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MATCH REPORTS |
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Games played on: Sat 6th Mar 2010
| 1stXI v Alexandra Park 1st XI |
| Drew |
Score: 3-3 |
League |
Home |
| Scorers: Rowe 2, Anthony |
Report: Having squandered a 2-0 lead in our previous game we were mindful of not giving up a 2 goal advantage again, so this time we raced into a thoroughly deserved 3-0 lead after 30mins instead !! Two goals from Mark Rowe and another from Raf Anthony were just rewards for the effort we put in in the first period, however just as we approached the break with a commanding lead AP managed to scramble a goal back following a corner on the stroke of half time. A massive boost for them and what turned out to be a real blow for us. With renewed belief AP put us under pressure after the break and we began to look shaky especially from dead ball situations and within 20 mins our two goal lead became one and eventually AP pulled level with 15 mins still remaining. At this stage of the game we were struggling just to stay in the contest and although we did create a couple of good opportunities to regain the advantage in the end we were happy to take the draw. When things are not going our way we must learn maintain our composure and maintain the effort and application that has brought about success in the 1st half of recent games. Still, think positive only 1 defeat in 7 games, next week we are hoping for a boring 0-0 game for 89 mins and snatch the winner at the death!
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| 2ndXI v Old Finchleians 2nd XI |
| Lost |
Score: 6-8 (Yes that really was the score) |
League |
Away |
| Scorers: |
Report:
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| 3rdXI v Civil Service 3rd XI |
| Drew |
Score: 2-2 |
League |
Home |
| Scorers: McMullen T, Hankins |
Report: Saturday lived up to the original football cliché, as it really was a game of two halves. We started the match brightly, getting the ball down and looking to play our way through and around the opposition, even on a pitch where a bucket and spade or a pair of wellies would of been more use than football boots for large parts.
Everyone getting a touch on the ball we enjoyed good possession and were able to get at the CS back line on a number of occasions in the opening half hour, it seemed only a matter of time before we would make an opportunity count and take a deserved lead into the break.
Our best chance to open the scoring fell to Tom McMullen midway through the half. Taking an inch perfect floated ball over the CS back line from Hankins on to his chest, his first touch was sublime, taking him into the area on his left foot, he met the ball on the half volley and struck it sweetly but slightly off target as the side netting rustled at the near post.
We were looking to play from back to front and presented the away team with a few chances to snatch a goal through over playing, but it was certainly encouraging to see the team trying to play the ball as often as possible and going into half time it was just a goal that was missing from an otherwise good all round performance.
The second half began even better than the first as we took the lead inside the first ten minutes. A familiar routine of a Ben McMullen corner finding brother Tom who smashed home as the ball dropped in a crowded penalty box.
The goal should have been a platform for us to build on and continue to play a controlling possession game. However it some how had the reverse affect as we lost our way and found ourselves on the back foot for the majority of the half.
The visitors drew level with a somewhat controversial goal. We had a chance to clear our lines but a miss-placed pass led to a cross/shot that seemed to be heading into the net before a CS striker who looked to be in a clear off-side position, jumped with Darren and bundled in.
We began to tire as the game went on, maybe a result of three weeks without a match and an increasingly heavy pitch and dropped deeper as the away team took control, though we always looked a threat on the break with the pace and trickery of Niam and Joe from wide positions.
Inside the final ten minutes and against the run of play we managed to grab a break away goal. A through ball between the CS middle found Hankins running from deep and one on one with keeper. Shaping to slot to the keepers left he sold him one and rolled the ball to his right and in to the bottom corner for what looked to be the winner with barely five minutes to play.
Our joy didn't last long though as CS continued to pile the pressure on immediately.
After clearing one attack we looked to counter quickly when we should have maybe looked to hold on to the ball. After winning possession back a long ball from the CS back line wasn't dealt with and dropped kindly to a CS attacker about 25 yards out. He had one thought in his mind and hit a good shot and although getting a hand on it, DC wasn't able to keep it out.
Man Of The Match: Joe O’connor – worked hard all game and always provided an outlet going forward.
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| 4thXI v Norsemen 6th XI |
| Won |
Score: 5-1 |
League |
Away |
| Scorers: |
Report: A command performance if ever there was one! We took the game to them from the outset and could have been 3 or 4 up within the first 20 mins. The fact that we weren't was down to poor finishing rather than good goalkeeping (no names but Adam comes to mind!). We were given a gift of a goal for our second when Lee Woods struck a fairly innocuous free kick straight into the keepers hands only for him to the drop it between his legs into the net!! That put pay to any real threat the oppo had. We were good value for our win and had we been more lethal in front of goal we may have double our tally. The only blot on the landscape (for Jason anyway) was the oppo's last minute consolation which looped over Jason from an acute angle. Solid games from most but the skippers MoM for his graft and guile throughtout must be Brownie.
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| 5thXI v Winchmore Hill 10th XI |
| Won |
Score: 3-1 |
League |
Away |
| Scorers: OG, Kyriakides, Hulkes |
Report: A weird game this. Started very late whilst the oppo spent an age trying to find a net. Played in eerie silence apart from me and Lee shouting that we needed to not play in silence. The oppo did a 5thxi from the kick off and conceded a slapstick own goal to give us the initiative. For most of the first half we were in charge, and created most of the chances. Alex was particularly unlucky not to put us two up, blasting a shot against the bar. Half time team talk was: Basically, the oppo didn't carry much threat, and so long as we stayed alert and didn't make any silly mistakes, we'd probably win the match. Second half kicked off, and within a couple of minutes we'd made a silly mistake and given a goal away. This got the oppo's tails up, and they made life a little bit more uncomfortable for us for the duration. It wasn't until the last twenty minutes that we re-established control with a goal converted by Alex K, made by a great driving run through the middle from Lee Hunt. We were still nervous, and needed a third to settle it. Gary Hulkes duly obliged ten minutes from time. We played pretty effective keep ball from then on until the final whistle. An odd slightly insipid game then; but one we got three points out of, so we should be happy enough.
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| Mega Vets v Winchmore Hill |
| Lost |
Score: 1-3 |
Friendly |
Away |
| Scorers: Jenkins |
Report: It has been so long since we played together name tags had to be worn in the dressing room before the game to aid identification or is that just senility taking hold. We won the all important toss which enabled us to kick towards the rock hard frozen goal mouth in the first half and defend the one bathed in sunshine (who said experience counts for nothing) however a fat lot of good it did us as we conceded first. We did manage to draw level before the break when Gilly's inch perfect punt down field found Jenks who was able to keep his feet long enough to expertly lob the keeper. Fresh legs were needed at half time, unfortunately they were connected to old bodies and as the 2nd half wore on Hill certainly had the better of things and took the lead mid way through the half. As the game drew to a close we tired and our passing became very scrappy (having previously only been scrappy) . All in all considering we were playing against a younger team that play every week we acquitted ourselves well.
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