YEOMAN GOAL HANDS PREMIAIR FIRST DEFEAT

Adam Simons started in goal for Cardea with Stuart Yaxley, Michael Williams and Tom Rimes the centre backs. Kynan Bereznyckyj and Dale Moore played as wingbacks.

The midfield three was Daryl Patrick, Shane Cooke and Aaron Yeoman. Luke Penman and Gavin Earl started up front.

Premiair started the game well and had a lot of the possession in the first 15 minutes. Good keeping from Simons and important interventions by the defenders limited any clear Premiair chances. A header went over the bar and a dangerous corner was well cleared.

Cardea almost took the lead against the run of play 28 minutes in. An under hit back pass was latched onto by Penman but the keeper produced a good save to deny the striker.

On the half hour mark Cardea created another chance. Cooke was momentarily one on one with the keeper but a Premiair defender got back with a good tackle to deny the Cardea leading goalscorer.

Cardea took the lead in the 37th minute. Earl held the ball up well and sent Cooke to the byline. His cross into the area was bundled in by the arriving Yeoman to give Cardea a half time lead.

Cardea almost doubled their lead from the second half kick off. Penman tapped the ball to Earl and set off towards to Premiair goal, Earl picked him out but the striker was again denied by a good save.

Cardea had more chances to add to their goal as the second half progressed with Earl and Penman both forcing the keeper into multiple saves.

While the chances came and went the Premiair attacking line up was being kept quiet by another solid Cardea defensive performance. Phil Brown replaced Gav Earl for the final 15 minutes.

As the game approached the final 10 minutes Premiair won a free kick in a dangerous position. Lee Watson stepped up to take it and struck it well but Simons was equal to it in the Cardea goal as he tipped it onto the bar with a magnificent save and Williams cleared the loose ball.

Cooke came close to adding a second goal for Cardea late on but his shot went over.

The referee called an end to the match and an end to Premiair's 100% start to the season. The result means Cardea move up to the top of the league to join Premiair and Farcet, separated only on goal difference.

After the game joint manager Kev Webster said: "It was another quality team performance. We have played two of the better teams in our league who have already recorded two high scoring victories and we have kept two clean sheets. We are defending as a team and looked a threat on the counter attack, if not for good goal keeping we could have scored more.

"We have had one blip this season and have reacted well to it, we need to keep this level of performance against every team we play. We were solid in defence, kept the middle controlled and carried the threat up top. The team is looking very solid, well done lads and keep it going.

"Today you were all excellent but my man of the match was Yeoman, got the goal, won big tackles and broke the play up by either being fouled or given a foul away. Dale Moore was close to man of the match, had a very good game but then so did all the back line and fully deserved another clean sheet. Empty those pockets and go again boys."

Craig Robinson added: "It took us 15 minutes to get started. Today was the best I've seen us defensively everyone from the front two to the keeper all put a shift in and when we attacked we had their two centre backs swinging at thin air and panicking. Deserved to win the game as their keeper made 2 or 3 really Good saves.

"Dale was a different level first half kept their nippy little winger tight in his pocket. Could praise every single lad individually but that's effort! Yeoman man of the match, he ran things, threw into tackles and his goal won us the game! Huge win."

Cardea's next game is Sunday 12th October against AFC Bretton.

BONJOURNO!!!