Uxbridge consign Gosport to narrow Good Friday loss
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH suffered yet another damaging defeat to their Southern League Premier Division ambitions as they hosted Uxbridge FC on Good Friday (April 3); eventually slipping to a narrow two-one loss versus their high-flying opponents after an underwhelming performance that was watched by nearly a thousand supporters in the AEI Stadium.
It was a measured start for both teams under overcast skies despite Uxbridge dominating early possession and having a penalty appeal turned down by the officials as Joe Lawal went down in this area; their momentum halted by injury for Harry Rush. This allowed Gosport to regroup as they saw Jordan Ngalo’s acrobatic effort denied by Marco Underwood.
A low cross then missed both runs of Olutayo Singerr and Michael Fernandes after 20 minutes, before another chance came Borough’s way moments later; Bradley Tarbuck drilling over the crossbar from the cleverly worked set piece. But the hosts were dealt a blow when Harry Kavanagh went down after a bump off the ball and sadly had to be substituted.
This forced a tactical change for Gosport and their visitors took an advantage on thirty-seven minutes using this vacant right-back space; Liam Prior-Tack getting through and converting into his bottom corner for one-nil. Uxbridge may have doubled their lead before half time as they had a shot deflect off the bar, and Prior-Tack was also denied on the whistle.
Uxbridge came out strongly upon the restart and George Moore saw an effort blocked before a spot-kick was awarded for the visitors on fifty-one minutes, which was converted inside this bottom corner by Troy Perez-Duah. However their hosts halved these arrears on the hour mark as a ball from Adam Tomasso was duly lashed home by Ben Greenwood.
Borough should have levelled the scores when Hisham Kasimu cut inside and fired just wide of the near corner, which proved to be the point where substitutes were brought on the pitch including Dan Wooden. The striker was particularly unlucky not to have levelled the scores after sixty-seven minutes when his flicked header narrowly drifted over the bar.
However this momentum was thwarted by an organised Uxbridge team who looked likelier to score another; Jeremiah Okine-Peters going close with a low angled drive before CJ Fearn headed onto the roof of the net. Borough then saw chances as Ethan Taylor’s effort was blocked by a teammate on the line and Wooden’s shot was saved in added time.
Other results on Friday afternoon leave Gosport eight points behind the ‘play-off spots’ after two successive defeats in the league although they have a game in hand on their opponents with 5 fixtures remaining. They will hope to revenge Havant & Waterlooville on Easter Monday following a four-nil loss back in December, before they host Yate on April 11.
PICTURED BY GOSPORT BOROUGH MEDIA: Uxbridge start celebrations as they score second goal via a spot-kick.
