Gosport overcome Malvern with foursome home win
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH FC made it three games without defeats in the Southern League Premier as they entertained Malvern Town in this latest fixture on Saturday afternoon (August 29); convincingly beating their struggling opponents four-two following this excellent all-round display enjoyed by 661 supporters despite poor weather at the AEI Stadium.
The hosts started quickly and had Frank Keita’s early goal disallowed for offside after six minutes whilst Jordan Ngalo showed his strength, but he fired over on the tightest of angle moments later. Down the other end Malvern won a 2nd corner that was only partially cleared and then recycled into Matt Macdonald who volleyed over in the fifteenth minute.
Kris Campbell was proving to be a dangerman for Gosport and he was unlucky after twenty-four minutes; the attacker running through on goal but seeing his low attempt tipped wide by Malvern’s debutant keeper Louis Brady. Keita soon saw shots cleared by Matt Fulloway before away striker Austin Samuels had penalty appeals rejected on the half hour.
Malvern then created another chance when Sam Clark’s spinning effort was tipped wider by Kie Plumley, which was a miss that was punished after forty-one minutes as Campbell made space off 2 slips and rifled into the net. The visitors responded before half time as a corner caused a penalty box scramble; Harry Clark calmly heading into the open goal.
Borough squandered two huge missed opportunities from Ngalo and Harry Lee before eventually adding their second; Dan Wooden calmly touching a sideways ball and guiding his shot into the right corner. It was three-one after fifty-one minutes as the effective press forced a mistake, and Wooden capitalised by converting the loose ball to trigger cheers.
The visitors did attempt to reduce their two goal ‘deficits’ following this lull involving multiple substitutions and Samuels featured again; the striker trying to convert his angled shot that was cleared after the hour. They also went even closer when a sharp move ended with Joe Tumelty being denied by Plumley after Kobe Chong set up him just inside this box.
Yet again, the misses were costly as Wooden scored the third and the team’s fourth going into the final fifteen minutes; the striker finishing off Wayne Robinson’s assist across the box. To their credit, Malvern never gave up hopes and saw Macdonald’s header cleared off the line before they added a second in stoppage time; Chong netting in the final action.
Other results mean that Borough now sit eleventh in the early standings after these 2 successive wins and recent draw two weeks ago; but they face a tough visit to neighbouring Sholing on Bank Holiday Monday. For Malvern, they are still bottom of the table and winless, despite many positives that they will build upon against Chippenham on this same day.
PICTURED BY NUNO CARDOSO: Players from the two teams contest for the midfield ball near this far wing touchline.
