Match Report

Church Fenton White Horse 5-0 win against Rawcliffe
Fenton returned to form with a devestating performance, smashing their way into the League Cup semi final in the process. The hosts dominated the opening proceedings and went close through Nigel Chester and Oli Riach before finally taking a deserved lead when winger Jonny Marshall smashed in the rebound after Chris Parker had rattled the post with a bullet header.
Man of the match Parker then did find the back of the net with another header that left the Rawcliffe keeper with no chance, after good work from Lenny Mason. The inspired then Parker added his second with a sumptuous lob that made the game safe five minutes before half time. After the break the visitors came out fighting but were unable to capitalise on a good spell of possesion and on the hour top scorer Chester bundled the ball in from close range after more Parker brilliance down the left. With the game safe the home side began to knock the ball about with confidence and the route was completed ten minutes from time when Joe Savage ran clear and swept the ball in from twelve yards.

Church Fenton White Horse 4 Civil Service 0
Horse made a winning league start to the new year with a score line that more than flattered their poor opponents. In outrageously heavy wind Fenton dominated from the first whiste and opened the scoring after just 43 seconds through Nigel Chester. As the hosts ran Civil ragged, the only thing that kept the game close was the wind and the wood work as Chester, Parker, Jonny Marshall, Lenny Mason and Savage all went close. The score somehow remained one nil untill the break but Horse came storming out in the second half and began dominating proceedings once more. After hitting the woodwork five times and missing several more chances the home side finally doubled their lead through substitute Andrew Jollans, who smashed the ball in from ten yards after good work from Sutton and Parker. A third was then added by the in form Parker who drilled an unstoppable left foot drive past the Civil keeper on 65 minutes. Still battling the weather the home side hit the woodwork twice again through Rucklidge and Lenny Mason, with Oli Riach, James Mason and Parker also going close before Jollans added his second and Fenton's 4th late on. How it was only four, nobody knows!

Church Fenton White Horse 0 Post Office 3
Fenton crashed to their first league defeat of the season and their first at home since February, but the worse news was the career ending injury sustained by long serving goalkeeper Steve Johnstone. The incident occured in just the fifth minute when Johnstone collided with an on running Post Office striker, who squeezed the ball in, to put office ahead and although in clear agony he bravely attempted to continue but was forced off within minutes and taken to hospital. This further weakened Fenton's depleted squad, already missing influential centre back Lee Stretton, Richard Marshall, veteren midfielder Terry Brady and striker Tommy Hudson, and with midfielder Oli Riach playing through the pain barrier with a broken foot. Despite these setbacks Horse dominated the entire first half playing some exquisit two touch football, but two minutes before the break slack marking on a setpiece gifted the visitors a second. In the second half a further injury, this time to centre back James''Minnie''Mason, added to the home side's problems and the game was made safe by the visitors ten minutes from time despite the heroic effords of stand in keeper Mike Cockerham who looked in the kind of form that could make the number one jersey his, although he clearly feels more comfortable outfield. Despite some good football, Fenton again failed to make enough telling chances and their strikers had little to
work with all afternoon, Alex Sykes was however in outstanding form with a strong man of the match performance at centre back. The pitch also looked worse for wear, struggling to withstand the recent bad weather.

Sat 2nd December Church Fenton White Horse 1 Slaithwate 3
A lacklustre Fenton side crashed out of the county cup with their ineptness infront of goal costing them dear. The home side started very well and after dominating the opening proceedings they took the lead with a Nigel Chester penalty on twenty minutes after Chris Parker's amazing run was halted with a wild challenge in the box. From here though Horse sat back and let the visitors back into the game. Although Craig Sutton and winger Jonny Marshall went close. In the second half the visitors maintained the pressure and finally equalised with twenty minutes left after a needless freekick was given away on the edge of the area and the Fenton keeper Johnstone could only parry it to the on coming striker, who headed home from three yards. The game remained locked forcing extra time. It remained tight but with just ten minutes remaining the visitors scored a break away goal which sank the resilient home defence. As Fenton pushed for an equaliser in the dying minutes the visitors made the game safe with another counter attack goal. Church Fenton clearly missed the goal scoring of Tommy Hudson, Lenny Mason and Dave Marshall who were all unavailable this week and will be looking for a much better performance next week when they host recently relegated Post Office.

Sat 18th  November Church Fenton White Horse 3 New Earswick 1
White Horse continued their promotion push with an efficient but unspectacular performance. The hosts took the lead on ten minutes when Lenny Mason and Joe Savage combined to release winger Johnny Marshall who drilled home from ten yards. Slack defending saw the visitors draw level when a cross that should have been cut off was nodded in at the back post on twenty-five minutes and it maintained level until the second half. The home side never looked in danger of conceding in the second half but lacked the composure in front of goal that would have seen them out of sight and it was down to super sub Tommy Hudson to give them the lead when he smashed home from close range from Marshall's cross. The New Earswick defence couldn't deal with Hudson's pace and power when he came on and on seventy-five minutes he was crudely felled in the box for a penalty, up stepped powerhouse Nigel Chester to smash an unstoppable penalty into the net and make the game safe. Although the performance was not world beating Johnny Marshall was again superb and Lenny Mason continued to impress in his new role.

Sat 11th  November  Moor Lane 1 Church Fenton White Horse 4
Fenton maintained their unbeaten start with a solid performance in treturous conditions. The hosts took an early lead against the run of play but that spaked Fenton into action and they equalised ten minutes later when Nigel Chester smashed home from fifteen yards after Oli Riach's knock down. They then took the lead when winger Johnny Marshall beat four challenges and the oncoming Lane keeper and it was tapped home again by Chester. After half time the conditions eased and with Horse midfield trio of Lenny Mason, Mike Cockerham and Riach dominating possesion, the home side fell apart. The third goal came on the hour mark when winger Chris Parker bundled home the rebound as the ever dangerous Chester was denied his hattrick by the cross bar. Lane then created their only chance of the second half but Fenton keeper Steve Johnstone pulled off a marvelous save and then quickly fed Mason who left three men in his wake before crossing for Marshall who crashed the ball into the top corner to cap another marvelous individual performance with a fine goal. In the lying minutes sub Tommy Hudson went close and Chester was unlucky not to seal his hattrick, forcing a good save from the home keeper. On saturday Fenton host New Earswick and will be looking to make up for their only dropped points of the season, from the bad tempered clash earlier in the season.

Selby Times 9th November 2006 - click to enlarge

28th October New Earswick 3 Church Fenton White Horse 3
Horse had to settle for a point after two of their players were wrongly sent
offfollowing a 17 man rumble. They had taken the lead on ten minutes when
Lenny Mason smashed home after good work from Chris Parker and David
Marshall, but this triggered the home side into action and a mixture of
sloppy defending and awful refereeing saw the hosts take a 3-1 half time
lead. After the break, with Assistant manager Terry Brady's strong half
time words still ringing in their ears Horse began to finally show their
ability and winger Johnny Marshall headed home before Lee Stretton met David
Marshall's cross with a thunderous header into the net, to bring the game
square. With Fenton now dominating, a fracas broke out following a strong
but ball winning challenge from Oli Riach, who was subsequently rugby
tackled, stamped on anf head butted. Somehow in the confusion the referee
sent off Stretton and Alex Sykes and booked Riach and sub Tommy Hudson, who
wasn't even on the pitch at the time, while only dismissing one Earswick
player. Now at a disadvantage, fenton battled on and even created chances
to win, the the shocking referee once again deemed that Hudson had fouled
while David Marshall wasted a one on one, deciding against using his weaker
right foot.

21st October Church Fenton White Horse 0 Bardsey 4
Fenton crashed out of the Barkston Ash Challenge Cup to a West Yorshire
Premier side in the second round despite a solid performance. The home side
had the better of the opening minutes but were guilty of wasting several
chances and Bardsey took an undeserved lead after half an hour when a cross
wasn't dealt with and headed in at the back post. They made it two ten
minutes later when a freekick found it's way through a badly constructed
wall and past the helpless Johnstone. Again Horse had the better of the
second half but a counter attack goal as Fenton pushed forward killed their
challenge. The away side made it four when Oli Riach failed to track his
man from a free kick, who tapped in at the far post. Athough Bardsey
deserved the win 4-0 flattered them some what, although Fenton's poor
finishing was their ultimate downfall.

14th October Church Fenton White Horse 3 Tadcaster Albion Reserves 2
A superb display of attacking football saw Church Fenton come from 2-0 down
at half time to defeat Tadcaster 3-2 and maintain their unbeaten start. In
an open first half the visitors went one up against the run of play before
adding a second when Fenton keeper Johnstone was left helpless from a lucky
45 yard cross/shot that looped into the top corner. Five minutes before
half time an Albion player was left unconscious after a collision with Horse
powerhouse Nigel Chester, which caused a 30 minute delay to proceedings.
The break re-energised the home side and just two minutes after half time
they pulled a goal back through Lenny Mason. Five minutes later Mason
turned provider for strike partner david Marshall to fire home. The
marvellous come back was complete when winger Chris Parker and marshall
combined down the left and Mason volleyed home the pin-point cross.

7th October Church Fenton White Horse 3 Cowling 0
A weakened Fenton side eased through to the second round of the West Riding
Challenge Trophy without ever leaving second gear. After a slow start in
windy conditions, they finally broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when Mike
Cockerham and Oli Riach combined well and Lenny Mason curled a strike into
the far corner. It remained 1-0 at half time despite more Fenton domination
with mason and Craig Sutton going close. Horse were then awarded a penalty
after a wild challenge on winger Johnny Marshall was adjudged to have been
in the area. Twin brother David however failed to convert, with the Cowling
keeper pulling off a great double save. However David Marshall did finally
get on the score sheet when he beat the keeper with the style and aplomb
that showed why he was last years top scorer after a well crafted Fenton
move involving Chris Parker and Nigel Chester. Marshall then added his
second and Horse's third after good work in midfield from Riach.