Poole Borough Football Club

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Craig Shanley
Solid performance at the heart of defence making one goal saving tackle as well as clearing off the line.

Borough Scorer : Sean Hebdon (76)
Borough Man of The Match : Craig Shanley

Borough were punished for a poor first half performance as Sherborne cruised into three-goal lead at the break, and despite a much improved second half showing there was no way back for the Hornets, with new signing Ian Harris scoring all four goals for the home side.

Sherborne created the early chances on a heavy pitch and on 12 minutes a deep cross was met by a home forward on the volley but he shot past the post. Four minutes later, Paul Maitland got down well to save by his right hand post.

On 19 minutes the home side took the lead as a loose ball in the area was dispatched by Harris with a spectacular overhead kick. Borough struggled to create an opening, and their first chance came on 24 minutes from a Dan Flooks header by the home keeper collected comfortably. At the other end Craig Shanley executed a well time tackle to deny a home forward after he broke through.

The home side however scored their second on the half hour after Maitland and Alex Gunn were involved in a scramble for the ball with a home forward who managed to knock the ball into the path of Harris who was left with an easy tap in.

This signalled Borough's best spell of the half with Gunn and Alan Fooks beginning to combine well down the right, but Sherborne were still dangerous and Shanley was forced to clear off the line while Maitland pushed a low shot wide. The all-important third goal came three minutes from the break with Harris running on to a through ball on the right and lifted the ball over the advancing Maitland from the edge of the box.

HT 3-0

Borough stepped up their game immediately after the restart and Alan Fooks saw a shot pushed past the post by the home keeper. Fooks then got his head to the resulting corner but his attempt came back off the bar.

The home keeper was forced to save again with his legs from Dan Herrington as Borough took the game to their hosts and pushed Sherborne back, but the Hornets had nothing to show for their pressure until the 76th minutes when Sean Hebdon stole into the box to head home a well floated free kick from Herrington.

With Borough committing to attack Sherborne created a number of chances on the break and restored their 3-goal lead eight minutes from time after Hebdon was dispossessed in his own half and Harris broke through before dispatching a superbly struck shot from 25 yards out.

Borough : Paul Maitland, James Edwards, Craig Shanley, Jamie Wilson, Sean Hebdon, Scott Arnold (Shaun Clarke 60), Alex Gunn, Matt Bircumshaw (James Morrell 82), Dan Flooks (Adam Nash 72), Alan Fooks, Dan Herrington.

Manager's Quotes..........

Victorious boss Martyn Starnes said: "I am absolutely delighted with the win. I think we have finally found the goalscorer we have been looking for. Ian's record since joining the club speaks for itself."

Borough manager Peter Morrell said: "I think it was a case of too much Christmas pudding for us. We were not at the races in the first half and got punished - we are so inconsistent at the moment."