A Colden Common comeback: Hampshire Saturday Trophy Action

Colden Common were sitting pretty in 2nd place in the Hampshire Premier League.

While the visitors, Denmead had not made a great start to their league campaign, lingering down in 12th place out of 16 teams.

However, it was a fast start to the match from Denmead as a clear push in the back on their striker in the Colden Common box was waved away by the referee, resulting in early groans from the visitors’ bench.

Denmead were dominating the early stages, getting themselves into advanced areas and a beautiful delivery from the right-hand side was powerfully headed in by striker Lesley Matare.

He wheeled away in celebration as the away side opened the scoring in the 27th minute.

Twelve minutes later Denmead were in again thanks to a cutely carved through ball.

Lesley Matare bagged his second goal of the afternoon after he toe-poked the ball past the goalkeeper. It was already beginning to look a long way back for Colden Common.

Colden Common were shocked by the energy and aggression levels of the visitors.

Lesley Matare was involved again early into the second half as he stole the ball off Colden Common centre back Will Erdinc. 

Matare saw the goalkeeper off his line and attempted to lob him from just inside the opposition half but saw his effort land just over the crossbar.

Seventy minutes on the clock, a brilliant cross to the back post was met by Sam Middleton’s diving header.

Colden Common, who were beginning to gain control of the match as Denmead began to tire, had pulled a goal back.

Now was the comeback on for the hosts?

Only two minutes later, a long pass forward led to some slipping and scrapping, but 16-year-old Colden Common striker, Tayo Adekoya managed to poke the ball into the path of teammate, Ryan Choate. 

Choate took the ball forward into the box then fired a shot low under the goalkeeper. Colden Common were level at 2-2.

With 83 minutes on the clock, Colden Common’s Matty Driver picked up the ball and drove at the Denmead defence. 

He was swarmed by three opponents but determined to make it through and go alone. He was in and grabbed himself a truly sensational solo goal. 

The comeback was complete – 3-2 to Colden Common was the full-time result which saw them into the hat for the next round.

From 0-2 down at the break, it must have been some half-time team talk from manager Steve King, who praised his side’s resilience in the second half.

“It was a tale of two halves. They controlled the first half. Second half I thought we were unbelievable.

“We’ve got a new 16-year-old striker that scored the second goal. He’s come in and he’s putting his body about massively.

“But for Matty Driver to score the winner, dribbling past four or five players and slotting it into the side. I couldn’t be prouder of the team today.”