29.12.2007 Willand Rovers v Hallen

Match: Willand Rovers v Hallen

Result: 3-2 home win

Date: Saturday 29th December 2007.

Competition: Toolstation Western League Premier

Venue: Silver Street, Willand

Weather: Cold and windy

Conditions: Good

Crowd: 71

Ground Appearance: Good

Referee: Marc Oldacker, Launceston

Willand gained their third successive win over the festive period and in the process completed the double over visiting Hallen with this narrow 3-2 victory against the Bristol side. An early free kick by the Hallen full back Richard Nelmes fell kindly to Andy Cook who volleyed well over the cross bar in the opening few minutes. Lee Woodman was called into action after only 10 minutes as the unfortunate Shaun Goff limped off injured after being the victim of an over zealous tackle. Willands midfield dynamo and captain, Rob Norrish, was the first to try his luck with a shot after 17 minutes, shortly followed by a great effort by Paul Pocock although both provided easy pickings for Hallen goalkeeper, Elliot Seddon. Woodman set up Danny Baily for a shot on goal in the 36th minute as the home side were kept at arms length by their visitors on a windswept afternoon. The breakthrough for the hosts came rather fortuitously in first half stoppage time as the unfortunate Paul Owen headed the ball powerfully past his own goalkeeper following a Baily corner. The second half continued in the same vein as the first, a Russell Jee free kick the closest either side got to getting on the scoresheet, until the game was turned on its head in the 61st minute. The unlucky Paul Owen, scorer of the home sides goal, was shown a straight red card for his challenge on James Ansell as the Willand man broke through on goal. The free kick that followed by David Steele was directed straight at the goalkeeper as the home side looked to take advantage of numerical superiority, but it was the visitors who were next to get on the scoresheet as Andy Cook headed home a Paul Griffiths cross at the far post. The scores only remained level for a matter of minutes as Steele played in Baily with a sublime pass splitting the Hallen back line apart allowing the Willand frontman to calmly slot the ball past Seddon in goal. The home side went further in front on 74 minutes as a Pocock corner was flicked into the penalty area before Lee Woodman headed it into the top corner netting his second goal in as many games. Ten man Hallen did not lay down and came back again 4 minutes later, this time it was Andy Proctor who floated in a corner that Willand 'keeper Brian Cann could only parry into his own net in the blustery conditions. Numerous bookings followed as the visitors seemed set on kicking lumps out of 'Rovers captain Rob Norrish, a booking too many for substitute Lee Patch as he picked up his second yellow card of the game and joined Owen for an early bath. If the referees notebook was not full enough already, their was still time for Paul Griffiths to join the long list of offenders as he saw red after the final whistle.

Star Man: Rob Norrish, Willand Rovers

Willand: Cann, Jee, Hambly, Croft, Hill, Steele, Goff(Woodman 10), Norrish(c), Ansell, Baily, Pocock
Sub: McAuley(not used)
Goals: o/g 45+1, Baily 66, Woodman 74
Booked: Norrish 81

Hallen: Seddon, Nelmes, Branton, Morrison, Owen, Reid, A Cook, Proctor(c), Reynolds, D Cook, Griffiths
Goals: A Cook 64, Proctor 78
Booked: Reynolds 61, Patch 75, Nelmes 88 Sent Off: Owen 61, Patch 84, Griffiths