FIRST TEAM MAKE CUP EXIT BUT UNSAVOURY INCIDENT IS MAJOR TALKING POINT (October 23, 2007)
The First Team lost 6-0 at home against Halstead Town in the Preliminary Round of the First Division KO Cup this evening, but the result of this match paled into insignificance after the events that occured in the 65th minute.
Carl Daw caught the Halstead number 5 Bethell with a late challenge, incredibly then Bethell set upon Daw and grabbed hold of him . Daw tried to defend himself before a large number of players got involved and the situation was eventually calmed down. Amazingly, both players were shown the red card, when surely all Daw did was attempt to defend himself.
Melford were probably on top in the first half, creating several good chances that were not converted. Halstead punished them with a well-taken goal on the counter in the 9th minute and a second a few minutes before half-time when Melford cleared a free-kick that was fired back into the net.
Melford had a decent penalty appeal turned down on 8 minutes when a centre from Liam Cawtheray was met by Matt Wilson in the air who appeared to be shoved by Halstead keeper Rutherford as he challenged for the ball.
There were plenty of other first half chances for Melford - on 10 minutes a quickly taken free-kick by Danny Brind released Daw who shot over. On 15 minutes it was Daw again who this time shot wide. On 16 minutes French headed over after a lovely passing move involving Paul Walker, Ashley Skeggs and Daw.
On 42 minutes French released Daw with an inch perfect pass, Daw turned the Halstead defender inside out before unleashing a powerful shot that hit the bar. It was a wonderful run and shot, and the fact that he hit the bar sums up the kind of luck Carl has had in the First Team this season.
Halstead created several chances as well in the first half, but Melford did not deserve to be 2-0 down at the interval as if anything they had been the superior side.The visitors ran out comfortable winners in the second half, as Melford's inexperience and lenghty injury list took its inevitable toll.
However, with due respect to the competition this was the least important match we have played this season, so more significant than the defeat is the fact that we've wrongly lost Carl Daw to suspension and several of our players have picked up injuries inflicted by an aggressive and overly physical Halstead side.
MELFORD: Croll, Cawtheray, Brind, Chisholm, Wark, Adams, Wilson, Walker, Daw, French, Skeggs Subs: Owens (for Chisholm), Aaron (for Wark), Simpson (for Brind)
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