unable to make a decent connection and his shot was cut out before reaching the goal line.
The Robins were jolted into life and equalised on 52 minutes. A thunderbolt from Lee-Brad Haensel was acrobatically turned behind by Jack Marshall and from the corner Max Wilcock planted a firm header into the net.
Matters soon worsened for the hosts. On 55 minutes Clancy went down under a challenge from Matthews which resulted in a second yellow and dismissal for the defender. It proved a crucial moment. The Robins could now press and hassle their opponents and exploit the gaps that were inevitably going to appear.
Ten minutes later salt was added to Zebras' wounds when Marshall was injured in a coming together with Clancy and took no further part in the proceedings. Clancy's name went into the book.
Zebras rallied and in the 71st minute Liam Nardiello unleashed a 25-yarder which tested Bartram.
But as the visitors gained momentum, Hollard had to fling himself to his right to tip a shot from substitute Ben Moss to safety on 77 minutes. Two minutes later the men in red had a goal disallowed for offside.
Just as the Zebras looked as though they might hold on for a point, sloppiness in midfield led to a gut-wrenching 87th-minute winner for the Robins. A cross whipped in from the left led to a brief scrimmage in the penalty area. The ball squirmed out to Moss who swept it home from close range at the back post to send the away management team into raptures.
Team: Marshall (Hollard 65), Ansell, White, Matthews, Williams, Graziano, Guppy (Nardiello 65), Mullins, Murphy, J Crisp, Cornish (Bryce 70). Subs not used: Watson, Hebbard.
Goal: Crisp (24).
Booked: Matthews (x2), Ansell, Murphy.
Sent off: Matthews.
Attendance: 124.