Top of the table clash

Tom Pateman, without a goal since March of this year, turned this top of the table clash on its head with two sweetly struck goals midway through the second half, to make him the toast of Sandy last Saturday afternoon.

Wapping, sitting in second place, had dropped points on each of their last two away fixtures. However, they started this game at a frantic pace and deservedly took the lead on 14 minutes when the outstanding Oliver tapped home following a miss-move at their second penalty corner.

Not to be cowed by the city-slickers, Shefford & Sandy hit back immediately, when Jakob Ooms finished with aplomb after latching onto Robson’s incisive through ball.

Stalemate prevailed until, on the stroke of half time, the visitors re-took the lead through the industrious Davies, following up at another penalty corner. A goal so simple in its execution that Houghton in the S&S goal will surely have nightmares for weeks to come over how he was beaten at his near post.

Buoyed by an incomprehensible, yet rousing half time team talk by coach Alyn Meredith, S&S came out for the second period in positive vein and started to press Wapping higher up the pitch. From this pressure parity was restored just five minutes later when Pateman, having carried the ball 30 meters into the circle unleased a ferousius shot past the hapless Monger in the Wapping goal.

To the surprise of all those present the tall, blonde striker came calling again just 10 minutes later and in a carbon copy of his first goal lashed a second past the bemused Monger. A goal that sent his teammates and the substantial home crowd into a fit of delirium.

The last 20 minutes were all Wapping as the pre-season favourites for promotion sought to salvage something from the fixture. However they were continually denied by an S&S defence in which Ramohan Bhogal, on his return to the side, was outstanding.

On the stroke of time the visitors were awarded the penalty corner that they so dearly craved. However, the game ended in controversy when the official blew for the end of the game thus denying them the penalty stroke they felt they deserved.

Shefford & Sandy march on and now head division 1 by five points. Next week they visit Cambridge City, never a side to be underestimated