MATCH REPORT TUESDAY 10 MARCH 2026

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIV 1

BELSTONE 3 LETCHWORTH GC EAGLES 1

Defensive frailties and lack of an experienced goal scorer once more undermined an otherwise decent performance against a team much higher in the league table.

Belstone were first to threaten a goal with  a low shot from the edge of the penalty area which  was wide of goal after 4 minutes, but it was Eagles who should have scored the first goal  when a cross into the penalty area from near the corner flag  was met  a few yards from goal, but instead of striking the ball first time into an open goal a first touch gave a defender the chance to smother the kneed attempt to put the ball into the net.

Neither team tested the keepers until 23 minutes when a shot from outside the penalty area was straight at Eagles keeper George Coomes. However, Belstone did score the important first goal after 37 minutes when a forward took the ball into the Eagles penalty area, turned inside a defender and sent a low shot into the net. The move was almost repeated a minute later but this time the low shot was wide of goal. Just before half time Coomes had to be alert to push round the post a direct free kick about 20 yards from goal in a dangerous central position.  

After half time there was not much goalmouth action until Eagles defence got into a tangle in the goal area failing to clear ball. Several Belstone attempts to force the ball into the net were blocked before Coomes was able to gratefully fall on the ball.

Belstone continued to pose an attacking threat as the game continued. A direct free kick from mid-way inside the Eagles half was straight at Coomes and a few minutes later the Eagles keeper was able to smother and collect a low shot from the edge of his penalty area.

Eagles had their chances and a direct free kick some 30 yards from goal forced the home keeper to make a good save to push the ball wide of goal at full stretch. Less than 5 minutes later Belstone scored a second goal. They gained possession inside Eagles half, a Belstone forward took the ball to the edge of the penalty area, and his low shot was deflected wide of Coomes into the net.

Within minutes Eagles got a goal back when an inswinging corner to the near post was bundled into the goal by Will Blair as the keeper failed to gather the ball cleanly, but within a minute it was 3-1. A Belstone forward dribbled into the penalty area holding off defenders before slipping the ball to another forward who was unmarked and scored comfortably.

There was more action at both ends in the closing stages of the game. Belstone should have scored after a forward ran from the halfway line and passed to a team mate on the edge of Eagles penalty area, but he pulled his low shot wide of the open goal.

Eagles did get the ball in the net soon after, but the goal was ruled out for offside, and a couple of minutes before the end  a low shot from 25 yards forced the Belstone keeper  make a decent save to push the ball round a the post for a corner but by then the game was already lost.