Chard A beat Isca E (4-0)

These sides met in the first fixture of the season in September when Chard won a scrappy encounter 3-1. After a three week break in games, it was not surprising that both sides showed some rustiness in the early phases, misplaced and wrongly weighted passes and less sharp ball control a notable feature. Chard did create some promising chances and, but for a couple of outstanding saves by Isca's keeper would have taken an earlier lead. The visitors' best chances came from a brace of penalty corners, the second requiring a sharp diving save from Ian Rockett to deny them a goal. As it was, the only goal of the first half came on the stroke of halftime, a goalmouth melee seeing Gareth Eggle put the ball in the net after Tom Float, among others, had on target shots blocked.

Isca are a blend of young forwards and mature and experienced midfield and defenders. Chard's failure to move the ball more quickly in the first half made it easier for the visitors to set their defensive line and pick off many attacks. In the second half Chard showed greater sharpness all round, the pressure on Isca's goal increasing all the time as the visitors struggled to clear the ball from their half in the face of attacks focussed more on using the wings.

While it remained 1-0 the tension remained and it was to Chard's great relief when Harvey Dening fired in the second goal midway through the half, a reward for persistence, having had another effort saved moments before. A flowing move down the left wing saw Float from the back line calmly pick out Eggle on the opposite side of the D. His clean strike gave the Isca keeper no chance for the third. In the dying minutes, Chard created their fourth goal with another fine team move. Eggle turned provider with a pass in the D from close to the back line and Dening applied the finishing touch from close range for his second.

Defensively Chard can also be proud of their performance. Isca pressed for a consolation goal at three and four down but the back line held firm. A double save from Rockett followed by a goal line clearance by Steve Mahoney denied Isca the best of their chances to prevent Chard coming away with a clean sheet.

Thanks to umpires: Jim Sainsbury and Gary Wheaton and match sponsor The Bell & Crown Inn, Chard.

Squad: I Rockett, T Eames (capt), N Gage, R Millett, S Mahoney, J Goddard, T Goss, R Squire, T Float, G Eggle, H Dening J Spurdle.