Pegasus Blue (U14) v Hucknall Harriers (U14 )

16th April 2011

After a superb victory over their promotion rivals last week, Pegasus just had to take 3 points from Harriers for the second time in 4 days to ensure almost certain promotion to the top flight. Unfortunately the script did not go as planned.

Pegasus started brightly against this team of giants, on 2 minutes a great move down the right, with a pin point cross from Rice to Brady, who could only loop the ball into the keeper’s arms, and on 8 minutes a right wing corner found Hopcroft, who fired wide. On 11 minutes Pego had their first scare, a left wing corner headed wide at the far post when it looked easier to score. 2 minutes later the visitors did take the lead - after a string of corners the ball was forced home by a Harriers player. In fact it was Pegasus’s inability to deal with corners that would ultimately cost them the match. The visitors tails where now up and a minute later should have scored again, but shot wide when clean through. Pegasus responded in this end to end first half with two good chances of their own, on 15 minutes Rice was played clear down the right, he rounded the keeper and pulled the ball back from the by-line to Warburton, who struck his shot against a defender, and less than a minute later another right wing corner found Hopcroft, this time his shot was well saved at the foot of the post. On 17 minutes the visitors doubled their lead - another right wing corner headed home powerfully, This did seem to knock the stuffing out of the home team for a while, but they were given a life line on 33 minutes, with Rice chasing down the ball, the defender panicked, and cleared the ball with his arm, Billy Warburton kept his cool and drove the ball into the bottom left hand corner, to give Pegasus a platform for the second half.

Half time: Pegasus Blue 1 – Hucknall Harriers 2

Pegasus came out for the second half with much more purpose, and on 39 minutes thought they must be back on level terms as Rice raced clear, only for him to screw his shot wide. A minute later Warburton let fly from 25 yards, unfortunately straight at the keeper. On 48 minutes, another chance, great skill by Rice wide on the left, shooting narrowly wide of the far post and 2 minutes later the same player used his pace to run clear of the defence only to blast the ball at the keeper, the rebound falling to Mole at the far post, but he could not direct it into the unguarded net. The visitors could not get out of their own half, and the pressure continued until the end of the match. In the very last minute Pegasus had a golden chance to get the point they richly deserved, a left wing cross flicked on, fell to Gossling on his own at the far post, but he blazed over. As the final whistle blew the visitors celebrated their victory, the home team dejected, Promotion is still in their own hands so
‘COME ON PEGO’

Full time : Pegasus Blue 1 – Hucknall Harriers 2

MOM - Billy Warburton. A strong perfomance