25/02/2017
A second half David Lorimer equaliser was enough to earn Bildeston a well-deserved point at Mill Lane on Saturday afternoon. The game was a great advert for division 2 football and could have gone either way, with both sides coming close on a number of occasions in a high tempo match between 2 of the league’s top 3 sides.
Bildeston started the game in a bright fashion and immediately put BAFC on the back-foot. With Bildeston perhaps needing the win more than BAFC, it was evident from the start that they were fired up and keen to start quickly with an early goal. It wasn’t long until their early efforts provided a positive response and a goal from Lorimer. A deep free kick was perfectly delivered into the BAFC box and Lorimer headed in from close range on the 10 minute mark.
Bildeston then continued to pressure BAFC, but failed to make further inroads and this gave the Rams a chance to settle and have their own say on the game. After a poor clearance from the Bildeston ‘Keeper, Adam Webster collected a loose ball some 25 yards out and hit the ball first time, only to see his almost perfectly placed shot rebound off the inside of the post and away to safety. After an initial 25 minutes that belonged to Bildeston, Webster’s effort seemed to lift BAFC. Mikey Sneddon was beginning to get on the ball in attacking areas, as was Brad Austin. It was Austin that pulled BAFC back into the game after collecting the ball 30 yards out, beating a man and firing into the bottom corner. BAFC then changed shape, much to the credit of Bildeston who forced the change due to their positive start on the game. The remaining minutes of the first half saw BAFC push for the lead but Bildeston held firm and both sides went in level at HT.
The second half began with BAFC picking up where they left off and pressuring Bildeston. The pressure on the Bildeston goal saw Matt Lucas go close twice from close range, as did Sneddon and Austin. Bildeston defended well, blocking shots and throwing themselves in-front of shots. Unfortunately for them, there wasn’t too much they could do when Austin cut in on the left hand side and saw his in-swinging cross evade everyone and drop into the bottom corner, putting BAFC 2-1 up with 30 minutes left on the clock.
The pattern of the game then changed once again. BAFC appeared to slow down after Austin’s goal; perhaps due to the pace of the game and the pressure they had been applying. The last 30 minutes belonged to Bildeston. They forced BAFC deep and a number of long throws and set pieces caused continued alarm to BAFC. One long throw found its way into the six yard box, but a close range header was brilliantly stopped by BAFC ‘keeper, Connor Banthorpe, and then the rebound twice – equally as brilliant, headed off the line by Adam Robinson. Banthorpe was later forced into a series of further good saves as Bildeston continued to pressure the BAFC goal. Banthorpe was finally beaten after 75 minutes when Lorimer found himself in space in the BAFC 18 yard bow and expertly finished to level the game at 2-2.
The remaining 15 minutes saw Bildeston push for a winner, and BAFC looking to counter attack. Captain Stephen Brown twice came agonisingly close hitting the bar with an overhead kick and heading just over from substitute Logan Webb’s well taken free kick. Aurimas Plioplys also had a good chance for BAFC but saw his close range effort go close. Then with only 5 minutes to go Lorimer broke free of Ross Harvey in the BAFC box, and as he was about to pull the trigger, he went to ground in what could on another day have been seen as a penalty but the referee waved away the shouts from Bildeston.
The game ended 2-2, and whilst both sides probably felt they had done enough to win, they probably also felt they could have lost the game. A draw was a fair result on the day and Bildeston certainly provided BAFC with their toughest test of the season.
BAFC Team:
Banthorpe, Claxton, Lucas (Plyioplys), Robinson, Harvey, Brown (c), Peskett, Horsfall, Sneddon, Webster (Webb), Austin.
Subs not used:
Eells, Knighton
Goalscorers – Austin (2) Man of the Match – Banthorpe
