Exeter University 8th - Sandford AFC Firsts

SATURDAY, October 19, saw Sandford AFC return to league action with a visit to Duckes Meadow in Exeter to face Division 6 high flyers, University 8th.

The students were unbeaten and Sandford had a reshuffled side due to three or four absent ties.

They welcomed back Shaun Stapleton, Dan Richards and former first teamer Chris Hawkins, all three starting their first games of the season.

These council pitches are never the best for playing passing football on as the grass is long and the surface bumpy.

When the game started the Uni side went on the attack and, in the first 10 minutes, forced a couple of corners which the "ford" managed to clear with keeper Charles Headley making some smart saves.

Sandford were taking time to settle into the game, then on 14 minutes, against the run of play, forward Matt Baker scored the opening goal, 0-1.

Two minutes later Baz Mthunzi Clark headed over, a chance gone missing.

This was always going to be a tight game and must make our chances count.

From another corner, centre back Harry Stoneman headed over as well.

Then, on 23 minutes, the students equalised when the ball was cleared from the Sandford defence, only for one of the opposition to hit a cracking shot into the top corner of the Sandford net with the keeper hopelessly beaten, 1-1.

The game was end to end with the referee barely leaving the centre circle and some of his decisions were very strange.

On 27 minutes "ford" forward Baker shot over again.

This was followed by a goal for the students being disallowed for offside.

Then, on 32 minutes, former player Chris Hawkins made it 1-2 to Sandford.

The "ford" were playing really well but then just before halftime the students stuck again to level the scores, 2-2 at the break.

The start of the second half saw the game swing from end to end and, on 54 minutes, Lewis Mooney replaced Dan Richards and the students had another goal disallowed for offside.

On, 56 minutes, a goalmouth scramble lead to Shaun Stapleton making it 2-3 to Sandford.

After all that hard work the "ford's" defence made two mistakes near the end for the students to score two simple goals.

At the whistle for full-time the score read University 4, Sandford 3, and according to my watch we still had eight minutes to play.

A really great effort from the whole squad and deserved at least one if not three points. 

On Saturday the "ford" are at home when they entertain Uplowman, KO 3pm.

A J H