GoCrea8 Men’s League
Southern 1
Chard 3, Okehampton 2

CHARD picked up their first win in six matches on Saturday, with a terrific 3-2 victory at home to fifth-placed Okehampton.

They remain 11th in the table, but are now just two points off third-bottom Bodmin, with four matches left to try and escape relegation.

This coming Saturday, they go to fourth-placed Dart (12.30pm start).

South East 2
Taunton Vale D 4, Chard A 3

FOR the second week in a row, a lack of playing resources played a major role in a second straight defeat for Chard A.

What should have been a squad of 13 was depleted to a bare 11 just before the match, and a tough fixture against the home squad of 15 was suddenly made that much harder.

The fact that midfielder Mike Lane was only half-fit, defender Paul Tratt was clearly unwell and other members of this mature 2nd XI are still carrying knocks from previous matches only made the task tougher still.

For the first half Chard made light of the task, despite a below par performance.

Kyle Wheaton gave them the lead in the first quarter hour and it was only the heroic efforts of the Vale keeper that prevented Chard being comfortably ahead by the interval.

Time and again, he saved from one-on-one situations when Wheaton, Justin Green and Trevor Goss broke through.

Kyle and Gary Wheaton in particular kept the pressure on the hosts, regularly harrying defenders into errors as they tried to clear their lines.

The away side started the second half positively, too, and went 2-0 up from a penalty flick, also converted by Kyle Wheaton, within five minutes.

It looked as though Chard were going to pull off a valuable away victory, but the hosts had already started to intelligently rotate their substitutes, and this suddenly bore fruit with devastating effect as the visitors simply ran out of steam in midfield.

One goal came from a penalty corner, quickly followed by another from open play as Chard’s defence was pulled apart.

With 15 minutes left, a complete mishit from another penalty corner led to Vale going 3-2 ahead and saw Chard keeper Richard Green handicapped by a shattered click on one of his pads.

The home team were now full of confidence and running, and they extended their lead to 4-2, at which point Green departed the field, having also suffered a leg injury.

Arthur Critchley donned the helmet to play kicking back and 10-man Chard found the strength of character to pull a goal with five minutes left, as Trevor Goss found the net from a penalty corner.

That gave Vale the jitters, but it was too little, too late.

Chard A: R Green, T Eames, A Critchley, P Tratt, S Mahoney, J Green, J Goddard (c), M Lane, G Wheaton, T Goss, K Wheaton.

Chard will aim to get their promotion bid back on track next Saturday, at home to Minehead B (2pm).

South East 2
West Dorset A 1, Chard B 0

CHARD B’s poor run continued as they went down to a solitary goal at Bridport.

The visitors started brightly enough in the first half but did not get into the penalty area to create real opportunities, while the home side slowly came into the game and won several penalty corners.

The second half was mired by two dismissals for the Chard defence, and fouls were punished in the final third with awards of penalty corners, one producing the goal.

Another goal was disallowed for the home side, which gave Chard a chance to fight back, and they had a series of penalty corners at the end of the game but the hosts stood firm.

Chard B squad: Hibbard, Dare, Mooney, Millet, Bromfield, D Lewis, Grossey, Squire, Float, R Lewis, Cheffey, Boobier.

On Saturday Chard B host Sidmouth & Ottery B (12.30pm).

***

West Clubs Women’s League
Sedgemoor Division 2
White Eagles 2nds 3, Chard 4

CHARD ladies picked up their 15th straight win in the league this season, but only after a real battle away to third-placed White Eagles 2nds.

The goals for the hosts were the first conceded by Chard since October 21 – a run of nine clean sheets.

But the league leaders still managed to outscore their opponents, thanks to two goals apiece from Lyndsay Blackshaw and Kerryn Mullis.

They host second-bottom Winscombe 4ths this Saturday (11am).