Niall hits the penalty Stott twice

Fareham have been working hard on their penalty corner routines at midweek training sessions, so it was pleasing for coach George Harris that Niall Stott converted two set pieces which set up a 3-2 win over Plymouth Marjon.
Chris Davey scored a third goal in the closing stages before Fareham held out to claim their first three-pointer since the winter break.
They had previously drawn 3-3 with leaders Bristol University and been thumped 5-1 by Isca who, in turn lost 3-1 to the west country students, who enjoy a two-point lead at the top after 12 rounds of matches.
Harris described it as a “mixed performance. We struggled for fluidity in our out-letting due to the slow pitch, allowing Marjons to pack the middle and prevent us going down the sides,” he reflected.
Fareham fell behind to a sixth minute Ben Hedley goal but were ahead by half-time.
Keiran Page immediately impacted the game with some good link up play when he came off the bench.
Having found himself on the left side of the circle he  calmly found a Marjon defender’s foot when no better options presented themselves.
A slick penalty corner interchange between Chris Davey and Stott saw the former Scotland international dispatch into the top of the net.
Confidence was restored and Fareham started to control possession, but Marjons still looked dangerous. Harris admitted: “We failed to protect against the counter-attack maybe thinking we could score at will but Marjons continually found a high counter attacker and kept the game dangerously stretched. “However, with more of a foothold in the game our own attacks began to be more profitable in terms of D entries.”
Stott forced a sharp save from the top of the circle from a corner and soon after fired a rasping shot through a congested space to give Fareham a 2-1 interval lead.
Play became scrappy and disjointed, but the game opened up – only for Fareham to waste their chances.
Chris Davey got a key third goal for Fareham five minutes from time, after which both he and brother George missed gilt edged opportunities.
A yellow card for trainee go-kart enthusiast Sam Ratliffe left Fareham a player down for the closing minutes, during which time Matt Smith clawed a second goal back.
Ratliffe, a big Saints soccer fan, failed to apply the brakes as he slithered in for a tackle, bowling the entire Plymouth subs off their bench. He was promptly sent to the pits.
Goalkeeper Alex White made a fine save and Dylan Coleman scrambled one off the line as Fareham clung on to the points.

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