Against top-of-the-table Oxted, the Shadows knew of the importance of doing well in this match for two reasons...
The first being the chance to win more vital points before the Christmas break and the second not repeating last year's 11-0 and 17-0 losses.
With winter finally arriving, the water base pitch was unfit for use as the ice could not be defrosted. So with match time reduced by 10 minutes the game went off with a bang on the sand...but it was all in Oxted’s favour. Through a combination of skilful play and lack of personal possession Oxted were able to create plenty of chances to score.
With skipper Rob in defence and his work-hard ethic, most of the chances that came our way were well dealt with. However after a couple of short corner routines our luck was about to run out when through a scrappy short corner routine a ball got fired in the bottom corner that no one could have done anything about.
With the team in fairly high spirits, the Shadows went into the second half with energy and dominance and giving nothing away to Oxted for a good 15 minutes. However Oxted could have won the game with 10 minutes to go on the counter but with a stick tackle from the keeper and an upper cut cricket shot on the line from Johnny we survived.
In the last five minutes of play and a brilliant move down the pitch we forced a cross ball into the oppo’s box that resulted in the keeper flying and the ball falling kindly on Sam’s stick but being stop by Oxted leg. Down to the skipper, then, to slot in the levelling goal.
With Oxted starting to crumble we had a last chance short corner that was fluffed, however, we had earned a well deserved point from an overall good result of 1-1 against a top team.
MOM: Marcus
DOD: Copeland (yellow card) | 
