Foxhole 0 Plymstock 4

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole 0 Plymstock 4

Saturday 22nd August 2009

Foxhole were well beaten by an impressive visiting outfit who had easily the game's outstanding performers in livewire striker Jasper and composed midfielder Francis. At the risk of being accused of clutching at straws, the outcome may have been different had the Foxes taken one or more of the half chances that fell their way during their best spell in the opening quarter hour, with Pinhammer firing a free kick narrowly wide, the unmarked Griffin heading over a Kenny corner at the far post and Ansell twice stinging the hands of Hardie from distance. But Plymstock soon took control, and, with the home team never getting to grips with the intelligent prompting of Francis, the strong running of Murdoch or the pace of Jasper, who was twice denied by Holland's acrobatics, it was no surprise when they took the lead on 39. Quinn swung over a corner which Berry nodded home from close range, with the Foxhole defenders worryingly static.

Hopes of a recovery were dashed within seconds of the restart when Jasper took advantage of Adam Holland missing a header to toe poke the second from twelve yards, with O'Neill soon denied on two occasions by more good goalkeeping. Although Ansell carved out an opportunity for Griffin, whose shot on the turn was well saved, Plymstock were simply too classy and inevitably added a third direct from Francis' sixty-seventh minute free-kick, harshly awarded for a foul by Adam Holland on Jasper. By now, it was merely a question of how many, and, after both Jasper and O'Neill had again gone close, Francis hit a screamer with seventeen minutes still to play. Although Rowe and Jasper had been cautioned for fouls on Francis and Pinhammer respectively, the game had never threatened to boil over, but this didn't stop Griffin having his customary issues, his late booking for dissent being compounded by a stoppage time dismissal for following through on Hardie.

Foxhole (4-4-2): Ryan Holland; Richard Faircloth, Dexter Lawrence (sub. Nick Carpenter), Adam Holland, Daniel Meens; Sam Kenny (sub. Chris Grose), Richard Griffin, Mark Rowe, Scott Ansell; Liam Nicholls, Ross Pinhammer.

Plymstock (3-5-2): Ben Hardie; Liam Quinn, Stuart Berry (sub. Ashley Forbes), Lewis Young; Paul Heveran, Dan Murdoch, Ashley Piggott, Dan Discombe (sub. Craig Holt), Kevin Francis; Michael O'Neill (sub. Joe Ridgway), Joe Jasper.

Referee: Mr Graham Allen (Mevagissey).

[beckham]

good honest report