Calne Town 3 Hallen 2 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Calne Town 3 Hallen 2

9:39am Thursday 23rd March 2006 in Football By Gazette Sport Reporter

CALNE assistant boss Simon Hillier believes the way the side ground out their win over Hallen shows just how good a team they actually are.

Player manager Robbie Lardner's last minute winner sealed another three points for the Bremhill View outfit at the weekend.

Hillier said the performance wasn't as impressive as they had produced recently, but the result was all that mattered.

"It was an excellent win," he said. "We didn't reach the standards we have done recently, but we managed to grind out a vital win.

"At this stage of the season, results are more important than performances, particularly with Corsham dropping points against Frome and Bristol Manor Farm doing the same.

"We've been playing some tremendous football of late and it's a big ask to continue to expect them to churn out performances of that level, but we showed a bit of grit and determination and came out with a win."

Hillier praised striker Simon Gray, who scored twice after coming off the bench in the fifth minute to replace the injured Glenn Armstrong.

"He's been a thorn in their side all day," he said.

"He's waited patiently on the sidelines and he's come up with some really good goals."

Armstrong suffered a nasty cut to his foot in a tackle early on and was taken to hospital, but there was no damage to the bone and he could be fit for the weekend.

Hallen's Paul Owen was also taken to hospital soon after, with a badly gashed head.

Calne went in front after 15 minutes when Gray smashed home Gary Banks' cross.

The home side doubled the lead moments before the interval when James Lye neatly turned a Ben Moore pass into the path of Gray, who finished crisply.

However, Hallen got back into the game after 60 minutes when Gary Powell lashed in a 30-yard drive.

In the 75th minute, the visitors levelled the scores as Andy Cook's wind-assisted free kick from 40 yards found the net.

However, Lardner latched onto Moore's header in the dying minutes to round the keeper and secure all three points.

Calne travel to Frome on Saturday, before attempting to book their place in the Wiltshire Senior Cup final against Melksham on Tuesday.

Moore is a slight doubt with a knee injury, but is expected to make Saturday.