Match Report Futsal > Team Bath win against Loughborough
Fixture: FA National Futsal League (Midlands Division)
Date: Friday 22 February 2013
Score: Loughborough 4 – 5 Team Bath
Venue: Netball/Badminton Centre, Loughborough University
Team Bath Futsal step closer to League Title with dramatic late win!
Late on Friday night (22 February) Team Bath travelled to play rivals Loughbrough Students in their penultimate League match knowing a victory was required to keep their league championship fate in their own hands.
Bath started well against the hosts who had won their last five league matches in a row.
Playing on the break Bath looked dangerous with Yilmaz and Ingram going close early on. Kitson also tested the Lougborough goal keeper from two well worked kick ins.
Loughborough had the lions share of possession during the first half but it was Bath who went 1-0 up as Parkes found the in-form Ballinger to toe poke the ball home and take the lead. Loughborough then responded well as a long throw caught the Bath defence out of position and a neat back post finish levelled the game at 1-1.
Things got worse for the visitors shortly after as Horlock was dismissed with a straight red card for an alleged stamp. With 1.47 left in the first half Bath played out the period with a man short but defended resolutely with Loughborough not even creating one shooting chance.
The second half started more evenly as both teams prodded and probed with Dix in the Bath goal keeping Rooke and Kurrant at bay with two smart saves. Bath then began to find their passing rhythm and a slick move saw Ballinger return the favour and assist Parkes to make it 2-1.
A minute later Bath moved 3-1 ahead as a quick counter attack by Ballinger allowed him to score his second of the night. Loughborough with nothing to lose themselves changed tact and adopted the Fly Goal Keeper and began camping themselves in the Bath half.
A deflected goal got them back in the game before equalising from the top of the D finishing off a cut back. Loughborough kept advancing forward in the final stages of the game and stunned Bath by scoring again to make it 4-3.
With three minutes to go and only a win any good to Bath title hopes they too began playing Fly and Bell created three chances in the space of a minute but none were taken by his team mates.
Finally, a back post ball by Kitson deflected over the Loughborough Goal Keeper and levelled the scores at 4-4.
This bit of luck was what the team needed and then amazingly Bath got a winner 21 seconds time as Parkes once again found Ballinger to score inside the D to win a fantastic match for Bath and seal his hat trick.
This huge win for the team meant a victory on Sunday over Gloucester would seal them the title.
Team: Dix (GK), Kitson, Ballinger, Ingram, Parkes, Yilmaz, Khurana, Horlock, Bell
MOM: Dix
