Raging Fever 4 Salisbury Fans Team 4

Report by James Longshaw

Raging Fever returned to home action for the first time in over a month against a Salisbury side that have yet to win a match. The home side could only name 11 players after various drop outs and with awkward conditions there was a fear that an injury could ruin their chances. Three injury concerns happened in the opening 20 minutes to give these fears credence. The first to go down was Stuart Burson with a dead leg. Soon after goalkeeper Danny Wells had a recurrence of an ankle injury, which meant a new taker for goal kicks had to be appointed. The last and most humorous was that of George Dugdale, who also did ankle damage tripping over a puddle!

Things took a turn for worse at this point when the Whites took the lead. One of the strikers contested a loose ball with Wells and struck it into the empty net to give the visitors the lead. Despite this heads did not drop and Fever were soon level when John Matthews found space in the box and tucked the ball under a defender on the line. The rest of the half continued at pace but the closest anyone came was from a James Simpson header that went inches wide. Half Time score 1-1.

In second half Russell McSweeney tested the 'keeper early on. Soon after Fever had the chance to take the lead, when Theo Dominian raced clear. By the time he reached the box he was conveniently upended and so up stepped Matthews to dispatch the resultant penalty into the bottom right corner. Fever continued to press with a superb left-footed strike from James Longshaw (in his 100th consecutive appearance) being expertly parried to safety.

Despite this Fever weren’t having it all their own way, and after Paul Soper became the latest member of the walking wounded the visitors drew level. With all the bodies Fever committed forward a breakaway ensued, and with only Geoff Carter minding the fort the two Salisbury strikers found space to play the ball into the back of the net.

Again Fever continued to attack with Nick Wehmeier and Burson being the latest players to test the 'keeper. Again the Whites broke away and the same result occurred to make it 2-3. Soon after it looked like the game was up when a corner was not dealt with, allowing one of the smallest players on the pitch to rise highest and head past the hapless Wells.

At this point captain Longshaw urged a bit of passion and he inadvertently showed it by two footing an opponent in a full-blooded challenge. This mishap seemed to spark the team though, and with barely two minutes to go Dominian again raced clear. This time instead of waiting to get hacked down he sent an amazing shot into the top corner from distance to give the Yellows some hope. Again Fever had chances with messrs. Dugdale and Longshaw stinging the 'keeper’s gloves.

The comeback was finally completed with barely seconds to play. Cometh the hour (and a half in this case), cometh John Matthews! The evergreen striker beat most of the visiting defence and tucked the ball home from an acute angle to spark riotous celebrations. Full time score 4-4.

Fever can take heart from this result after the conditions and injuries hampered their cause. Onwards and, literally, upwards to Stockport.

Fever: Danny Wells, George Dugdale, Paul Soper, James Simpson, Geoff Carter, James Longshaw, Stuart Burson, Russell McSweeney, Theo Dominian, John Matthews, Nick Wehmeier.

Goals: Matthews (3), Dominian.