This early season top of the table clash produced an exciting match between two good teams. The first quarter of the match was end to end. East Valley’ s delivery of dead balls into the penalty box was impressive, though good defending by Ben Halcro and Harry Normington ensured there were no clear chances on goal.

With Max Robertson and Lewis Hopkinson causing East Valley defensive problems out wide, and James Staples and Aidan Sheppard anchoring the midfield, Cotgrave gradually took control of the game. However, the Cotgrave defence had to be wary of East Valley’ s accomplished forwards, with Thomas Staples in particular having to be alert against a fast and skilful left winger.

The introduction of Kit Weir added impetus to Cotgrave’ s forward play and on fourteen minutes Jordan Cumberland held the ball up well before laying it back to Sheppard whose shot rattled the bar. Cotgrave continued to attack and Thomas Staples hit the bar again for Cotgrave on one of his many powerful forward runs.

Matthew Hodgett came on for the start of the second half and Cotgrave continued to attack. Within two minutes of the re-start Cotgrave had opened the scoring with a superb passing move. Normington picked up the ball in defence and drove forward. He passed the ball to the feet of Cumberland on the edge of the area, who played a quick ball to Luke Black who had made a great run from deep. Black’ s run took him clear of the defence, and he rounded the advancing keeper before side-footing the ball home. Cotgrave then dominated for a spell with Hopkinson firing in crosses from the right and Elliott Coulthard-Gaunt starting to make an impression on the left and linking up well with Robertson.

However East Valley battled back and their midfield gradually took control in the middle of the pitch. Keeper Nathan Burgin needed to be both brave and strong as more than once East Valley forwards broke through the Cotgrave defence. East Valley were now crossing the ball into the Cotgrave area, but once again Burgin was dominant and showed good handling skills in dealing with several high balls. Cotgrave couldn’ t hold out though and on seventy eight minutes East Valley equalised with a good shot from the edge of the area.

David Young and Sheppard were brought back on into midfield and Cotgrave seemed to re-gain control of the game. With eight minutes left Sheppard hit an unstoppable long range shot high into the net, and Cotgrave were then able to play out the rest of the match mostly in the East Valley half, well away from the Cotgrave goal.

Another excellent performance in a tight match.

Man of the Match - Aidan Sheppard