MATCH REPORTS

Games played on: Sat 7th Nov 2009
1stXI v Old Latymerians 1st XI
Lost Score: 0-4 League Away
Scorers:
Report: Sitting in slow moving traffic for 2 hours to travel the 20 odd miles to Hounslow did not aid our preparation but it cannot be used as an excuse for a lack lustre performance. In fact we started the better of the two sides but once we had conceded a penalty after 20mins we were very much second best for the rest of the first half and the 0-3 score at the interval reflected how poorly we had performed. After the break we did improve and passed the ball better and with more conviction, but despite having the majority of possession we rarely troubled the opposition keeper. Lats added a 4th against the run of play through a defensive mix up, lack of communication being our undoing, a problem that plagued us all game. Having won the previous two league games maybe we thought we'd cracked it, but the results in the league so far this season have proved that most teams can beat one another on any given day. Old Lats must look forward to playing us, that's the second season running we've given them their first league victory, Betfair take note for next season!
2ndXI v Broomfield 2nd XI
Won Score: 4-1 League Home
Scorers: O'Donaghue, Oraldo (3)
Report:
3rdXI v
Lost Score: 1-2 Old Wilsonians 3rd XI Home
Scorers: OG
Report: Our first league defeat of the season and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Saturday started as most seem to lately, players dropping out and having to call last minute favours in the hope of fielding eleven players. Once again we managed to pull it together and even had a substitute kitted up.

The game kicked off with Darren still making his way to goal after a number of warnings from the ref and this was a sign of things to come in the opening stages. We were on the back foot immediately, the visitors starting brightly and it took us a while to settle into the game. We were holding on at stages as we tried to find our feet and although we weren’t able to do much with the ball when we had it, we were showing a determined resilience not to concede, Tom McMullen in particular getting a head or foot in when called on and Darren making a fantastic save from close range.

After weathering an early storm we began to grow into the game and showed that even with attacking players missing from the side, we were able to create chances. A large part of this was down to the industry of Mike Cole who was covering every blade of the grass in the opposition half.

The game was pretty even although it was Wilsonians who looked the more dangerous in attack and it was the away side who took the lead on about 30mins, frustratingly for us it was a goal that was so easily avoidable. Following a Stationers clearance the ball was played out to the Wilsonians right wing about 25 yards from goal. The winger whipped in a decent cross where through a mix up in communication, we had one defender playing three Wilsonians attackers onside and the ball was nodded in from close range.

We bounced back well after conceding and continued to make some good chances to level the score,
but either a bad touch in the box or a shot just off target meant that we went into the break a goal down, but knowing we were far from beaten.

We started the second half with a point to prove (and three in our sights) and took the game to the opposition. Bobby Hankins was growing into the game, getting his foot on the ball more often and starting to make things happen, with the whole team showing great character and a desire to pull level, we began to control the match. Frustration was growing as we were unable to convert good possession and pressure into an equaliser and it seemed as if might be one of those days until lady luck smiled our way.

Picking the ball up on the right wing Cole drifted inside and fired the ball into the penalty box, this time his hard work was rewarded as the ball deflected off a Wilsonians defender and into the net. It was no more than we deserved.

As with the first half it was still a closely fought game and while we were imposing ourselves on the match, Wilsonians continued to look dangerous on the break with some good ball players in the middle and pace on the flanks.

It was becoming clear that the next goal would win the game and although it may be through biased eyes, it looked like it would be us who would grab the win after a number of corners and half chances it only seemed a matter of time, however our hopes were shattered with about five minutes left on the clock.

After defending another Stationers attack the ball got cleared long down the Wilsonians right wing and after surviving a few earlier scares, this time they made use of the space in behind our back line. Their right winger won the race to the ball and drove into our area. We seemed to have enough men back to deal with the danger however the cut back managed to find its way between our defenders and Darren to a grateful striker who swept home from two yards.

A real kick in the nuts after a fantastic effort in the second half and we certainly deserved at least a point, however it wasn’t to be and we need to learn from our mistakes, but more importantly we need more commitment from those who let us down by not showing up.

Man Of The Match: T. McMullen – solid performance
Special mention: Referee – great game

4thXI v Bealonians 4th XI
Lost Score: 1-2 OC Cup Away
Scorers: Gilligan
Report: Another decent performance - another week when we took the lead - another last minute defeat - another goal from the skipper - another week next week!!
5thXI v Carshalton 5th XI
Lost Score: 0-3 AFA Cup Away
Scorers:
Report: Another loss, but a decent performance; although I sense we can go a gear
or two up from this if we sort our own possession game out. I don't know
how many divisions above us the Carlshalton 5thxi is (perhaps someone can
check? Mike N?); but they were certainly well organised and made no
errors; definitely a cut well above our division standard.

First half we spent most of the time defending, and did so effectively
enough. We sustained the oppo pressure reasonably well, and kept them at
arms length for most of the time. If I have a criticism of the team it is
only that our players don't seem to take any pleasure in doing this work.
Surely it is part of the game to take pride in doing a reasonable job of
locking up shop against superior opposition? We were undone by a 30 yard
effort that went in off the underside of the bar. A rocket shot from
outside the box that gave Marr no chance in goal. The other key incident
in the half was Alex Kyriakide's chance at the other end. The oppo keeper
game charging out of the box to sweep in front of Alex, who got a goal
bound shot away, that their keeper deliberately deflected with his hand
outside the box. The ref saw it as a foul, and produced a yellow card;
but surely, as he was the last man, and the shot was on target, this
should have been a red card?!? Perhaps we should have made this point a
little more vociferously, because playing this oppo down to ten with no
specialist keeper in goal we would have fancied our chances. (I had
intended to ask the Ref after the game why this was only a yellow card;
but clean forgot to pick him up on it).

Second half we made some changes, which improved the balance of the team,
and helped the flow of our football. It was an even half, and remained
1-0 for quite some time. As time passed we developed the attacking side
of our play, and it looked likely we would get a deserved goal. As our
momentum built up a silly individual error cost us a ridiculously soft
goal; as seems to be the case every week. On this occasion the normally
rock solidly dependable Mike D gave the ball away; but it seems to be
another team member every week? (Lads, if we could cut out the calamitous
individual errors we'd pick up loads more points). Anyhow, that put us
2-0 down with fifteen minutes to play, so still time to get a goal back;
but the wind seemed to be gone from our sails. We conceded a third goal
from a free kick scramble late on; and that was that.

Let's take more pride in defending well. Let's play for each other for
the whole 90 minutes. And just relax a bit more on the ball when in
possession. I'm sure this is just an attitude thing we need to get right.
And also consider this: We've just played two cup matches. If we'd have
played in our league division in the last couple of weeks with the
performances we've put in we'd probably be 6 points to the good.

Mega Vets v EBOGs MegaVets
Drew Score: 2-2 Friendly Away
Scorers: Gilligan (pen), Greaves
Report: After 3 years of trying we finally got to play a Mega Vets game against our nearest neighbours, and a close encounter it proved to be. We started brightly and were soon awarded a penalty. With no obvious candidate to take the kick I asked for a volunteer from midfield with a cool head, unfortunately Gilly thought I asked for a volunteer from Enfield with a bald head and stepped forward. A hush came over the assembled masses (all thinking surely there must be someone else....anybody) but surprisingly he confidently converted the spot kick. Unfortunately we failed to hold on to our lead for long but deservedly managed to regain the advantage before the interval when Greaves' determination brought our second goal. After the break chances were scarce and as our ageing legs tired Ebogs eventually managed to force an equaliser and overall a draw seemed a fair result. Dave Fuller quotes unlikely to be heard after the game "Sorry I was late lads it was my own stupid fault" "Great effort Mick I thought that was heading for the top corner"