PUNCHBOWL BATTERED AS RIVERSIDE END SEASON IN STYLE!!
by Paul Singleton

Riverside ended their season in style on Sunday with a convincing 3 - 1 victory away to Punchbowl. The first half was a dire affair as Riverside failed to get out of bed, and Punchbowl showed why they are having such a bad run towards the end of the season with very little imagination in the final third of the field. Very few chances were created, the best going to a lack lustre Riverside team. Just on the stroke of half time some sloppy defending from a free - kick saw Punch take a shock 1 - 0 lead.

As it turned out this goal was to be the catalyst for an impressive second half performance. A shell shocked Riverside regrouped at half time and the second half was a whole different story as Riverside began to show the good form that has seen them rocket up the league in the second half of the season. Good chances fell to Singleton, Allen, and Kev before Clark equalised. Another good Hayes delivery from a corner, which had been causing Punch problems all during the game was pounced on in the six yard box by Clark who rifled in his 9th goal of the season. Riverside continued to turn on the style and route 1 football was the order of the day to put them into the lead. A long clearance from impressive stand in goalkeeper Holland was flicked on by Hayes to send Singleton clear through the middle. His shot was initially saved by the keeper but he could do nothing as the rebound fell back to Singleton who slotted easily. Punch then had a brief spell of pressure, but Holland was impressive, ensuring the Riverside lead remained intact with 2 good saves in as many minutes. But Riverside killed the game off with 15mins to go, a surging run and cross down the right hand side by Singleton was only half cleared by Punch and Barry followed up to fire home from 6 yards to bring his tally to 10 for the season.

Riverside could have had more, Singleton opted for power over placement but saw his shot come back off the crossbar. An amazing forward run from Tindall looked destined for glory but his delicate lob from 20 yards was also foiled by the woodwork, with the rebound being well saved by the keeper. And some dubious offside decisions prevented the Riverside forwards from adding to the tally.

RIVERSIDE HEROES RAID POINTS AGAINST ALL ODDS
by Paul Singleton

The amazing Riverside Town performed an unlikely smash & grab raid at Plymyards on Sunday against bottom side Halfway House. With so many players on the treatment table and away on other commitments it was always going to be difficult to field a full strength side, but when only 9 players turned up on the morning of the game, all appeared to be lost. Working to a revised 3-4-1 formation Riverside decided that it may just be possible to grab a point from a 0-0 draw. Paul Melville however had different ideas!! After soaking up early pressure, a rare attack produced the first goal. A long throw from Hayes was snapped up by Dave Barry whose clever little through ball allowed an ever alert Melville the opportunity to stab home from close range. The celebrations did not last long as Halfway House claimed an equaliser just a few minutes later. Riverside continued to soak up bucket loads of pressure with the back 3 of Hayes, T Greene and S Greene along with keeper Coburn producing a solid and organised display to continually frustrate the House forwards. Ward was in the thick of things playing as a solid wall in front of the back 3 and Halfway House had to resort to dirty tactics in an attempt to prevent him from playing on. Ward wins the prize for most fouled player of the game!! Midway through the first half a hopeful ball up field was seized upon by the continually impressive Melville who then proceeded to take on the entire Halfway House defence including the keeper before slotting in from the most acute angle. That lead was carried through to half time.

The onslaught continued in the second half, with wave after wave of House attacks being repelled by the now 9 man defence of Riverside. Despite the onslaught Halfway House failed to create many clear cut chances, and Riverside probably had the best chances of the half. Rare attacks produced a good chance for Melville to complete his hat-trick, and Barry maybe could have done better when put through mid-way through the second half. With 15 minutes to go Barry spotted Singleton making a rare run through the middle, and picked him out with an exquisite ball which, mainly due to fatigue Singleton hit from 25 yards, over the keeper and into the top corner. The cushion didn't last long as Halfway scored to make the score 3-2 with just 10 mins to go. But no matter what they tried Halfway just could not find an equaliser, with the woodwork saving Town in the closing minutes along with some brave defending. Final score 3-2 to the Town!!

Man of the Match: Paul Melville

Roll of Honour:

Riverside continued their good form of April by battling out a 2-2 draw with Ship Athletic. It appears that Ship are going to be the new jinx side for the mighty Riverside as fate conspired again to try and stop them getting any more league points. After losing the toss, Riverside had to suffer an onslaught in the first half as the wind and rain blew heavily in Ship's favour. Riverside had their backs to the wall for the entire half, and it seemed as though they were going to be successful in keeping the score to 0-0 until half time. Giant performances emerged from the often criticised defensive line. Stand in keeper Coburn held every shot in difficult wet conditions, and Steve Green produced an undoubted man of the match performance in a new partnership with deadline day signing Robbie Jones. Shortly before half time however, fate dealt Riverside 2 cruel blows in the space of 5 minutes, both involving the unfortunate Tindall who was having a masterful game at right back. In an attempt to cut out a pacey through ball Tindall fired the ball past his own keeper from fully 25 yards. It really was a superb finish, one which he couldn't repeat later on in the game when going in the right direction. In the very next attack Tindall tracked the forward into the box and won the header well inside his own 6 yard box to prevent a certain goal, unfortunately his clearance rebounded off another defender and past the keeper into the net to give Ship a second goal just before half time.

Buoyed by the fact they had the wind in the second half Riverside lifted themselves at half time, and the onslaught began. The pressure was all Riverside's in the second half with Ship limited to just a handful of half chances. The pressure unfortunately did not bring goals until mid way into the half, good work by Andy Ward in his new midfield role pressured the Ship into a mistake. A short back pass was latched onto by Hayes who neatly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net in a Dalglish-esque finish. Shortly after, a long through ball sent Barry into the corner of the pitch. With defenders all around it seemed like a lost attack but Barry pulled out a marvellous piece of skill culminating in firing the ball across the face of the goal where supersub Ben Whawell turned up between 2 defenders to fire home the equaliser.

Riverside continued to besiege the Ship goal and went close on several occasions in the closing moments. Set pieces remained the main threat as Riverside hit the woodwork in the closing seconds. Coburn made a good save from a rare Ship counter attack in the final minute, but nothing could prevent a stalemate in the end.

Riverside unbeaten for the month of April, next game against Halfway House on Friday.

Riverside were out of the blocks like a champion greyhound storming to a 5-0 lead at half time. Chances were plentiful as Wirral Health were stunned by the organisation and silky passing of the Riverside team. Martin Hayes was instrumental in the first half domination as Wirral simply could not cope with his delivery from wide positions. It was from his corner that Andy Ward opened the scoring, crashing the ball home after a goal mouth scramble. Further superb deliveries from Hayes saw Singleton add another 2 goals, bringing his seasons tally to 7. A magnificent through ball from Andy Ward, who was truly outstanding playing in a new position in the middle of the park, allowed Paul Melville to add another. Further pressure resulted in Wirral putting through their own net shortly before half time to complete the first half rout by Riverside.

With the game seemingly won, Riverside switched off in the second half and very nearly came a cropper to a Wirral Health side that reorganised and revitalised themselves at half time. 2 quick goals after the break and Riverside suddenly lost their way. Wirral added another before Dave Barry's super solo effort eased the nerves slightly. Riverside then squandered a whole host of chances to put the final nail in the Wirral coffin, main culprits being Hayes, Singleton and Barry. A 4th goal from Wirral late on made for a worrying last few minutes of the game, but Riverside held on to complete a league double over the bottom side and in doing so, doubled their league points total for the season. Final score 6-4.

Man of the Match award goes to Hayes who just edged it over Ward. Hayes' delivery was simply too much on most occasions for the Wirral Health defence.