Millwey Rise Reserves went down 3-1 at home to Elmore thirds in what was their final Macron League Division Eight game of the season, writes Dick Sturch.

Rise made a good start and ought to have taken the lead within five minutes, but, with the goal gaping, the shot was wide of the mark!

Rise continued to dominate the early exchanges, but, as is so often the case in such circumstances, the opposition mounted a counter-attack that saw them finish it clinically to take the lead!

The response from Rise was good and Stuart king saw his shot fly just over before Finlay Cox, after being put through by Brad Conway, rifled the ball just wide.

Early in the second period, Millwey Rise goalkeeper Terry Male made a great save to deny the visitors a second before, at the other end of the pitch, King turned and fired in a great volley which left the Elmore keeper stranded to restore parity to the game.

Millwey Rise remained on the front foot and Cox fired in a powerful shot which the visitor’s keeper did well to hold.

‘Rise’ strived to move in front, but was undone in a matter of five minutes when a youthful Elmore took advantage of some tiring legs to score twice more.

Millwey came back and in the final minute a shot from Darren Whitehouse hit the side netting.

This was a very enjoyable game to watch and the home side were in no way intimidated by their more illustrious opponents.

The whole team rose to the occasion no more so than their two wide men Finlay Cox and Mikey Sayers who chased everything.

Joint Managers Mark Enticott and Craig Mitchell can be justly satisfied at the performance of their team which this season provided the vital role of supplying the young players who made such an impression in the senior team replacing those who migrated elsewhere.