Junior Football: Vision notch a battling victory

Dec 8 2009 by Mel Booth, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Junior Soccer: Vision notch a battling victory

With just minutes to the half-time whistle, Sagar finally gave the home side the kind of lead they were hoping for with a fine turn and shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the six-yard box to leave Vision with a solid 3-0 lead.

As expected, Dalton came out for the second period in full attack mode but, despite the visitors’ relentless pressure, Vision’s highly-disciplined defence of Matthew Belcher, Ellis Barraclough, Connor McEwan and Callum Fletcher ensured that keeper Luke Foster was barely troubled.

The one mistake they did make gave Dalton the belief they could turn the game around.

Jamie Brooke’s tricky run into the Vision 18-yard box came to an end when a clumsy Bailey Collington challenge sent the Dalton player to the floor and Oliver Bellwood converted the penalty with a fine shot into the bottom corner to give the visitors a lifeline at 3-1 down.

Had Bellwood’s free-kick 10 minutes later found the back of the net, Dalton might have gone on to get something from the game but, the striker’s curling 20-yarder whistled inches wide of the target.

Strong running from Stephen Harris and Alex Grady, on the counter attack, kept the Dalton defence on their toes throughout and gave their own defence some respite from the pressure but, although Bellwood, Oliver Martin and the persistent Jordan Hanley ensured most of the rest of the game took place around the home side’s penalty area, they were unable to manufacture a clear shot on goal.

Vision will be glad to have got this one out of the way as, with a little more luck, Dalton could have got something from the match.