U9 Vipers
Rotherfield notched up their twelfth win of the season with a 3-2 victory over local rivals Caversham Trents.
The Vipers started brightly, playing some good passing football and looking threatening right from the outset. They didn't have to wait long for their first goal which came in the fourth minute from a Morgan Green corner which was blasted into the net by midfielder Liam Ruiz.
Caversham had a strong wind behind them and Rotherfield's pressure was almost counter-productive as long clearances from the Trents' goalkeeper were putting defenders Jack Williams and Kalhan Shah under immediate pressure at the other end. After ten minutes, Caversham almost scored an equaliser with a lovely free-kick which rebounded off the top of the far post, but it wasn't long before they did have the ball in the net after Rotherfield failed to adequately clear a corner which was then drilled back in to the bottom corner of the goal through a crowd of players.
The Vipers came near to edging back in front when Ruiz struck the post, but Caversham came equally close when the ensuing clearance left their centre-forward clean through on goal only to be thwarted by an outstanding last-ditch Williams tackle. With half-time fast approaching, the Trents got their noses in front when the ball was forced in from amidst a penalty-area scramble.
After the break, Rotherfield now had the wind in their favour and immediately almost got back on level terms when Ruiz struck the woodwork for the second time in the game. Caversham again went close themselves but were this time denied by an excellent save from Isaac Hylton.
On the half-hour mark it was Jack Stevens that made the break-through when his shot deflected off a Caversham defender and looped over the unfortunate 'keeper to make it 2-2.
As the game wore on, Rotherfield mounted attack after attack, but shots from Adam Fearnside and Owen Lowe didn't find the net and it began to look like the winner would prove to be elusive. However, with just a minute to go Stevens deftly collected a Hylton clearance, turned, and fired a wonderful shot into the bottom right corner to win it for Rotherfield.
The effort award was given to Adam Fearnside for a dominant midfield display.
Photos
Squad
Isaac Hylton, Jack Williams, Kalhan Shah, Morgan Green, Owen Lowe, Liam Ruiz, Jack Stevens, Adam Fearnside