Match Report Saturday 1st August
Horndean 1 - 2 Sherborne Town FC
Wessex League
Horndean 1 Sherborne Town 2
This represented the dawn of a new era for both these clubs. Following the departure of long-serving manager Neil Waddleton, Sherborne Town were now under the stewardship of Luke Jackson. Add to that the retirements of club stalwarts George Mapletoft and Sam Farthing, plus the exit of Tom Budden - three players that between them had amassed over 1,000 appearances for the Zebras - and one was looking at a team very much in transition.
It was a similar story at Horndean who, on their return to the Wessex Premier following three seasons at Step 4 level, were also being led by a fresh coaching staff. To say that boss Kevin Adair had been busy close season would be an understatement. According to X-feed, he had signed no few fewer that 17 new players!
The battle of the two 'new' managers was won by Jackson, who turned things around after a dire first half and watched his side come from behind to land the spoils. A late winner was scored by substitute Billy Mullins, who is making up for lost time having missed the whole of last season through injury.
The last time Sherborne Town visited Five Heads Park they were known as The Magpies, Meatloaf were top of the hit parade and vice chairman Steve Paradise was still knocking in the goals. That was 33 years ago in an FA Vase replay (score 1-3 to the Mags). The grass was probably greener on the other side, too.
Back to the present and it was a scruffy first half, full of heavy touches and made worse by a parched, straw-coloured pitch which was as hard as concrete. The visitors, playing down the slope, had the first effort on goal after two minutes. A punt down the middle by keeper Jack Marshall was allowed to take two huge bounces before being latched on to by Alex Murphy. The Zebras striker tried an audacious lob from 20 yards but the ball was safely gathered by home gloveman Casey Balfour under his own crossbar. Six minutes later Ant Herrin, set up by Ollie Hebbard, saw his curling shot from 16 yards also snaffled by the keeper.
In an instant, play was shifted up the other end and, on nine minutes, the Deans opened the scoring. An up-and-under over a square Zebras back-line was pounced on by Kevin Ngombi, whose deft chip over the onrushing Marshall from the edge of the penalty area trickled in off a post. Jordon Matthews raced back to hack clear but all in vain as the ball had already crossed the line.
It was a stylish finish from Ngombi, but the less said about his next effort on goal the better - it went for a throw-in!
The game then became very fractious, punctuated by petty fouls and much pushing and shoving. After consultation between referee and linesman, Matthews' name went into the book after grappling with Ngombi, who dealt out retribution soon after with a robust shoulder in the back of his marker.
Much vitriol from the home dug-out was constantly directed at the referee who at one point seemed likely to lose total control. Pity, also, the hapless official running the line in front of the Deans bench - he could have done with ear muffs.
Adair's blood pressure no doubt went up a few notches when danger-man Ngombi squandered a good chance to put Deans two-up on 15 minutes. Clean through, one-on-one with Marshall, his shot rebounded off the outside of an upright.
Unable to cope with the undulations, the Zebras lacked cohesion and struggled to get close to their counterparts. On one rare attack Hebbard managed to nutmeg Flynn Jackman, who resorted to bringing the winger down, but the following free-kick came to nothing.
Just before the half-hour mark, the tedium was broken when Elliott Harrison tried a flamboyant bicycle kick but his effort drifted wide of the far post.
On 33 minutes, shortly after the Deans had won their first corner, they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous area just outside the 18-yard box. The ball, though, was driven straight into the Zebras wall. Tedium returned for the final 10 minutes of the half.
Half-time 0-1.
The Zebras needed to emerge from their slumber after the break, and they did so. Finding life much easier playing up the slope, they could pass forwards without having to wave goodbye to the ball.
It took only five minutes to level the scoring. After Murphy had cushioned Hebbard's left-wing cross deep inside the penalty area, the ball ricocheted to Ollie Crisp on the edge of the six-yard box. Despite the close attentions of a defender Crisp managed to poke the ball through Balfour's legs. It seemed like an eternity as the ball dribbled over the line in slow motion, barely managing to reach the net. They all count. It was Ollie's first goal for the Zebras, and he's now only two behind his younger brother.
The visitors grew in confidence. Hebbard's low free-kick fizzed across the goalmouth before being hacked to safety by Cam Miller.
Miller's partner in central defence, Charlie Oakwell-Boulton, started to look jittery, especially after one of his attempted clearances on the hour mark was blocked by Murphy. The No 5 then sliced another punt into the fir trees.
In the absence of Aaron White and the aforementioned Mapletoft, Zebras fielded two youngsters as a full-back pairing, Jake Graziano and debutant Charlie Watson. Neither looked out of place. Graziano's superb cross was nearly converted by a stooping Murphy who was proving a constant thorn in the Deans defence. When the Zebras No 9 charged down a Balfour kick-out, the ball looped in the air and could have gone anywhere. The home keeper must have been relieved to see it bounce just wide of the goal frame.
The Deans had lost their way, with Ngombi starved of the ball and looking a forlorn figure isolated up front. I don't recall Marshall having a shot to save in the second period.
Conversely the men in black and white were dominant, bristling with neat intricate passing intent which was not easy on the surface. They got their rewards with a 79th-minute match-winner courtesy of Mullins, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes. Herrin and the busy Henry Lawrence-Napier were involved in the build-up, making space for Murphy who advanced into the danger area before nudging a pass across the goalmouth. Mullins, arriving like a steam train, lashed the ball past Balfour's despairing right-hand dive from 12 yards and into the bottom corner of the net before wheeling off to celebrate.
The Deans forced a late corner, but the visitors puffed out their chests and held firm to open their league campaign on a winning note for the sixth year running.
Team: Marshall, Graziano, Watson, Matthews (McCabe 86), Williams, Lawrence-Napier, O Crisp (Guppy 63), Herrin, Murphy, J Crisp (Mullins 72), Hebbard (Ansell 78). Sub not used: Hollard (gk).
Goals: O Crisp (50), Mullins (79).
Booked: Matthews, J Crisp, Williams.
Attendance: 125.