Wimborne’s final pre-season match was an entertaining and colourful affair: The Magpies revealing their Holland-orange third kit; The Mitres in bright pink. A goal in each half by centre-forwards Joe Smith and Will Fletcher gave Tim’s team a fifth win, this time against a good team who finished third in S.L. Division One South last term.
It was a bright start on a sunny afternoon. Twice keeper Cam Plain showed great skill with his feet to clear tricky back passes; Max Bustamante controlled Joe Ryan’s cross to give Cam Munn a first shooting opportunity; skipper Sam Jackson combined with Ryan on the left, while the ever-busy Bustamante was causing problems on the right; Jackson’s header from Ryan’s corner was an easy save; and the skipper’s shot was deflected for a corner. But the visitors created opportunities too with crosses into the danger area, one of which was brilliantly headed clear by Ben Scorey. Then on 28 minutes, as Wimborne were beginning to impose themselves on the game, The Mitres took the lead. As the home defence played the ball around, a miss-placed pass gifted the ball to the visitors’ no.20 who coolly lobbed the keeper from 30-yards into the unguarded net.
The Magpies responded well: Drew Eccott-Young ran at The Mitres’ defence and his goal-bound shot was well saved for a corner; and when that was delivered into the area by Ryan, Bustamante flashed an effort wide of the far post. In their next attack, Joe Smith picked up a loose ball from the left, made himself space on the edge of the area, and drove the ball low into the corner of the net. There was an eye-catching combination between the excellent Josh McQuoid and Bustamante, but it was Cleeve who nearly bagged a second just before the interval. Langworthy’s header from a left-wing cross wrong-footed the keeper only for Scorey to appear from nowhere to clear off the line.
That man Scorey was at the heart of the action as the second-half began, racing back to head behind a dangerous cross. But most of the attacking play was towards the housing-estate end as Wimborne sought another goal: Lewis Williams fired over after a flowing one-touch move; Williams raced across the mid-field, played a one-two with Bustamante, and had his shot blocked; Will Fletcher set-up Munn for a shot which worried the birds more than the keeper; Fletcher laid the ball for Bustamante whose shot was deflected for a corner; and when Josh Carmichael delivered it, Fletcher’s movement made space for his flicked header which nestled into the far corner on 74 minutes to take the lead.
To their credit on a hot afternoon both teams kept the intensity high. Clever play by Carmichael took him to the by-line for an audacious overhead by Fletcher; Williams combined with Jackson to set-up a shot from distance by Carmichael; the Cleeve central defence had their work cut-out as Wimborne’s midfield probed with through balls; and Munn’s cheeky but brilliant chip set Ryan along the by-line.
Both managers will have much to be pleased about, and much to work on – just what you want from a pre-season game. The new attacking recruits again showed their youthful exuberance, combining well with their more established colleagues. After a couple more sessions on the training ground, manager Tim has difficult decisions to make as he names his starting XI for the real season opener next Saturday at Basingstoke. The future looks bright, and maybe the future looks orange.
Team: Plain; Eccott-Young, Roundell-Prince, Scorey, Jackson; Carmichael, McQuoid, Munn; Bustamante, Ryan, Smith.
Subs: Fletcher, Seuny, Walker, Williams
Att: 314
