MATCH REPORT: Wimborne Town 5-0 Christchurch

On a hot July night, two hard-working teams provided great entertainment as they battled for the Gerry Page Trophy. Wimborne deservedly retained the cup, but the scoreline does not reflect how well Church played, and what a good team Brad Gale and his coaches are building.

After two early Sam Roberts’ headers had not troubled the young Church ‘keeper, Josh Carmichael’s 30 yard blast did, as a diving save turned the ball round the post for a corner. Ben Rodwell was next in action when a rapid counter-attack resulted in a full-blooded twelve-yard strike which the tall shot-stopper somehow held onto as the ball struck his midriff. And the ‘keeper was called into action soon after to deny the racing Addwell Chipangura.

However, it was The Magpies who took the lead on 25 minutes. Cam Sullivan picked off a loose goal-kick on the left, and when the ball was quickly shifted to Lewis Williams the winger fired past the ‘keeper into the far corner. Although the quality of the final pass or cross was sometimes lacking, momentum was with the hosts. The lively Williams had two more shots saved, before substitute Cam Munn dispossessed the surprised ‘keeper and walked the ball into the unguarded net on the stroke of half-time.

Wimborne extended their lead shortly after the break when Joe Smith ran onto Will Fletcher’s header, held off his defender and slotted past substitute ‘keeper Toby Dinnivan, a former WTFC Academy student. Dinnivan superbly claimed two crosses under great pressure, but there was little he could do when Kester Wilson’s shot from the edge of the penalty box crashed against the cross-bar, Smith bagged his second with an assured finish from Fletcher’s flick, and Williams, linking up with Wooding on the left, completed the scoring by turning inside his full-back to curl into the far top corner.

Manager Sills was happy with another clean-sheet; Academy students Kidd, Wilson and Younger were happy as they again impressed; supporters were happy with Wimborne’s thirty-two goal attempts; and both managers will have been happy with some aspects of their team’s performance, but with plenty to work on.

It was a fitting game to honour the memory of Gerry Page.

Team: Rodwell, Wright, Roberts, Roundell-Prince, Sullivan, Carmichael, Wilson, Wooding, Bustamante, Williams, Fletcher

Used Subs: ‘RJ’ Kidd, Munn, Powell, Scorey, Smith, Younger

Match stats: