Sonning 1st XI 2 - 2 OMT 1st XI

In the reverse fixture in October, an exciting 3-3 draw was played out at Merchant Taylor's School, and there was a hotly contested game anticipated by the Sonning faithful in attendance at the Doombar Arena. The match began well for the home side, with plenty of half-chances falling their way, and with a couple of short corners the result of some patient play and dominance of possession.

It took until the third attempt for Sonning to convert however, with a simple and fairly central drag flick from skipper Stephen Ridley taking an awkward ricochet off the OMT keeper's pads. Not Ridley's best, but they all count the same. 1-0.

This lead lasted all of 30 seconds however. As from the resulting pushback, OMT retained possession for a short period, attacking down the right, with a loose ball falling kindly at the top of the circle for an onrushing midfielder, who was sharper than his opposite man, and had time to take a touch before converting simply. 1-1.

After half time, the game carried on as it had begun, with Sonning dominant in possession but unable to create anything concrete. That was until midway through the half, when finally a slick passing move ended with Ian Gallagher running right-to-left in possession at the top of the OMT circle. The last defender pushed him onto his reverse, seemingly taking away the immediate goal threat, and the keeper rushed out to challenge. So Gallagher calmly engineered a lob from his reverse side as he moved away from goal, which could not have fallen more sweetly into the net. 2-1.

Sonning pushed for an all important third goal, but couldn't quite engineer a clear chance, and it was OMT instead who found a breakthrough, after a well taken short corner routine. It was against the run of play, but credit to them for continuing to put Sonning under pressure whenever they did get a chance.

Sonning were then probably quite fortunate to have two short corners awarded, back-to-back, at the full time whistle. But unlike in prior matches when they have been pretty clinical in their set-piece play, the first of these was well defended by the OMT runner, while the second was off target. The game finished 2-2, which on reflection was probably a fair, if not slightly disappointing result for the home side.

Sonning will rue not making the most of their possession, and the defensive errors that led to the OMT chances from nothing, but can be pleased with going two games undefeated for the first time since the opening two fixtures of the season.

Next up is an away trip to Staines 2s, to whom Sonning suffered a 1-0 home defeat earlier in the season, where they will be looking to extend this run, and move further still away from the foot of the MBBO 1 table.

Goalscorers: Ian Gallagher, Stephen Ridley
MOTM: Ian Gallagher
DOTD: Ollie Waddington