MATCH REPORT: Bristol Manor Farm 1-2 Wimborne Town

Bristol MF 1

Wimborne 2

Sat 3rd February 2024

Goals: Morgan x2

Att: 289

After conceding an early goal in a lacklustre first twenty minutes, Wimborne dominated possession for the rest of the game. But it wasn’t until the eightieth minute that they achieved the breakthrough they’d been threatening when Harry Morgan scored at the far post. And then, in time added-on, the same player converted a penalty to give the Magpies another vital three points.

Manager Tim Sills stayed with the same XI who’d started at Paulton on Tuesday. Ben Scorey was available again and took his place on the strong bench.

For the fourth game running, the Magpies travelled to play on a heavy, bobbly surface. The extra touches needed to control the ball meant our usual free-flowing passing game was little in evidence during the first quarter of the game. It was the home side who had the better of the early exchanges as they looked to play the speedy Bament and Dodimead into space behind the visitors’ back-line. After Brain had blasted over Ross Flitney’s goal from twelve yards, and Dodimead’s pull-back from the by-line was cleared, Manor Farm took the lead on eleven minutes. Bament looked suspiciously off-side as he raced onto a through ball to coolly slot past Flitney.

It was a further ten minutes before Tim’s team began to assert themselves on the game. Harry Morgan showed sublime control to beat his man and chip over the bar; Harry Baker headed Matt Neale’s corner wide; Lewis Beale blasted across the face of the goal; Oakley Hanger’s cross was headed behind by a defender. But the Farm always looked dangerous on the counter-attack: Sam Jackson intercepted a through ball; Billy Walker extended his leg acrobatically to stop another; skipper Scott Arnold strongly held off Bament; Flitney made a low save from Nielsen; and Walker gave a master-class in clearing headers. It was that man Walker who came closest to equalising in time added-on when he headed Neale’s corner against the post. Despite having more of the possession, the stats showed that we hadn’t had one shot on target. Things could only get better!

Again it was the home side who made the first chance after the break, Bament’s shot being deflected for a corner. But once again, the visitors began to assert control. Hanger’s cross was grabbed by Locke; the young keeper beat Baker in a foot-race for a weak back header; Morgan’s goal-bound shot was blocked by a long leg; Beale’s header was directed goalwards by substitute Jack Lovell only for defender Woodhouse to brilliantly head over his own bar; Josh Carmichael headed a free-kick over the bar; and Morgan’s volley drew a diving save from Locke. Manor Farm did have a couple of opportunities: Nielsen’s low shot forced a sprawling save from Flitney, and Walker made a crucial last-man tackle.

However, pressure was mounting on the home goal, and the Magpies finally got their reward on eighty minutes. A free-kick form the left was headed back across goal by Jackson, Beale’s touch took the ball to Morgan who poked home from close range. Wimborne fancied a second. Neale, who was making light of the heavy conditions, surged forward down the inside-left channel and shot hard and low from the edge of the box, only to see his shot take a slight deflection onto the post.

Referee Bromham, who had a good game, indicated five minutes of additional time. Manor Farm forced two corners. From the second, Wimborne quickly played the ball up to substitute Cam Munn. Coming in from the left of the penalty area, he was taken down as he went round his defender. After a long delay, Morgan fired the spot-kick low and hard. Locke guessed right, but couldn’t keep the ball out of the net. In the final moments, Carmichael’s shot was saved by the young stopper, and Munn hit the rebound against the post.

After just two league victories on the road in the first five months of the season, this was the third in 2024. And never having won at The Creek before made this comeback win even sweeter. Given the difficult playing surface, just four days after playing on another strength-sapping surface at Paulton, and that Manor Farm are a good side sitting just outside the play-off places, this was a terrific victory.

Match stats:

Wimborne: Flitney, Hanger, Walker, Arnold (capt) (Scorey 80), Jackson, Carmichael, Neale, Beale, Morgan, Griffin (Lovell 58), Baker (Munn 74)

Unused subs: Griffiths, Hoey

Attendance: 289