Gunners earned all three points after a magnificent effort against Kennet Valley.
The team was reduced to a bare 11 due to a couple of last minute drop outs which meant Peter Ali making his first start for the season.
Gunners started well and took the lead when Paul Ali slipped the ball through to Iain Peer who shot from the edge of the box and curled the ball past the keeper.
Gunners were in control of the game and played some neat and tidy football across one of the larger pitches at Burghfield which benefited the teams game.
Gunners then added a second when Paul Clark scored from a near post flick on from Matt Walkers corner.
One of the Kennet players was also booked in the first half for a late tackle on Paul Ali.
Julian Willis kept Gunners in control when he made a good close range save against the opposing forward who broke clear through on goal.
At half time, the team were in control of the game with a 2-0 lead.
However, early into the second half Iain Peer had a chance on goal when he pulled up with a hamstring injury and was forced to go off reducing the team to ten men.
Gunners were put under more pressure and were reduced to defending for most of the half. The team were then dealt with another blow when Matt Walker hobbled of injured leaving the team down to 9 men with 30 minutes of the game to go.
Gunners were under severe pressure for the last twenty minutes and despite some magnificent defending by the entire defence the team conceded a goal.
Kennet Valley then nearly made it level but Phil Byrne managed to head the ball off the line. Gunners then employed a tactic of trying to kick the ball as far up the field or off the pitch in a desperate attempt to waste time which naturally infuriated the opposition (but we make no apology for it as most teams would have done the same)
However, Kennets pressure soon resulted in an equalising goal with about two minutes to go and Kennet quickly retrieved the ball in order to go for the win.
From kick off, Paul Ali ran the ball down the left wing into the corner (to waste time) and Kennet gained a throw, from this the ball was won back and Paul Clark picked up the ball on the edge of the box, he turned a man and then sent a left footed cross-shot which ran past the keeper into the corner of the goal, Gunners had stolen the points in the last minute! The referee then ended the game mere moments later.
It was a magnificent effort from every player on the field that kept the team in the game and credit was due all round.
Match Facts
MOM : P Clark
Goals : P Clark (2), I Peer (1)
Team
