Underwood 2 - 2 Whiteheads (HT 1 - 2 )
Goalscorers Mike Garrett (pen);Lewis Thomas
The influential Neil Purnell was unavailable due to work commitments and Mr Leroy Brown was in Butlins. Ginger was taking advantage of the sweltering heat of the day, sipping lager in some local hostelry; Gizzy must have been on "double treble" overtime.
A formation change was necessary; Dave Goddard on his return from Kos, took the managerial reigns for the first time in the league this season.
In Sniffer's abscence, Rhys Thomas moved from wide right to partner the rejuvenated "Roy Kean-a-like" that is Kingy in the centre of the park. Rhys's brother Lewis was pushed froward from right back and the "semi-veteran" Simon Preece made his first start of the season at right back. The rest of the team remained unchanged. Mike Payne and Potter were subs.
After the encouraging performances of the first two games we arrived early at the Llanmartin ground to warm up in plenty of time before kick off. Unfortunately, we may have been warm, but Underwood started on fire, taking advantage of confusion in the Whiteheads defence. Their attackers latched onto a ball over the top which the whiteheads defence misread caused by a combination of bright sun in the eyes, the extreme bouncyness of the ball on the hard pitch and crap excuses, and lashed it at the massive frame of new found keeper and club crooner Delvey. Andrew parried well, pushing the ball wide of the goal. Bingo managed to position himself on the post to cover the now out of position Delvey, but as the follow up shot came in he forgot to close his legs as the ball squeezed between his feet into the empty net.
From the restart we settled and took control of the play. Within ten minutes Mikey Garrett was brought down in the Underwood penalty area when clean through on goal. Mike converted the spotkick he had won.
Whiteheads continued to press and the pressure eventually paid off when Lewis Thomas met a cross at the far post to hammer home a well worked goal to give the visiting team a deserved lead which was taken in at half time.
The second half started similarly to the first, with Underwood attacking from the kick off, springing the offside trap and smashing home an unstoppable shot to level once again.
The rest of the half continued like the first, with Whiteheads creating several clear goalscoring chances but failing to convert any (the story of Abergavenny). Underwood were always threatening a counterattack, but with the exception of a shot immediately after their goal, and another at the end of the game, they did not have any other clear chances.
At full time Whiteheads could feel hard done by for not winning, but only had themselves to blame for not finishing a few goals ahead. This lack of taking chances could have quite easily lead to Whiteheads losing a game they should have won comfortably had all the opportunities been taken.
Having said that, we are still unbeaten and have the unenviable task of trying to maintain this against local rivals and division favourites A C Pontymister on 1 September.
