FINAL SCORE:

Hardley.........................4 Tantamount FC...........2

Report by Ben Howarth After a terrible showing an hour earlier, Tantamount weren't particularly confident going in to their second fixture. Another defeat doesn't look particularly good on paper, but Tantamount played a full part in a good game, and came as close as they ever have to getting a point. The first half was often cagey. Hardley are one of the slower teams, and they didn't push forward as often. James Spencer, in goal, did need to make a couple of saves, but Tantamount saw quite a bit of the ball. However, on two occasions, they were able to break free of a defender, and slot the ball into the net. At two-nil it looked as if Tantamount would be receiving another drubbing. However, the combo of Moody, Jacobs and O.Howarth linked up very well. Howarth broke free, and from a wide position scored a clever goal. Suddenly, the lead was down to one and Tantamount were back in the game! Even a third, (again coming from a break, and the softest of the three, with B. Howarth failing to spot a run from the right until too late) didn't spoil the mood. Tantamount didn't just attack more, they kept the ball too. Alex Jacobs scored a good goal, shot with power from distance. At half time, it was 3-2.

For most of the second half, Tantamount looked the more likely scorers. Charman and Rose took over, and on the occasions when their enterprising runs didn't work out, Pilcher produced some composed and unflashy defensive work. Spencer didn't need to make as many saves as usual, though he seemed alert throughout. With time running out, Tantamount conceded a fourth, after a defensive mix up, which was a shame because it really was a close game, and 4-2 doesn't really give a fair picture. The unsung hero was the mercurial Moody. He may not have scored, but he produced remarkable energy for someone who had been on the lash in another city the night before, and linked the play between the wide players very well. Every player, however, ran hard and concentrated. It was a good performance, and if produced again in a match against one of the weaker teams, will make Tantamount much harder to beat.

Jacobs - scored his 2nd goal for the Mount

LINE-UP: Spencer; O.Howarth, B.Howarth, Jacobs; Moody SUBS: Charman, Pilcher, Rose

SCORERS: O.Howarth 4, Jacobs 6

Manager's Comments:

We put in a great performance against a team in 3rd and everyone contributed to a close contest. Our passing and link-up play was  good, our movement was the best its been all season and overall it was a great performance. Olly's finish was superb and Alex's goal was just as good, he took a superb touch to take it  away from the defender and then hammered it in.  Sam had a goal disallowed at 3-2, and he also hit the post twice in the second half. If one of those goes in,  its 3-3 and we've got a point, so we were a bit unfortunate. Perhaps Sam was in the area for the disallowed goal, although at first  I thought the ref was going to give it. Hardley's protests swayed him. My last minute howler was an abosolute gift, I've played it to an unmarked opponent on the edge of the area and top teams will take those sort of chances all day long. I'm gutted for the other seven Tanta's, they all worked extremely hard and a two-goal  margin isn't a fair reflection because we were in the game right until that fourth goal. I hold my hands up and apologise. No-one's more disappointed than me about that goal. If we look at the previous 15 minutes though, then we can look back on eight solid performances and giving a good team a good game.  Our best showing of the season so far."