Salisbury City v Histon
Saturday 4th January 2003
Dr Martens League - Eastern Division

Team
Lines Up's
Histon
#
Salisbury City
Paul Barber
1
Kevin Sawyer
Louie Farrington
2
Scott Bartlett
Neil Coburn
3
Andy Cook
Wayne Goddard
4
Josh Thomas (1)
Roscoe Hipperson
5
John Purches
Adie Cambridge
6
Matt Davies
Jamie Barker (c) (1)
7
Wayne Turk
Ian Cambridge
8
Gary Funnell
Peter Munns
9
Adam Wallace
James Rowe (1p)
10
Cullum Burt (1)
Graham Rush
11
Ian Herring
Subs
Subs
James Saddington for 2
12
Steve Witt - not used
Matt Haniver for 11
14
Tyronne Bowers for 8 (1)
Neil Kennedy for 6
15
Dean Bowden for 6
Andy Mee - not used
16
17
- - -
Referee
D Hillips
Ass Referee
A Sykes
Ass Referee
P Byfield
Man Of The Match
Wayne Goddard

DEFENSIVE ERROR PROVES COSTLY

Histon travelled to league leaders Salisbury City, bolstered by the return of three players, but still missing three, returning to the squad was James Saddington, Roscoe Hipperson and Neil Kennedy, but missing was Chris Tovey, Andy Jeffery and Neil Andrews.

The game started in bright but very cold conditions, on a pitch that looked in good condition following the heavy rain and snow that had been around the area.

The game started badly for Histon, after only 24 seconds of the game, Roscoe Hipperson was forced off, after picking up an injury in the warm up, this brought James Saddington back into the action after being out for 4 weeks with a head injury.

The home side started brightly and quickly, and on 12 minutes Histon keeper Paul Barber was forced into action, with a save from Adam Wallace, and a minute later Gary Funnell went close, but on 15 minutes Barber was beaten, a low shot from the left was only palmed away, and on hand was City's Josh Thomas to score from close range, but the lead lasted just a minute, with Histon's first attack, Jamie Barker picked the ball up, in what looked like an offside position, but the flagged stayed down, with City's keeper coming off his line Barker shaped his body and put the ball past Sawyer and into the net.

The rest of the half saw both sides go close, but each side was guilty of missing passes, but the home side looked the better of the two sides, with Wayne Turk going close on 38 minutes.

The second half started very much like the first with the home side on the attack and it was no surprise when they went in front once more on 53 minutes, a corner was poorly cleared by the Histon defence, the ball fell to Cullum Burt who shot past Barber, Histon slowly came into the game, the pace once more of James Rowe caused the main threat, on 62 minutes a free kick from Ian Cambridge beat the wall but was unable to beat the home keeper. But a minute later more controversy from the officials, a ball down the left had Rowe chasing with the defender, it seemed that Rowe had pulled his man back as he robbed the ball, but the referee waved play on, Rowe went into the box, as he did his shirt was pulled from his back, the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot, much to the disbelief of the home crowd, up stepped Rowe to tuck the penalty home to level the scores once more.

But on 74 minutes the home side took the lead once more, a poor header from James Saddington fell to the feet of substitute Tyronne Bowers whose shot from outside the area went past Barber, chances fell to Histon and could have gained a point when Neil Kennedy missed the ball with a header from close range right in front of goal, when the slightest of touches would have seen the ball in the net