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Match report: Old Headingley v Old Centralians
Old Headingley claimed a vital win in their latest league encounter.
Old Headingley 2
Old Centralians 1
Old Headingley grabbed a crucial three points with a hard-fought victory over local rivals Old Centralians earned by first half strikes from Liam Taylor and Gavin Johnstone.
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Playing in blustery conditions on their temporary home pitch at Bradford College, The Boffins took a while to get into their stride but knocked the stuffing out of their opponents with two goals in quick succession as halftime approached and defended obstinately throughout the second half to secure a win that their overall performance just about merited.
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Again forced into changes to the starting lineup due to injury and availability issues, Headingley gave a first start of the season to Kieran Burns in goal and paired Steve Beck with Edd Calvert in midfield, with new boys Liam Taylor and Sam Pickup starting in attack.
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The opening exchanges betrayed the nerves which were still present in the new look Headingley team and fluffed clearances in defence presented Centralians' strikers with openings that on a different day they may have converted. At the other end, an intelligent chipped pass from Liam Taylor released Gavin Johnstone in the inside right channel but his hurried finish was blazed over from ten yards. Taylor himself had a glorious opportunity moments later but missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.
With the game evenly balanced, it was the Taylor-Johnstone double act which created the all-important opening goal for the home side in the thirty fifth minute. Beating his man twice on the right hand edge of the penalty area, Johnstone delivered a low ball which was dispatched by Taylor's right foot just inside the 'keeper's right hand post. Scarcely two minutes later the partnership struck again, Taylor this time delivering from the left flank and Johnstone firing a controlled finish through the goalkeeper's legs.
With Beck providing a bit of much needed bite in Headingley's midfield and the returning Andy Williams shoring up the defence, the only real moments of concern for the home side came from long balls played up to Centralians' giant strike partnership and the occasional adventurous foray from his goal from the otherwise secure Kieran Burns. Taylor had two good chances to extend the home side's advantage at the end of incisive breakaways as Paul Kempton increasingly began to support the attackers from midfield. With twenty minutes to go Phil Harrington came on to bolster the defence as the visitors threw men forward in a bid to force a breakthrough.
In the final ten minutes the first moment of real panic in the home side's rearguard came when a goal kick held up in the wind and was seized upon by an attacker to create a clear run on goal. However, a combination of alert goalkeeping from Burns and the combined desperate efforts of defenders Jamie Arkell and Callum Butcher somehow kept the ball out of the net. Moments later though Centralians did have a lifeline to cling onto as a long ball was not successfully dealt with and Burns could do little to prevent the ball being forced home from six yards.
Headingley still managed to regain their composure and see out the closing minutes with relatively little fuss to earn a valuable three points against their close neighbours. With the initial burst of early season fixtures now out of the way and the promise of a more settled team in future weeks, the challenge to Richard Hamilton's players now will be not to let this hard fought win go to waste.
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
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Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
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