16.09.12 - Everest 1-0 Sheffield Forum (County Junior Cup)

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Sheffield Forum fell to defeat against 1st division side Everest at Handsworth School. There were more changes to the side and formation as Liam Wales, Joe Neate, Ryan Lynch, Nathan Jenkins, Ryan Savage and Jason Bowden were all unavailable. This meant starts for Phil Gill, Andy Coates, Zak Crownshaw and Joe Appleby whilst the formation was adjusted due to loss of wingers. Players still had to move out of position and the subs were 2 players signed in case we ever needed them. Matthews Corker and Cameron Hobson were not really to feature this season for different reasons but now found themselves needed as even few starting players had knocks from the previous game.

 

So, the game got underway and Everest looked to dominate from early on but neither team really took the reins. Forum in an untested Xmas-Tree formation of 4-3-2-1 struggled early on to get the ball passed to feet whilst Everest looked to use pace over the top and out wide.

 

When Forum did play to feet, they attacked well and as a team but struggled with no options wide. One of the best chances for Forum fell to Shane Middlebrook inside the area to the right of the goal. A fantastic ball was played in but the ball took a bounce away from Middlebrook who failed to connect properly with it.

 

Everest meanwhile did find the back of the net, finally beating Adam Smith who had been in fine form. Previous saves had really been easy catches and smothers but as the shot was hit hard from the edge of the area, Smith got down well to his right only for the ball to bounce to the incoming Everest forward to slot home before the defence reacted.

 

This gave Everest a boost and they looked to double the lead but Smith made more fine stops to keep the score at only 1. Forum meanwhile, had tried to play their way to goal and Ashley Proctor was having a great game at left back despite nurturing a bruised foot from last week. Several times Proctor ran 2-3 players down the left but on the occasions he didnt win a corner or throw-in, nobody managed to connect to his cross whilst his defensive work and timing also came in valuable. Both him and Corey Crownshaw, playing at centre back for the first time had to make precise challenges inside the area to stop an Everest forward being clear through to goal.

 

HT: Everest 1-0 Sheffield Forum

 

Forum went into half time disappointed and looked at what was wrong. The players in the '2' were then deployed more as wide men. Matthew Corker was on as a first half sub for Phil Gill and had a free kick saved from 25-30 yards out. He also had another shot head wide from just outside the area.

 

Forum tried breaking Everest down but lacked something special today. Top scorer Daniel Sheedy tried to be at his creative best but even he was struggling with his knee. Towards the end, Sheedy pushed up but the midfield was lacking something and Forum rode their luck a little as 4 times Everest were through 1 on 1 against Smith. Smith twice making the save and twice a defender managed to get back and make the challenge.

 

The final real chance fell to Everest. A powerful long range effort heading towards Smiths left hand top corner was superbly tipped over and probably just won him man of the match for Forum pipping Ashley Proctor to the award.

 

Chance wise, Everest were certainly on top but Forum had dug deep, kept Everest to long range efforts most of the time and played good football in patches. They adapted as asked to the formation but a spark was missing today. Hopefully we will have at least half the players return next week as we visit Chaucer Social Club.

 

Team: Smith, Appleby, Proctor, Baugh, C. Crownshaw, Z. Crownshaw, Coates (Hobson), Gray, Gill (Corker), Sheedy, Middlebrook.