League Two: We Hate Ben 0-3 Sex Panthers

We Hate Ben saw their unbeaten run come to end and with it their faint hopes of a title challenge despite an excellent team performance. WHB will now look to consolidate their play-off position but will keep an eye on other teams results which will go some way to determine their league finish.

Going into this match We Hate Ben were rocked with the news that key players Adam Smith would be out for the rest of the season while Toby Moss would be unavailable for an undetermined period of time following injuries sustained at a training session. Peter Thomas and Stuart Fleming were also unavailable following injuries which saw them substituted in the clubs last match. They were however boosted by the news that first-choice goalkeeper Nathan Leach would return after missing several matches earlier this season.

The club started the game with a more defensive formation, partly because of the quality of Sex Panthers and due to the absences of several players. The kicked-off with a 4-4-1-1 formation with Hywel Williams playing behind James Peate. Jack Thomas and Dave Norbury started in defence while Matt Sermon came back into the side on the wing.

The first-half started with a bang when Sex Panthers managed an effort within two minutes which hit the bar before being cleared. The impressive Chris Webster made an important tackle at one end while Peate missed a chance at the other. The opportunity turned out to be one of very few chances for either side as most of action occur ed in a hotly contested battle in midfield.

The second-half saw much of the same with Webster managing a another last ditch tackle against ex-SoccerJoo Josh Davies and the back four of J. Thomas, Webster, Norbury and Matt L'argent stood firm. The returning Leach made a superb save too, turning away a goal bound deflection from the outstretched boot of Webster. Matt Davies in midfield had a great game enjoying the battle but the WHB midfield couldn't find a killer ball. Then just as the team started to believe they would take something from the game Panthers broke the deadlock with around seventy minutes gone. A through ball from the right found its way to a striker who managed to hit a shot which squeezing through the diving bodies of Webster and Nobury and into the back of the net. Panthers then managed to kill the game off as WHB added to its attacking options with a superb finish in the top-left corner. More substitutions were made and the game was over with a effort that Leach could have done better with, a shot hit straight at him which somehow went through the gloves and into the net. We Hate Ben lost three goals to nil in a match that they probably deserved a point from with a defiant, hard-working team display.

A resolute Naik made these comments after the game: "I am proud of the lads after their display today despite the defeat, as it was a great effort against the cup finalists and probable league and championship winners. We held them off for long periods and kept their chances to a minimum while producing some quality of our own against a top side. We may have had our title dream ended today but that doesn't mean our season is over. We are still on course for our highest ever league finish and I believe we can do that with another win - a win that will beat our highest points total. We must look to keep producing performances like this and make our mark on the other contenders so we go into the play-offs in form and look to win a trophy."

Team (4-4-1-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3)

Leach - J. Thomas, Webster, Norbury, L'argent - Pope, M. Davies, Edgerley, Sermon - Williams - Peate.

Subs: (used) Shore, Scott, Turvill, Shaw, Healy (unused) None.

Goals: None.

Man of the match: Webster.