LX CLUB v LEWES VETS
23rd July 2006
‘6-3 Triumph in the Sussex Sun’
The LX Club players and supporters arrived for their 8th annual visit to the Southdown Club, aware that as usual this fixture was to be played in hot sunny conditions.
Captain Brian Perryman had a talented squad for the fixture, and soon had the opposing team on the defensive. Keith Hedley and Peter Ross exposed the Lewes defence down the left, and with Sudesh Nayar at centre forward pulling the middle of Lewes’s defence out of position with his close ball control skills, LX Club quickly took the lead through Rod Cochrane. A second goal rapidly followed from the right with the penetrating play of Gerald Wilkinson, combining well with Alan Jackson, resulting in Brian Perryman sprinting through the centre to score with precision.
Lewes then started to respond, and David Brampton scored after a rebound off Alan Dures’s pads as he made a fine diving save. Percy Steele then made two crucial saves on the goal line, and with John Longden making a highly successful return following injury, the LX Club were well in command by half time.
After the interval, the LX Club raced into a 6-1 lead with further goals from the foraging Percy Steele, and a brace from Alan Jackson, whose second goal was the best of the match, with a delicately lifted shot over the Lewes goalkeeper. The right side became dominant, with slick interchanges between Nigel Spencer-Knott and Robin Mayes, whose overlapping runs combined well with Gerald Wilkinson, resulting in one of Gerald’s classic shots across the goalkeeper to the right post, being turned in by Rod Cochrane.
Late in the game, Steve Fuller, a short corner specialist for Lewes, scored twice, but by then the game was over, and LX Club ran out very worthy 6-3 winners.
Overall for this annual fixture, LX Club are now in the lead with 3 wins, Lewes Vets have 2 wins and there have been 3 draws.
Many thanks go to Yvonne Dawson (LX Club) and Keith Novis (Sussex County Umpires) for their experienced umpiring, also to the Southdown Club staff for the after match meal and hospitality.
LX Club Squad: Alan Dures, Robin Mayes, Percy Steele, Nigel Spencer-Knott, Brian Perryman(Captain), Keith Hedley, John Longden, Gerald Wilkinson, Alan Jackson, Sudesh Nayar, Peter Ross, Rod Cochrane.
Report: David Read, Match Manager and Lewes Captain
