Saturday 17th March 2001

ANGMERING  0:2 UPPER BEEDING
            (H-T: 0-1)
 
 

Upper Beeding survived a potential banana skin on Saturday defeating a
spirited Angmering side on a bog of a pitch.

Manager Mick Barry had fitness worries over Stuart Barry (ankle) and Matt
Doo (dead leg), both of whom were rested on the substitutes bench, David
Smith was away on holiday but skipper John Burgess made a welcome return
from holiday.

There was little football played as conditions deteriorated from the start.
Beeding were certainly in the ascendancy as first Wayne Potbury and then Lee
Strange went close.

Potbury again had the chance to open the scoring after 31 minutes, and would
have done so but for the agility of the Angmering goal keeper.

Strange did have the ball in the back of the Angmering net after 36 minutes
only to be disappointed by the linesman's' off side flag.

Beeding did not have it all their own way. Angmering competed for every ball
and it was great testament to Barrys' boys that from the front two to the
back three of Steve Barber, Jamie Ireson and Gary Salter, the work rate and
commitment was immense.

Beeding lost Mark Salter (shin) towards the end of the half,  giving a
league debut to former Whitehawk player Gary Beale.

But it was one of Barrys' more seasoned stars who opened the scoring.
Potbury was chopped down on the left hand side and Glyn Edmonds' perfectly
delivered free kick was deftly touched in by Gary Salter.

Beeding should have extended their lead as the second period opened, Potbury
blazing over when clean through.

It was becoming more and more difficult to play any kind of football and
both sides should be commended for their efforts in keeping the ball moving,
particularly Burgess and Paul Barker, the latter showing his competitive
edge and fitness as he ploughed through the mud remorselessly.
Barry had to throw Doo into the action when young Lewis Partridge pulled up
with a reoccurrence of an old thigh injury.

Strange should have converted Potburys' cross with ten minutes remaining but
his header lacked both direction and power.

Strange lasted only another five minutes when a back strain lead to the
introduction of Stuart Barry.

Within two minutes, the excellent Gary Salter had knocked a long all over
the top and the little whippet was off, skating across the mud, leaving
defenders trailing. The keeper was drawn, and chipped. 2-0 and Upper Beeding
had secured their fourteenth straight win in all competitions and giving
goalkeeper Scott Redfern his third clean sheet in a row.

After the match Mick Barry added to his every increasing  first team squad
when he completed the signing of Chichester and Portfield's utility mid
fielder Justin Tarrant.

Upper Beeding: S.  Redfern; J. Ireson, S. Barber, G. Salter; G. Edmonds, P.
Barker, J. Burgess (capt), M. Salter, L. Partridge; W. Potbury, L. Strange.

Subs: G. Beale (M. Salter 38")
M. Doo (Partridge 70")
S. Barry (Strange 85")