KING’S AND JESUS BATTLE FOR HARD-FOUGHT POINT

Kings 1 – 1 Jesus

On a sunny afternoon at King’s Recreation Ground, this was a tight affair between two teams that seem set for mid-table finishes.

Chances were few and far between throughout the game, although King’s were left feeling bitter, with a controversial penalty enough for Jesus to snatch a point 15 minutes from time.

The first half took place almost entirely in the central third of the pitch, as both sides fought for control of the match. While the commitment and intensity was high, both sides suffered from a lack of quality in their attacking play. Jesus looked most dangerous from set pieces, as they seized upon a lack of discipline from a King’s side guilty of giving away too many needless fouls in the middle of the park. However, these all came to nothing, and King’s ‘keeper, Greenbury, remained untroubled throughout the whole of the first half. Kings were content to remain organized and thwart the Jesus forward play, before looking to snatch something on the counter attack. While the final pass was lacking for much of the half, good build-up play from Geue, 15 minutes before half time, released Schiebler who was unfortunate to see his chance well-saved by Maini. This proved to be the best moment of an otherwise scrappy half.

Both sides came out in the second half looking to up their games, and it was the side in purple that were playing with the greater inception. Schiebler sprung the offside trap, but this time saw his effort go wide of the far post. Fountain was also unlucky to see his long- range effort fly narrowly wide, as King’s began to turn the screw. Finally the deadlock was broken with an hour gone. A free kick on the right was whipped in by Fountain and met by a powerful Salloum header that crashed against the bar. Schiebler was on hand to bundle the rebound in and give King’s the lead.

The hosts chose to sit back on their lead and soak up any Jesus pressure that came their way. A workmanlike display from the midfield four superbly aided the work of their defence in achieving this. However, 15 minutes from time, the game plan was undone in controversial circumstances.

Crooks went down under a fairly innocuous challenge from Ragan, and King’s were incredulous to see a penalty given as a result. Anderson stepped up to convert from 12 yards and draw Jesus level late on. The game finally opened up for the final ten minutes as both teams went for all 3 points.

The side in red and black could have snatched all the 3 points, when Roocroft rose to meet an out-swinging corner from Sheldon, only to see his header rebound off the post. King’s also went within inches of grabbing victory when Schiebler was agonizingly close to meeting a ball flashed across the 6 yard box from Fountain. However, the score remained level, a result that doesn’t prove too useful to either side as both sought to close the gap at the top.