It was the moment that Game Changer FC had been waiting for – their first ‘official’ competitive match. Aften ten months since their formation, playing friendlies, The Oranges faced fellow Fair Play League Division Three side King’s Athletic in the First Round of the Challenge Cup and, within a short space of time in preparing and excitement of their first match – there dreams were swiftly thwarted by an Athletic side who showed their two-decade experience in seeing their side into the Second Round.
The long-awaited Fair Play League will kick-off on 2nd September at home to Swallownest, but this cup match gave the Oranges a taster of what would lay in the season ahead. Game Changer was knocked at out the first attempt despite taking the lead through Jesse Payne, who would score twice on the day. Levi Wilkinson added a third in a 9-3 loss but, in what was a drab performance, there were too few positives to take away from this defeat.
KING'S ATHLETIC 9-3 GAME CHANGER SATURDAY, 19TH AUGUST 2023
SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE FAIR PLAY LEAGUE
CHALLENGE CUP ROUND 1
Game Changer XI | Substitutes |
Liam Cole | Jamie Moore |
Ryan Hunter | Chris Gibson |
Joe Deakin | Michael Gibson |
Matthew Townsend | Kyle Booth |
Jack Rubino | Levi Wilkinson |
Jack Riley | |
Brandon Jones | Physio |
Sam Taylor | Gavin Frost |
Kevin Laws | |
Dean Crawford | Manager |
Jesse Payne | Jamie Moore |
King’s Athletic had the kick-off and most of the possession in the early exchanges, winning several corners but the Oranges defended professionally to keep Athletic at bay.
Game Changer had to wait ten minutes before they carved out there first opportunity at goal. After Sam Taylor controlled on the edge of the area, he teed up Dean Crawford and his effort from the edge of the area stung the keepers hands.
Moments later, Jack Riley fired at the keeper on the angle. The visitors took the lead on 18 minutes after Kevin Laws played Jesse Payne through in the middle of the park and after Payne turned his marker, he swivelled and fired hard and low past the keeper.
Unfortunately, there lead didn't last long. Three minutes later the hosts took advantage of a loose ball in the box before firing past keeper Cole.
After a brief water break, on 28 minutes, Athletic took the lead following a well worked play from a free kick for offside in their own box, a ball across the box was tapped home unmarked at the far post.
The hosts tripled there lead six minutes before the break after a ball through was played to an unmarked player. He had plenty of time and space to slip the ball home. It was four-one two minutes later after the Oranges failed to clear their lines from a corner as the ball trickled over the line as the defence fell apart.
The visitors were forced into a change following an injury to Matthew Townsend. The centre-half was replaced by Michael Gibson, who played an outstanding Man of the Match performance throughout his time on the field.
Game Changer pulled one back on 40 minutes after a mix up with an Athletic defender and their keeper saw a battling Payne take advantage to tap home into an empty net. Moments later, Ryan Hunter, was sin binned for foul and abusive language – serving ten minutes on the touchline, and the visitors reduced to ten men.
The visitors were back to full strength, but the hosts extended their lead in the early exchanges of the second half, but only after being denied a goal following an offside decision, when a cross to the near post was looped over the keeper.
Moments later, the Changer team was back in it after Payne was unfortunate not to claim his hat-trick. After doing all of the hard work, beating his marker and guiding his effort past the keeper he, agonisingly, saw his shot clip the foot of the far post before Wilkinson followed up the rebound.
On 55 minutes, the hosts netted their sixth goal of the game after a ball across the box wasn't cleared and they hammered the ball home from the edge of the area. From then on the game was scrappy with the referee brandishing several cautions whilst, also, sin binning an Athletic player.
The visitors could not take advantage of their numerical advantage as Athletic added a further three goals as Changer struggled to make a comeback. There final goal came on 89 minutes with Cole unfortunate that the shot bounced off the crossbar before hitting the sprawling keeper before finding its way over the line.
King's Athletic XI | Substitutes |
Gavin Anderson | Nathan Hogan |
Lee Benn | Richard Stawford |
Sam Baldry | |
Craig Campbell | |
Tim Elgar | |
David Fernley | |
Mark Hulley | |
Daniel Jackson | |
Matt Parker | |
David Ralph | |
Alex Timmins-Jones | |
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