Harriers At The Double to Kill Off Magpies
Loxwood can take a lot of positives from this game, fielding three from our U13 squad and with no substitutes, it was a good performance despite the defeat.
Both sides defended well in the opening twenty minutes, in what was something of a scrappy match. Ben Hicken and Mikey Arlett were a solid partnership at the centre of defence, Josh Arnold played excellently in an unfamiliar left-back position and young Zach Ferguson did himself proud at right-back. Loxwood came very close to taking the lead on 25 minutes when Max Robertson was put through on goal. His well struck shot appeared to be looping over the goalkeeper and into the net, but hit the bar and Horsley were able to clear for a corner. Five minutes later, the hosts went one up, but it wasn't without a huge slice of luck. Chasing through on goal the Horsley striker hit a low drive that Keegan Pafford inexplicably fumbled, and Horsley were quickest to react to the loose ball. Fine margins.
The second half was equally close. The Horsley number 10 was a handful and nearly scored on several occasions, but Pafford was excellent in atoning for his earlier error. At the other end, Robertson went close once more and Will Percy nearly got on the scoresheet, but couldn't quite get enough on his shot to put it in the back of the net. Eventually, the Horsley number 10 got his reward. Breaking free from both Hicken and Arlett he forced a smart save from Pafford. The ball parried to Arnold who couldn't get the ball out from under his feet and the Harrier's striker drilled home their second.
Despite the 2 - 0 scoreline, this was a tight match and the improvement in this side is starting to show.
Team: Keegan Pafford, Joshua Arnold, Mikey Arlett, Ben Hicken, Zach Ferguson, Daniel Badger, George Lillywhite, Louis Horsley, Toby Chandler, Max Robertson, Will Percy
MoM: Joshua Arnold
Both sides defended well in the opening twenty minutes, in what was something of a scrappy match. Ben Hicken and Mikey Arlett were a solid partnership at the centre of defence, Josh Arnold played excellently in an unfamiliar left-back position and young Zach Ferguson did himself proud at right-back. Loxwood came very close to taking the lead on 25 minutes when Max Robertson was put through on goal. His well struck shot appeared to be looping over the goalkeeper and into the net, but hit the bar and Horsley were able to clear for a corner. Five minutes later, the hosts went one up, but it wasn't without a huge slice of luck. Chasing through on goal the Horsley striker hit a low drive that Keegan Pafford inexplicably fumbled, and Horsley were quickest to react to the loose ball. Fine margins.
The second half was equally close. The Horsley number 10 was a handful and nearly scored on several occasions, but Pafford was excellent in atoning for his earlier error. At the other end, Robertson went close once more and Will Percy nearly got on the scoresheet, but couldn't quite get enough on his shot to put it in the back of the net. Eventually, the Horsley number 10 got his reward. Breaking free from both Hicken and Arlett he forced a smart save from Pafford. The ball parried to Arnold who couldn't get the ball out from under his feet and the Harrier's striker drilled home their second.
Despite the 2 - 0 scoreline, this was a tight match and the improvement in this side is starting to show.
Team: Keegan Pafford, Joshua Arnold, Mikey Arlett, Ben Hicken, Zach Ferguson, Daniel Badger, George Lillywhite, Louis Horsley, Toby Chandler, Max Robertson, Will Percy
MoM: Joshua Arnold
