The visit of Lee Chapel saw the return to Barleylands of two former Forest Players Ben Price and Lewis Fear. The match started evenly with both teams struggling to find clear cut opportunities. Lewis Farrier had the first clear one and one with the keeper but fired just wide following a through ball from Harry Gadlin.

Lee Chapel on their first clear opportunity made the most of it., scoring with the Chapel player firing high and in the corner giving Richard Long no chance. This brought some sustained pressure from the Forest Glade team with several opportunities for the strikers being set up by the midfield with some neat passing and touches. Eventually after about 25 minutes Lewis Farrier who had earlier hit the post fired low and hard in the left corner to bring the score back to 1-1. This was the score at half time.

The second half started well with some excellent passing on both the left and right with Sam Lawrence, Jimi Bude and Ryan Seagroatt making some excellent playmaking passes. The defence were also turning in a solid display.

A moment of controversy followed a Lee Chapel attack. A break through the centre and a ball passed out wide. A cross came across and it appeared simpler to score than miss the target. The Lee Chapel crowd and players appealed that the ball had passed straight through the net and out the side. The ref looked long and hard and drew the conclusion that it was a goal. This stunned the Forest crowd and also the boys. However the ref’s decision stood.

The goal stunned the boys into a stunning final 20 minutes. There were numerous opportunities that fell to Forest and one was eventually taken by Lewis Farrier for his second of the game. With 5 minutes to go a piece of fortune or the intervention of justice some may say, saw a ball taken on by Ryan Seagroatt. His shot appeared to be going wide, when the covering defender running towards goal could not get his feet out of the way of the ball and stroked the ball into his own net. A feeling of sympathy goes out to the Chapel defender however it did mean that the controversial goal had no affect on the game’s outcome.

Overall the game was enjoyable for all to watch with some good football between two competitive teams on show. Forest however were the happier at the end with all three points. Onwards and upwards we go.