Match report: Hythe & Dibden play 20 minutes with 10 men but seal 2-2 Wessex League Premier Division draw against Downton
Hythe & Dibden shared the spoils with Downton after an entertaining 2-2 draw on Saturday, despite playing the last 20 minutes with only 10 players.
Rhys Crookes gave Hythe & Dibden a two-goal lead before Wessex League veteran Asa Phillips hit back for relegation-threatened Downton, but after going down to ten men, they will be proud of a hard-fought point.
“It was a decent result away from home”, said Hythe & Dibden manager Richard Morse. “However, with going two goals up, I’m a little bit disappointed we didn’t manage the game better and allowed Downton to come back into the game.
“But with going down to 10 men towards the end of the game, it was important we didn’t lose the game, so we were glad to come away with a point.
“That’s four points from our last two games, which was the minimum we set out, and we have achieved that.”
In a high-tempo, hard-fought game, both teams created multiple chances.
Hythe made the brighter start of the two sides, racing out the blocks and pressing their opponents hard. They seized the momentum and took an early two-goal lead thanks to a brace from Crookes, who grabbed his first league goals of the season.
The Robins responded well, turning up the heat, with Phillips scoring two great goals on his home debut to make it all level going into the break.
The second half was a closely fought affair, with both teams having multiple opportunities to take the lead.
Despite Hythe going down to 10 men in the last 20 minutes, they saw out the contest and could have knicked it, but the final whistle came with the scores still level.
Hythe & Dibden take on promotion-chasing Hamworthy Recreation at the Hythe Garage Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.
Hythe & Dibden: L. Deacon, S. Boon, S. Danver, R. Flooks, J. Batt, M. Laptas, R. Crookes, C. Drury, L. Carbayo-Borges, O. Davies, H. Clarke. Subs: H. Osman, D. Hacon, T. Lycett, L. Thompson, C. Hewson.