Beeston FC returned to winning ways after a hard-fought 4-2 win over Robin Hood Colts on Saturday. Two goals from Ben Knight as well as goals from Bright Agana and Tom O’Regan meant that Beeston were able to climb up a place in the table, now sitting 3rd, one place away from promotion.

Beeston FC started the better of the two teams with their first chance coming in the 1st minute! Jack Wilkinson intercepted the ball from Robin Hood and burst forward and took a shot from outside the box, but his attempt was saved by the Robin Hood keeper. Not long after Beeston had another chance to take the lead, with Joe Quilliam beating an opposition player down the wing and then played it into Bright Agana, who tried to pass it across the goal for a tap in but the Robin Hood defender made a vital goal-line clearance.

However, despite Beeston’s strong start to the game, it was Robin Hood Colts who got the first goal, going 1-0 up in the 8th minute. Beeston failed to clear a ball played in from the right-hand side, and the Robin Hood striker slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Beeston were quick to bounce back from this and equalized 2 minutes later through Ben Knight who’s free-kick from 40 yards out trickled under the keeper. After this, Beeston kept pushing for another goal to take the lead and this almost happened in the 20th minute where Ben Knight’s corner was met by Shaun Turney at the back post, but his header was just over the bar. Beeston didn’t have to wait long for another goal though as in the 30th minute Bright Agana scored, giving Beeston the lead. Once again, Ben Knight gets an assist as he plays an excellent ball into Bright Agana who takes a brilliant touch and hits it on the half volley into bottom left hand corner to make it 2-1.

At half-time the score was 2-1 but Beeston were unlucky not to have a greater lead. In the 36th minute Joe Quilliam got the ball on the left-hand side and hit the ball on the volley, striking the crossbar! Ben Knight followed Joe Quilliam’s shot up but his effort was cleared off the line! Minutes later Bright Agana also had a chance to extend Beeston’s lead when Robin Hood gave away the ball to Bright Agana from their own free kick, but Agana’s close-range shot was saved by the Robin Hood keeper, meaning the first-half finished with the score at 2-1.

Just like the first half, Beeston started the second strong with an early chance in the 47th minute where Jason Jude’s long ball over the top released Bright Agana through on goal, but he was unable to take the ball round the keeper, who was quick off his line.

3 minutes later, Beeston capitalised on poor Robin Hood defending through Tom O’Regan to make it 3-1. Ben Knight drove down to the by-line on the left but there was no-one to meet his subsequent cross into the box, the Robin Hood defenders failed to clear so the ball dropped to O’Regan who fired the into the top right-hand corner!

However, Robin Hood managed to pull a goal back, although this was while Beeston had 10 men on the field after substitute Josh Nwokoro was sin-binned for dissent. A minute after Nwokoro’s sin-bin Beeston failed to clear Robin Hood’s corner and the ball was bundled into the Beeston net from inside the 6-yard box, allowing Robin Hood to get back into the game, making the score 3-2.

Beeston didn’t let the pressure get to them and were soon back in the chances when Ben Knight intercepted a Robin Hood pass and charged in behind down the left with his cutback once again finding Tom O’Regan, whose shot and follow up was saved.

Beeston cemented their win in the 87th minute when Ben Knight secured his brace with an audacious lob from 40 yards out, after the Robin Hood keeper rushed of his line and cleared the ball straight into his path.

Beeston deservedly took all three points in Saturday’s clash as they returned to winning ways.

Assistant manager Jono Bullock:
“I thought we started okay, obviously went the goal down and then we got the free kick which the keeper gifted us to be fair, got on the front foot a bit more, started to get into the game”
“In the end we battled really well, it did get really feisty, they tried to get back into it, obviously the ref sin-binned Josh which I thought was a bit harsh following the foul that was committed on him but hey that’s football and we dug in deep to get the win today”
“Yeah Bright has been working well and obviously the goals haven’t been there lately but I think that will do him the world of good and hopefully he can build on from there”
“Ben Knight just rounded it off, keeper thought he’d have a crazy mazy run and lost the ball, and Ben capitalised and saw the open net and yeah game over really”

Man of the Match: Alex Hammond
A solid performance from Alex Hammond at the back who worked extremely hard for the team and proved vital to the defence.