Newbury Forest 0 Wormley Rovers 0

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Tuesday 23rd April 2019

Newbury Forest and Wormley Rovers shared a goalless draw at Oakside, meaning the hosts require just a point from their final game to guarantee finishing outside the bottom two, whilst Wormley now need to win their final game to grab a top ten finish.

Forest came into this one knowing that a win would guarantee them to finish above second bottom Brightlingsea Regent Reserves, whilst visitors Wormley were after a top ten finish themselves, and a win here would all but guarantee that with a game still to play.

The hosts started quicker and saw Josh Boswell’s pace get him beyond the defence to almost get onto a long ball, but keeper Reece Grundy came out to advert the danger, before another effort at the visitor’s goal deflected over the bar.

Benni Matoko then had a sight of goal for the visitors but a last-ditch tackle saw his effort blocked, before Matoko then brought a pass down well but saw his volley go over the Forest bar, and then Wormley went closer still to taking the lead when Mike Nduakulu saw a brilliant effort thump against the post.

Louie Offer then played a one-two on the edge of the hosts box before seeing his effort blocked, whilst down the other end Jason Reynolds-Blanche almost got in the end of a super cross, but he could not stretch far enough to get contact on the ball.

A Forest corner then caused a scramble inside the box before the visitors cleared, and then Wormley went close again as a cross to the far side of the post saw Mitchel Linger loop a header back across goal but just wide of the far post, and it meant the sides went in level at the break.

Half Time Newbury Forest 0 Wormley Rovers 0

Forest keeper Bradley Simpson had to be alert to deny Wormley after a high ball saw him punch away from Matoko, before he then had to block the loose ball from Linger, whilst down the other end full back Ansa Edem was slipped in down the right, but his cross although beat the keeper, was well cleared by the defence.

A ball into the hosts box saw Linger wriggle free of his marker but head well wide of the target, before a powerful long-range effort from Matoko flew just over the hosts bar.

But Forest then should of taken the lead themselves when after Reynolds-Blance had shook off his marker, his cross into the six-yard box was somehow poked over the bar by Boswell who really should of scored.

Wormley then sent in a decent corner which Matoko could only divert over the bar, before good football from the hosts ended with an effort being looped wide, although the flag had already gone up for offside.

Matoko then worked himself some space and got into a good position on the edge of the hosts box, but his effort was blocked, before Forest saw Ferid Medanovic fail to get good contact onto a cross to the near post, allowing keeper Grundy to make a save.

Reynolds-Blanche then fired wide for the hosts, before Bradley Empson appeared to get in on goal, for Wormley, but two defenders caught him up to take the ball away from him, whilst Forest attacked again and only desperate defending denied hosts a clear shot at goal.

Freddie Anderson then saw a hosts free-kick saved well by Grundy, before Linger then rifled a Wormley free-kick wide at the other end, and soon after the whistle went meaning a point a piece.

Forest now travel to play Little Oakley on the final day knowing a point will be enough to finish outside the bottom two, defeat would mean a win for Brightlingsea Regent Reserves at May & Baker would see them leapfrog Forest into third bottom.  Wormley sit 11^th now, and a win against Halstead Town, who are going for the runners-up spot, would see them finish tenth.

Full Time Newbury Forest 0 Wormley Rovers 0