Footy 2009

Due to popular demand, the second annual football match between the juniors and adults of Horley Lawn Tennis Club was played out on Sunday at Oakwood School. With the intention of putting all of the money raised from this match towards building a new clubhouse for the club, the match was played in a good spirit. As the adults lost the corresponding match last year, they were looking to make a positive start but actually experienced the exact opposite.

The juniors threatened to turn this match into a non-event with the first 20 minutes involving confident passing from the younger generation, and the adults hardly being allowed to venture out of their own half. Striker Sam Bracken’s goal after 30 minutes was just reward for the superiority that the juniors experienced, with the only blemish of a fine first half coming when Dan Townsend’s shot across goal narrowly crept past the post.

The second half provided a much greater threat from the adult team as the dangerous trio of Paul Farrugia, Dan Townsend and Steve Whittle began to find holes in the junior defence. If the first half belonged to the juniors, the second was definitely run by the adults as they consistently tested the exceptional Elliott Bryant in goal. The adult’s dominance finally paid dividends when Dan Townsend chipped the ball over Elliott Bryant in the final minutes to seemingly earn a respectable draw.

However, the junior’s determination pushed them on and Sam Bracken capped off an excellent performance with his second goal in the very last minute. Remarkably, the juniors almost scored again but John Webb, unconventionally playing in golf shoes and gardening gloves, smothered the ball from Owen Wadey’s feet who demanded a penalty. Referee Mike Everton, who had another great match after being referee last year as well, politely rejected the claim and subsequently blew the full time whistle to confirm two successive wins for the juniors.