Won 1 – 0
Scorers: O. Neal
MoM: Barnaby Wills
With thanks to team sponsor MMil http://www.batchelorcoop.co.uk
After a lengthy absence, it was a welcome return to the pitch for Paul Sharratt this week which perhaps proved to be the difference in this match. Demonstrating within minutes of his return that, despite his lack of pitch-time, his canny knack of producing the occasional ‘unreadable’ pass is obviously an innate skill which hasn’t diminished without practice.
The Millers had the better of the first half, pressing high and giving the opposition little time on the ball. Notably, Teddy Ridings, Reef Upton and Martin Long-Castro, were all tireless in midfield and upfront. For all of their pressure though, the visitors were held at bay and the talk at half time was around converting some of their chances!
The home side came out strong after the break and the game became quite end-to-end with both keepers pulling off some outstanding saves to keep the score level. It took an audacious long ball out of defence, from Theo Pilkington, to separate the sides.
Ollie Neal picked this up just beyond the half way line and accelerated hard (yes you read that correctly) towards the Sevenoaks goal. Some dazzling stick skills in the D saw him emerge from a crowd of three defenders with the ball, which he then lifted calmly over the on-rushing keeper with just two minutes to go.
It was noted, after the match, that the display of stamina and fitness, required for his run from the half-way line, was perhaps of equal merit to the goal itself! There was one final piece of drama as Sevenoaks won a short corner right on the final whistle. Initially, this looked as though it had found the backboard but, fortunately, it had only hit the outside of the goal.
It was no coincidence that a Millers debut for Barnaby Wills in goal came at the same time as their first clean sheet of the season and it is for this, amongst a number of spectacular saves, that he takes the man of the match honours.