Following last weeks trip to Nottinghamshire Stars ounce again found themselves on the road this time travelling to Leicestershire to face Heather St Johns in the beautifull surroundings of St Johns Row in this Midland Football Alliance clash the first chance went the way of the hosts on 4 minutes when Star keeper Richard Gethin miss kicked a clearence straight to Shane Gibbs but his shot was well held by Gethin 2 minutes later Franklin Hazell who was playing the game at fullback for Star went on a lung busting 40 yard run down the wing and cut an exellent ball back across the penalty area to Tony Green who hit his shot just wide of the Heather right hand goal post with Maguire the Heather keeper rooted to his line With the pitch in exellent shape despite heavy over night rain Star began to impose there trademark fast free flowing attacking football on St Johns but credit to St Johns they held firm and kept Star at bay with 31 minutes on the watch St
Johns skipper Josh Mcpherson slipped a ball through to Shane Gibbs on the edge of the Star area Gibbs turned sharply and hit a low volley that was heading into the bottom right hand corner of the Star net but at full stretch Gethin superbly finger tipped the ball round the post for a corner a first class save by the young Star keeper on the stroke of half time Ryan Nash rattled the right hand post of the Star goal with a vicious dipping volley from just inside the area Gethin scrambled the rebound away to safety a real let off for Star 2 minutes into the second half Star skipper Davion Hamilton saw his low hard drive drift inches wide of the St Johns left hand post with Maguire well beaten with there tails up Star began to turn the screw on 56 minutes Hamilton picked up a ball from Ezekiel Tomlinson just inside the St Johns half and showed an exellent change of pace to run 30 yards and unleash a thunderbolt shot that was to hot to handle for Maguire who
spilled the ball but unlucky for Star nobody was following up and Maguire greatfully fell on the loose ball on the hour mark St Johns had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Mr Hathaway who awarded Star a freekick following a tussle between Star defender Josh O’Garro and St Johns forward Joe Price the game then became very stretched and end to end with both teams seeking the opening goal of the game but credit to both defences who held firm with 15 minutes remaining Star forward Daniel Holgates shot proved to hot to handle for Maguire who ounce again spilled the ball Tony Green was quick to pounce on the loose ball and tap the ball into the St Johns net but Stars celebrations were cut short by the linesmans flag who ruled that Green was two yards offside that let off sparked St Johns into life on 80 minutes Scott Smith saw his shot fly inches over the Star crossbar a minute later Star were awarded a freekick Hamilton swept a ball out to the left
hand side to Aaron Garvey whos shot was well saved by Maguire Matt Hunt was on the edge of the six yard box to stab the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net to give Star a deserved lead thats the big defenders second goal in three games for Star the remaining nine minutes saw St Johns press for the equaliser without really troubling Star who looked very solid and compact the final whistle saw Star collect three well earned points againgst a well organised St Johns team with that win Star move up two places to 15th with 20 points from 16 games Star return to league action next Saturday 22nd December when we host Boldmere St Michaels at Dales Lane in the Midland Football Alliance k.o. 3pm

Continental…Gethin,Wright,Hazell,Hunt
O’Garro,Green,Hamilton(c)
Tomlinson,Holgate,Garvey,
Benjamin
Subs not used… Gough,Paul,Davis,Ellis,
Robinson

Adam Duffy Continental Star f.c.