Senior Team Midland League Division 1 - 2007

 Warwick vs. Solihull (9th Sept 2007) by Jonathan Fleet

With 3 games to go in the league Warwick are desperate for a couple of results to avoid the ‘bounce’ up to the first division and back down again ! Solihull arrived with their full squad so Warwick would have to play better than they have played all season to find the form that translates to points on the board.

The game started with Solihull winning the ball, and launching the first attack, Warwick held firm and blocked the shot, and the first quarter started with each team controlling the build up and trying to make space for a shot, but neither able to break through. With 3 minutes of the quarter left Duncan Holland was excluded for a major foul, and Solihull scored the first goal of the game. With a minute to go Norman Stephens conceded a penalty which was saved by Karl Wedgwood. With the quarter nearly finished Solihull managed to force the ball past Wedgwoood into the bottom corner to leave Warwick trailing 0-2.

The second quarter was just as competitive as the first, but Warwick forced an exclusion and Norman Stephens scored, and 30 seconds later Matt Wardle scored to level the match. Solihull scored 2 more before conceding a penalty that was converted by Matt Wardle. Solihull scored again before Matt Wardle was excluded allowing Solihull to score their 4th of the quarter. With 20 seconds to go john Dyer reduced the deficit for Warwick to 2, the score remained 4-6 at half time. Warwick’s defensive play continued to be good in the third, and the attacking play continued to produce goals at the other end, the quarter was tight, but Solihull edged it 4-5.

Warwick know they were capable of achieving a result with a strong final quarter attacking the deep end, and goals from Lee Jays and Norman Stephens narrowed the gap to a single goal, before Solihull scored again. With half the quarter gone John Dyer scored to leave Warwick one down. Coach Jonathan Fleet called a time out to give the team a breather and 90 seconds later John Dyer leveled the game with just over 90 seconds to go. With 50 seconds left on the clock Gareth Dowd was excluded, and Solihull scored. Fleet called another time out knowing that Warwick had one attack left to earn the draw, but with Solihull marking tightly Warwick were not able to make the space for a shot on goal, and the final score remained 12-13 to Solihull. Despite the loss, this was Warwick’s finest performance of the season, and with the return fixture at Solihull on Tuesday and a home game against Parogan on the 23rd, results in these will ensure Warwick Survival.

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