AFC Lyneham named Team of the Week
www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk
8th April 2008

THE Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News-sponsored Team of the Week award for April 6, 2008, has been awarded to Fourth Division side AFC Lyneham. The award comes as little surprise as AFC Lyneham picked up their very first points of the season when they ended a 22 match losing run away at Wanderers.

On a day that Lyneham's Fourth Division stable-mates Steeple Ashton Rangers clinched the point they needed to become the first side from any division to gain promotion this term and Riverside Renegades became the first team to top the 100 goal mark, Lyneham's victory overshadowed both those landmarks.

Lyneham's success also bettered the efforts of Second Division basement side Horse and Groom, who held high scoring promotion hopefuls White Hart Combe to a goalless draw, and also eclipsed the 0-0 draw that relegation-threatened White Horse picked up against Third Division leaders Biddestone White Horse.

After improved performance over the last few weekends, AFC Lyneham, who were rock bottom of Division Four after 22 successive defeats that had seen them concede 193 goals, travelled to Southwick to meet a Wanderers side who themselves had been struggling to find their true form of late, but who were still expected to turn Lyneham over as they did in February when they won 8-0.

However the visitors hadn't read the script or if they had they chose to ignore it as they sent the champagne corks popping as they sprang the shock of the day with a 4-3 success they could still be celebrating today.

Lyneham won the thriller but only after they had thrown away a 2-0 half-time lead to trail 3-2 and at that stage it looked as if defeat 23 of the season was a certainty. But Lyneham showed true grit and determination as they fought back to stun their hosts and claim a much deserved win.

Matt Lang scored his first goal for Lyneham when he fired them in front after a good team build-up. Andy Adams doubled the visitors' lead with his third goal of the season that saw Lyneham lead 2-0 at the interval.

Wanderers came out a different side at the start of the second half and within six minutes had taken a 3-2 lead and even Lyneham must have thought their chances of victory had gone. But instead of going into melt down Lyneham picked themselves up and drew level through Mark Adams, with his third goal in as many weeks and then won it when Lang scored his second goal of the game.

Lyneham were also indebted to goalkeeper Dan Wright, who had a great game between the sticks and produced two outstanding saves in the final fives minutes to ensure Lyneham held out for their historic victory.