Three Swans hold out for three points

Sunday Dec 16th saw the clash of the Division Two Titans, and as Weaver FC were in cup action ,Three swans hosted "FC" in a league match that would determine who will hold top spot over the xmas period. This was a long awaited game and with FC having two weeks off Glasson had a full squad available. Keeper Alex Makwana was again unavailable due to injury so striker Stuart green was called upon TO Grace the gloves. The Match got off to a fast pace which continued through out the 90 minutes, and there was no shortage of incidents, two fired up teams and a fired up ref a good short and narrow pitch and Martin Reads vocals entertained the vast horningsham crowd. After a exchange of shots saves and corners Fc St George took the lead on twenty nine minutes , Three swans suspect at the back were caught napping and Mike Payne ran onto Mark Wallis's headed ball. 0-1. ten minutes later the home side levelled. Three swans scoring from a acute angle, no challenge allowed the scorer to lob Green who all but had to watch it sail in. 1-1. There were two tense teams out there and the gaps began to open as further efforts by Wallis ,Clark Holton and Payne threatened the leaders more, But it was Rory Kelly who came closest to scoring .when his trademark volley hitting the crossbar and bounced down onto the line the harried keeper managed to touch it out of danger. At the other end Stuart Green had to make three superb saves to keep his side level before the break.The second half was much the same with both sides not settling for a draw.On Fifty four minutes the game looked grid locked with both sides packing midfield and not making any head way, the breakthrough came after Man of the Match Sean Holton was booked, Three Swans who had wasted thier freekick were hit by a quick counter. Martin Read was picked out on the left flank by Mark Davies , Read then took two strides before slipping the ball down the line to Striker Mikey Payne, who turned his defender before slotting under the keeper for his second of the game.1-2. ten minutes later Mikey Payne was injured after going one on one with the last defender. He was soon replaced by defender Lee kennedy with Sean Holton moving upfront. Three Swans brought themselves back level with a second goal from a corner.2-2 after a good spell of pressure. Martin Read was replaced by Portugese import Henrik Da Silva who after five minutes was booked for diving in the box.. It was looking like a deserved draw with 15 minutes to go but verbals between the referee and Martin Read saw the player red carded for trying to get his attention!! and this break in the game casued a break in concentration and Three Swans scored from a free kick, the ball skimming off Mark Selfs head into the path of a Three Swans player who volleyed home. 3-2. The Gaffa came on for Simon Clark for the last climaxing minutes which saw Holton hit the post and Mark Wallis pull out a twenty yard screamer that looked goal bound, and with his team mates in slow motion celebration mode the Three Swans Keeper pulled out a full stretch save to tip it away from the top right corner. Gutted!!! the whistle when straight after.a fingertip was the only thing that stood between top spot and glory. final score 3-2