Portsmouth Premier League
Saturday 26th September 2009

After getting the season back on track with a win last week UPFC was confidant of another win, especially with the nice big flat pitch, perfect for the fast flowing football we like to play.

Shearer started the game brightly passing the ball well but not really getting anywhere near the UPFC goal guarded by Elliot Ransom. Pompey soon took control of the game passing well and creating numerous chances with TJ and Leeboy shooting from distance without any joy.

The first real good chance of the game fell to Leeboy who nicked in front of the keeper from a ball from James Potton, only to lift the ball over the keeper and the bar. The remainder of the first half stuck to this pattern with UPFC ripping the Shearer defence apart only to be foiled by poor finishing or the inspired Shearer goalkeeper, who looked like he should have played for Liverpool in the 80s. Potton took it apon himself to beat the whole Shearer team with a driving run into the box only to be kept out again by the keeper. Tj and James Reagan, springing up from left back both had shots blocked by defenders and Josh Warren struck just wide.

Then disaster struck just before half time with the whole UPFC team switching off from a throw in, Shearer played a long hopeful ball over the top playing there striker in and he showed us how it should be done and placed the ball into the bottom corner.

There was still time for UPFC to create the best chance of the 1^st half with Max Grey and Reagan combining well down the left to get in a cross which missed everyone except Leeboy at the back post who’s shot struck the inside of the post and flew across the goal and away to safety.

UPFC started the 2^nd half slowly and were under pressure for the first ten minutes but with Chris Musgrove and Joe Williams at the heart of the UPFC defence there was no way through. UPFC regained there composure and with Simon Joyce and Potton controlling play in the middle of the park we soon started dominating the game again. After more missed chances from TJ and Leeboy UPFC finally struck with a shot from TJ deflecting high and looping over the keeper into the net.

Elliot saved brilliantly from a header from a corner not long after to keep the scores level.

Surely with all the possession and chances UPFC would go on to win the game. We should have done, with Full backs Tim Blackmore and Reagan bombing forward more chances were created with Max Grey firing wide from the left, Potton shooting weakly when through, TJ having a volley saved and shooting over, Leeboy having a left foot shot saved then another shot from close range blocked by the keeper, josh shooting wide, and the Shearer keeper making numerous other saves it was not to be UPFC’s day in front of goal. A good performance from a footballing point of view but frustrating day for all especially the back four and keeper who defended stoutly throughout only to see the efforts put to waste by the poor finishing from the attacking contingent.

MOM – The Shearer Keeper

DOD – Anyone in a UPFC shirt who missed a chance