Manager praises hardworking Devizes (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Manager praises hardworking Devizes

8:04am Wednesday 19th September 2007 in Football By Mike Moore

Devizes 3 Bristol Manor Farm 1

Devizes manager Paul Thompson hailed his side's second half performance as the best 45 minutes of the season.

Devizes scored twice and played attractive attacking football while keeping their defence solid.

Thompson praised his side's performance and said: "We started brightly in the first 30 minutes and we created some chances. We hit the cross bar twice and scored the goal.

" But we let them back in to it in the last 15 minutes of the half and we sloppily conceded the goal, but in the second half we showed resilience and character to win the game.

"The lads did everything we asked them to do and it was a very professional performance tonight."

Within two minutes of the starting whistle Devizes were indebted to keeper Owen Dunn as he denied Kevin Rawlins from close range. But the home side then started to assert themselves more and were unlucky to be denied twice from corners as Ryan Trowbridge and Steve Campbell both went close on six minutes.

Devizes then struck the bar as Campbell this time supplied the corner but Kris Beasley's header smashed against the bar with 21 minutes played.

Dunn made another crucial save to keep the scoreslevel as this time he saved Ben Hiscox's header on 29 minutes.

Devizes though took the lead on 33 minutes as Jeremy Newton's gamble paid off after he read Matt Horn's attempted headed back-pass. It did not have enough power to reach Tom Hardwick in Manor Farm's goal and was pounced upon by Newton who finished coolly to net on his debut.

Town's lead only lasted 11 minutes as the visitors pegged Devizes back on the stroke of half time. Leon Simpson who has an air of Peter Crouch about him caused problems for the hosts and his nod down fell to Hiscox at the back who finished well.

This setback was not a blow to Devizes' confidence but served as a catalyst for a strong second half display.

Their reward came as Dan Sloan ghosted in un-marked at the back post on 62 minutes from a deep free-kick by Jamie Lyons. Campbell then doubled Devizes' advantage as he combined well with substitute Andy Brien on the right wing.Campbell turned neatly inside the box and he fired his effort in at the near post from just inside the 18 yard box.

Thompson said: "Tonight I was pleased with the whole team but Dan Sloan, Steve Campbell, Dan Robinson and Jeremy Newton all played well . To be honest the only thing we are missing up front is a big man like they had tonight. It gives you an outlet for the team when they are in trouble or under pressure.

Their goal tonight came from his menace up front both in and around the box."