Foxhole 1 Dobwalls 0

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole 1 Dobwalls 0

Saturday 10th December 2011

Substitute Shaun Cunningham celebrated his return to black and white colours with the winning goal after seventy minutes, running on to Spaul's searching pass to round Beman and roll the ball into the empty net, securing a deserved victory for the hardworking Foxes. Missing Trudgian, Daley and Stephen, Foxhole handed league debuts to Leaney and Talbot and both acquitted themselves well before fading late on, while Dobwalls may rue the dismissal of star man Eke moments before the break for two crude fouls, first on Stone, and then on Holland.

Dobwalls may have opened the scoring inside thirty seconds, careless play in midfield presenting Notman with an opportunity which the talented striker fluffed, and he was soon to be denied by a fine save by Ryan Holland as the visitors enjoyed the best of the early exchanges. However there were signs that Talbot will prove a decent foil for Griffin, the two combining for a good chance which went begging, while Griffin was unlucky to see a fierce effort parried by Beman following a clever flick by Cunningham as the Foxes began to exert some concerted pressure.

Leaney flashed a header wide from Gotthardt's outswinging corner before two efforts from the ebullient Griffin suggested he would soon find his range and accuracy, the Dobwalls rearguard struggling to cope with the marine's unique style. Coates' volley from the outstanding Spaul's centre lacked conviction, while Gotthardt curled a free-kick against the upright in the short period between Eke's cautions, Griffin joining him in the book for dissent in the final notable event of a half the home team could be very satisfied with.

Foxhole continued on the offensive in the second half but were unable to unduly threaten Beman's clean sheet until the hour mark when Cunningham and Griffin combined to present Talbot with a clear chance the youngster could only poke wide from eight yards. Notman, isolated upfront since Eke's dismissal prompted a switch to 4-4-1, was being well-marshalled by Faircloth following the withdrawal of the hobbling Stone but the dangerous forward's unselfishness set up Hook, but the sidefooted shot from ten yards lacked power, allowing Gotthardt to scramble the ball away.

Soon after a rattled Warren had received a yellow card for needlessly kicking the ball away, a suspiciously offside looking Cunningham found the net with a cool finish but the tiring Foxes were unable to make their extra man count in the final stages. Consequently Dobwalls looked to pinch a point their performance barely deserved, although Ryan Holland was relatively untroubled save for a moment of dalliance near the corner flag, Notman dribbling into the box before being squeezed out by covering defenders and Faircloth's last-ditch block. Otherwise the Lantoom Park outfit were restricted to long range shots from Warren and Frost while Griffin appeared likely to seal the points ten minutes from time until he overran the ball under pressure from Hawes but it was not to prove costly, Foxhole's victory being fully warranted for another battling showing at Goverseth.

Foxhole (4-4-2): Ryan Holland; Richard Faircloth, Ben Thomas, Adam Holland, Joe Stone (sub. Shaun Cunningham); Jaydon Gotthardt, Jamie Coates, Ben Spaul, Sam Leaney; Richard Griffin, Aaron Talbot.

Dobwalls (4-4-2): Tom Beman; Steve Tapper, Matty Hawes, Andy Frost, James Rheed; Tom King (sub. Tom Rapson), Dan Tapper, Joe Eke, Dan Warren; Josh Notman, Harry Hook (sub. Bradley Oliver).

Referee: Mr Alan Hoon (Redruth).