FINAL SCORE:

Sunday Session..........6 Tantamount FC........... 0

Report by Michael Pilcher

The preparations were far from ideal: with Jacobs, the Howarth brothers and Rose all out, in came two Tantamount FC debutants Paul Foreman and James Ward. Paul Crumpling and David Bond were both unavailable to bolster the squad and thus the Mount soldiered on with a depleted six man squad. Initially the Mount kept out Sunday Session, who were playing without their first choice keeper and with no subs. As usual they moved the ball about the pitch like league leaders, but the four Tanta's were playing well as they blocked shots and linked up well. Ward put in tackles and got forward at regular to help the play and it was good to see him back. However a Session goal always seemed inevitable and it arrived after 4 minutes, a shot from distance beating Spencer. History repeated itself soon after as their next shot hit James Spencer in the face. Luckily, unlike last week,  there was no lasting damage and the keeper managed to carry on, even making some good saves. There was little he could do about the two goals that his opponents added before half-time.

In the second half Foreman came on for Ward, and the powerful forward got involved but became increasingly angry as by being consistently fouled. One free-kick he took himself and laid off for Pilcher. The crowd held its breath as he curled a first-time effort goalwards but watched as, with the keeper beaten, it hit the post. After Session added a fourth, Foreman came close to scoring a consolation. With the keeper in no mans land following a save, Foreman reacted first to hit a shot that rattled the post. The gulf in class between 1st placed Session (record prior to kick-off: Played 14, Won 11, Drawn 3) and 7th placed Mount was again evident as they added two goals late in the game. This is the third and final time the teams meet this season. The record of 3 defeats, 24 goals conceded and none scored during those meetings shows the class of the opposition. With the Session all but assured promotion, the Tanta's will be only to pleased to see the back of them.

Pilcher - shaved the post

LINE-UP: Spencer; Charman, Pilcher, Ward; Moody SUBS: Foreman

SCORERS: None

Manager's Comments:

"We say it every time we play them, but they really are a class act. They played their defender in goal today in their absense of their keeper and they still kept a clean sheet, although we were unlucky to hit the post twice. With just six men we did ok considering. Wardy came back in and played very well, I hope he'll turn for a few more games next season. The rest of us battled on,  especially James who was a bit dazed after getting hit in the face for the second consecutive week. He wasn't at his best and ideally he'd have at least sat out the remainder of this game, but fair play to him for carrying on. Ideally I would have liked to have kept the score down to 4 or 5, and it looked like we were capable of that, yet again we have been caught out by their quick passing and precise finishing. There's no great shame in getting thrashed by Sessions, because they thrash everyone!"