So to our last away fixture of the season, this time against Walton Heath, last time we met we won 7-0. Today was going to be a little tricky as we went into the game with only 10 men, Max still on vacation and Alex B also an absentee.

Knowing we had secured promotion last week and had nothing to lose today I’d set the team up with only 3 at the back and moved Adam to centre of a 5 man midfield as cover for the back line trio.

At kick-off we made a sprightly start, taking the game to Walton Heath and had a couple of good early chances to take the lead, the 10 men looked good, about 10 minutes in the Manager of the opposition had noticed our rather space back line and ordered his team on to go over the top and that seems to be how it was from then on.
There was a period when we looked a little shaky, Walton had 2 good chances to score themselves, one at the near post effort which Toby did enough to prevent the goal and another when they were clean through and only had to tap home, but the player decided to smash it home which resulted in them hitting the bar.
We had rode out luck a little and after this period of play I started to question my cavalier approach and did consider reverting to a back 4, but half time was looming soon and the tide seem to be turning, Adam has a couple of good shots and seemed to take back control of the game.
The half ended goalless, and the lads had done well.

In the second half we took the game to Walton and we looked the better team, unfortunately it was the opposition that scored first, one of our attacks broke down and the ball was moved quickly forward for their man to run on to and despite the efforts on Jon and Alex the ball was slotted away to put them 1-0 up.

The ball change seem to completely change our game and wasn’t long before Adam came very close to opening our account, narrowly shooting wide, the boys were now playing their best football of the game, the midfield were passing and moving the ball well, Jack and Josh on the right were starting to dominate the play, on the left Benjie was feeding Will who in turn was showing great determination and effort despite carrying and injury, and with Adam in the centre providing excellent strength, and it was through his strength that our equalizer came, driving through with the ball and slotting past their keeper, from the resulting kick-off we pressed forward again through Adam who played in Freddie, who shot well and was pushed out by their keeper but great following up from Josh put us 2-1 up.

Walton Heath were now on the back foot and had to press forward to get an equalizer themselves, they pressed hard but out defenders stood up the pressure well with some stout defending by Jon, Alex and Ben De T. at times when the defence was beaten Toby was there to clean up, in Fact Toby’s anticipation today in coming out for the ball was really good and it was the reassurance our defenders needed.
Walton Heath’s attempts to get forward for their equalizer meant there was more space for us to exploit up front. Our third goal came from one such break with Will breaking up their play and Feeding Adam who then passed across the box to Josh who slotted home for his second.

The game ended with Saint Hill winning 3-1, a great effort with only 10 men and with one of those carrying an injury too.

Today I thought all the lads played their parts well, but the one man that stood out was Jon, he had a difficult job to do being the only central defender, he coped really well, with the dodgy ball and the high bounces from the dry pitch, he time after time dug the ball out with is feet, won the headers and cleared up field, his timing was immaculate. So today Jon gets the Man of the match.

Goals:
HT: 0-0

Walton Heath
Adam
Josh
Josh
FT: 3-1

Next week we have our last game of this great season, we are at home against Maidenbower, I shall confirm location of the game later in the week but is likely to be Felbridge FC.