CHICKERELL UNITED 2

WESTLAND SPORTS RES 2

CHICKERELL United conceded late on from a strike from Thomas Frampton as they drew 2-2 with Westland Sports Reserves in the Dorset Senior League.

Matt Stickland and Nick Etherington notched the goals for Chickerell in between strikes from Jamie Burt and Frampton for Westland.

Chickerell started strongly and within three minutes had a superb chance to open the scoring when from a cross into the Westland box Steve Welch put a headed effort over the bar.

However, a promising opening turned to disaster for the Chickens, when Westland went down the other end and opened the scoring via a free-kick which was headed by the home defence but looped close to the back post where it was bundled in by Burt.

Chickerell reacted well to conceding the first goal and, five minutes later, Stickland rounded the goalkeeper and fired home the equaliser from an acute angle.

The Chickens were now dominating the match but did not capitalise further as the two sides went in level at half-time.

Chickerell kept up their dominance and hit the bar twice and forced the Westland goalkeeper into two great saves before they took the lead again.

On 65 minutes, the Chickens caused a goalmouth scramble from which the ball came back out to Etherington who hooked the ball over everyone and into the back of the net to earn a deserved lead for Chickerell.

The hosts were feeling confident at this point and put the Westland defence under a lot of pressure, but without ever adding to the scoreline.

Disaster struck for the Chickens with two minutes to go, when trying to hold the ball in the corner a free-kick was given against them.

From this, Westland launched the ball upfield where it was met by the Chickerell defence who knocked it short back to keeper Jake McCarthy, who raced out to kick it under pressure from Frampton but the ball rebounded off the Westland player and into the Chickerell net.

Chickerell manager Shaun Murphy said: “I was very happy with the performance just not the result

“In the changing room after the game the lads took it as a loss, we were so good and the way they scored their goals is a bit disappointing.”

“It is probably the best we have played this season.”

“We passed the ball around perfectly, all our decision-making was correct. We played lovely stuff across the back.”

Chickens: McCarthy, Miller, Miles, Rodgers, Cracknell (Brisco 85), Voss, Etherington, Harvey, Stewart (Sandeman 70), Stickland, Welch