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Wallingford fell to another disappointing defeat but will feel yet again that they could have got something from another tricky away trip. The match was a scrappy affair, played on a horribly bumpy pitch on a freezing cold day, and the quality of the football did little to warm up the shivering spectators.
Scott Lane crashed the ball against the post early on after a poor defensive header from Abdouli Taha. Foday Touray then almost scored an unlikely goal to give the visitors the lead with an overhead kick from a tight angle. It was difficult to work out whether he was trying to get the ball back into the danger area or go for goal, but the ball looped over the keepers head and a defender had to clear off the line. The ball fell straight to Danny Leggett 10 yards out, but he blasted the ball over the bar.The visitors defence looked shaky on a number of occasions and Alex Green headed just over the bar from a dangerous deep free-kick. Shrivenham took the lead after half an hour courtesy of some terrible defending from Wallingford, who failed to clear their lines. The ball somehow found its way into the path of of Green in the area, who drilled the ball under John Shea to give the home side the lead. Some lovely skill from Zinzee Taha saw him almost get clear of the Shrivenham defence before he was hacked down on the edge of the area Touray curled the ball over the wall, but also well over the bar. Ten minutes into the second half and Wallingford should have equalised. Taha tried his luck from 30 yards and keeper Daryl Simms tipped the ball over the bar. Shrivenham failed to clear the corner and the ball fell to Touray, who beat a player and switched to his favoured left foot 10 yards out, but could not keep his shot down and smashed the ball over the bar. Just when the visitors looked like getting back into the game, disaster struck. Russell Byrne stormed into the area and Ian Lovegrove caught him with a trailing foot. Terry Bohane stepped up to convert the penalty and give Shrivenham a two goal cushion. Paul Massaquoi went close with a dipping 30 yard volley with 10 minutes to go, but Shrivenham successfully held onto the points. AFC Wallingford: Shea, Boateng, Massaquoi, Lovegrove, Fenn, Styles, Z.Taha, Tyler (Chimunhondu 80), Leggett (Sedu 75), Touray, A.Taha. Sub not used: Gordon |
