Keynsham vs Bishop Sutton Dec 2017

Keynsham Town 5-2 Bishop Sutton
Western League Division One
AJN Stadium
29/12/17

Former Keynsham Town full back Sam Roberts returned against his old club but left Crown Fields wondering what could have been after a close first half.

Keynsham’s keeper Matthew Dunk was called into action early as he denied the Bishop Sutton number 5’s header from a free kick on the right. A moment later Adrian Harvey heads over for Keynsham after a quick counter attack on the right from Tauren Williams.

On 11 minutes Keynsham went even closer with captain Jason Adams poking over a shot from Matt Brown; who had fired his shot through a crowd of players.

The prolific Brown didn’t have to wait long to open his account as on 16 minutes Keynsham made the break through. Sam Duggan hits a half volley from the edge of the box, through a crowd of players, and Brown manages to redirect the shot leaving the keeper stranded.

Bishop Sutton should have equalised on 25 minutes from a corner. The ball was floated into a mass of players in the 6 yard box and headed down towards goal only for Dunk to pull off a point blank save. Bishop Sutton’s keeper was soon in action too on the 30th minute to deny Duggan. The tall keeper got down well to turn Duggan’s long shot around the post.

Just before half time a crucial goal was scored and the game was level again. Bishop Sutton’s number 11 was released through the middle giving him a one on one with Dunk, after some intelligent running from the forwards to split the defence. The winger kept his head and rounded the keeper to roll the ball home to the delight of the away fans who travelled in good numbers for this game.

Keynsham could have gained their advantage back a minute later on the 45th minute. Duggan made another surging run through the heart of the Bishop Sutton midfield playing in Brown. However his effort was just wide of the post and the teams went in level at the break.

Three minutes into the second half and John Allen would have had to tear up his half time notes if it wasn’t for Dunk. Bishop Sutton’s tricky number 10 jinxed his way through the Keynsham defence only for Dunk to turn his effort around the post. The resulting corner was met by a Bishop Sutton player but the effort went wide.

Craig Wilson was now playing up front for Keynsham after switching with Brown and he started to create chances. On 56 minutes Brown, now playing on the left wing, found Wilson at the far post but his shot was saved by the shin of the keeper. The follow up from the on rushing Williams was blazed over.

Keynsham were ahead on the 64th minute much to protests of the Bishop Sutton players. It was a game of strong challenges with Jordan Anstey forced off with an ankle injury in the first half, leaving Keynsham with ten men for a Bishop Sutton corner and subsequent attack and for a few moments afterwards. A similar situation happened to put Keynsham 2-1 up.

An attack on the right was stopped by the Bishop Sutton back four and there was a player down after being clattered. The ball found its way to their right back who carried on playing. His pass was intercepted and Brown was played through to the byline on the left. The keeper came out to meet him but Brown squared the ball across an open goal for Kyle Box to score an easy tap in.

The referee had ample time, around 30 seconds to assess the situation and he allowed play to continue. Treatment was given once the goal was scored and the Bishop Sutton keeper in particular completely lost his head and was lucky to only receive a yellow card in the end. He had to be calmed down for the rest of the game by his team mates, after squaring up to the Keynsham players.

This was a definite turning point in the game and the only difference in the two incidents is that Keynsham scored from this scenario and Bishop Sutton didn’t in the first half. There was only going to be one winner from this point on.

Keynsham added to their lead ten minutes later after some great improvised player from Box and Brown. A free kick was awarded on the right with Box playing a low ball onto the Brown, instead of going into the crowded box. Brown let it roll through his legs as he ran to the byline and squared the ball low and hard into the area with substitute Matt Curnock applying an easy finish.

It was soon 4-1 on 82 minutes after a cross from the right wasn’t cleared properly and the keeper coming and missing the ball. This left Harvey with a flat footed keeper to beat on the left hand side with a strike into an unguarded net.

There were still more goals in this game right at the end of the 90 minutes. A swift counter attack by Keynsham resulted in M Curnock driving forward and releasing Brown into a one on one. The Bishop Sutton keeper was still upright as Brown rolled the ball past him for Keynsham’s 5th goal of the night.

Bishop Sutton weren’t finished and got their second goal a moment later just before the whistle with the goal of the game. Number 7 (sorry didn’t have any Bishop Sutton players names) found himself with time and space on the right and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner, past a diving Dunk. However it was too little too late as the referee blew for full time after the restart.

This was an incredibly entertaining game for the neutral which unfortunately left the officials with a few hard decisions to make regarding the two injuries during the two attacks. They were consistent in playing on in both occasions, it was just a shame that heads were lost in the second incident and ultimately cost Bishop Sutton the game.

It should take nothing away from the clinical nature of Keynsham’s finishing as they grew into a game which could have went either way after the first 50-55 minutes.

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