With the half term league fixture break looming next weekend and neither team in league action this week, it made sense to arrange this friendly fixture to keep players match fit. It was a competitive encounter played in good spirit by both sides.
Vale's keeper had to belatedly withdraw from the side so Paul Bradshaw, who happens to be father of the 3rds' keeper Luke and goalkeeping coach for Chard donned the pads for them. This gave the visitors a bare eleven players so, again in the spirit of the friendly fixture, Gary Wheaton switched sides to provide them with a substitute.
Chard quickly set about giving Bradshaw senior a busy afternoon as the starting front line of Joel Handscomb, Isaac Parris and Ollie Bartlett, supported by quick silver Flynn Bowie put pressure on the Vale defence. Paul had already made a couple of athletic saves but could nothing to keep out Isaac Parris's close range follow up to a Handscomb effort to put Chard one up in the first quarter hour.
For much of the first half Chard enjoyed the better of midfield exchanges where Ben Berryman's presence was both calming and influential and they carried the greater scoring threat. However, as half time approached, Vale began to put their own attacking game together and Chard's defence had a couple of narrow escapes with Luke Bradshaw making timely interventions to preserve the one goal advantage.
A second goal was needed as reward for Chard's earlier pressure and it arrived courtesy of Alan Cheffey 's slightly off balance shot from a penalty corner. In the final quarter of the game, Chard extended their lead further, Berryman's initial shot from the top of the D being blocked, the ball falling to Bartlett who helped it on to Parris for the simplest of far post tap ins. The margin of victory could have been greater but for the efforts of Bradshaw senior as, buoyed by the third goal, Chard played some of their slickest hockey, using both wings well. However, with two minutes remaining, it was Vale who rounded off the scoring with a well worked consolation goal.
Thanks to umpires: Trevor Goss and Claire Winter