Match reports - February 16, 2008

The 1st XI came from two goals down to thrash London University 9-2, and with other results going our way we can move into second place if we beat Wanderers next week. The 2nd XI leapfrogged Epsom with a 3-1 win in a relegation six-pointer, but the 3rd XIs woes increased as they went down 1-3 to Addiscombe. The 4th XI secured a 2-2 draw with Old Reigatians thanks to a scrambled equaliser three minutes from time.

1st XI 9-2 London University (Click here for match photos)
A game in which the score line does not tell the story in a game where our opposition were the team that started the pre Christmas rot. Against a side of 10 we started by playing some pretty hockey but were far from incisive, squandering a great deal of possession and two short corners. A double wake-up call put us two down five minutes before half time - the first from poor marking and the second from a crisp short-corner strike. A rapid change of formation however saw Smudger – the unquestionable man of the match – set up Rippers with the easiest of tap-ins and the Knapp latched on to a loose ball in the D to level on the stroke of half time.

London Uni could have scored in the first minute of the second period but Bruce cleared off the line and after that we upped the ball speed, used Smudger to emphatic purpose and he set up three goals from Gavin and one for Eds C and was instrumental in the play leading to ECs second and the short corner converted by Rippers. Arguably we could have scored more but the LU keeper made a number of fine saves and towards the end we made the wrong choice in front of goal. Good to have Gavin back scoring his goals and matching his pre Christmas strike rate of a 25% goal to chances ratio – sorry, 20%.

An added bonus came our way late on Saturday afternoon with the news that Bank and Wanderers drew which means that for the first time since November getting promotion is once again back in our hands. Next week’s game now takes on monumental importance. David Knapp



3rd XI 1-3 Addiscombe
We went down 3-1 in a hard fought game that could easily have gone the other way. Electing to play into the sun in the first half, Addiscombe pushed back to start the game off. Some early good passing led to some build up play, it took 10 minutes for either team to settle. It was Addiscombe that looked more threatening in the first ten with a deflection off Kelson's pads glancing the ball left of the goal keeping the scores level. We started to move the ball fluidly and as the game unravelled, Neil and Preston started to pick apart the Addiscombe defence with some clever skills. We started to pin the game in their half and it looked only a matter of time before we were to score. Preston actually got the ball into the goal … well, half of it, as it split in half as he hit it leaving the keeper bewildered, but it was disallowed. The keeper then pulled off two very good saves.

However, against the run of play, Addiscombe broke free and in a muddled clearance that was not effectively dealt with an Addiscombe player picked the ball of a deflection from the keeper with a lot of time and space, took the lead. The game continued with us pressing home against a technically weaker team however even with the ball going across the face of the goal on no less than four occasions and some good keeping, we couldn't take advantage. Short corners occurred however we just couldn't capitalise on our pressing advantage.

Half time came and a focus on a hard 10 minutes was nulled by a defensive communication break down and Addiscombe capitalising and putting a second in within a minute of the restart. With great credit, the team kept fighting for the game and a tireless effort by Chris and Andy in the centre and Chaz up the left kept attacks flowing. Although we once again were pressing the Addiscombe half, there were more breaks against us occurring with CD and Adam cleaning up as effectively as possible. Chaz's attacks combined with Preston and Neil leading the attack finally came to fruition and Neil scored to bring the game back into reach.

The game became tighter as Addiscombe defended in numbers and breaching this was becoming more challenging. A moment of 'surging' attack came from skipper Armitage who was unceremoniously taken out putting him on the floor but the nail in the coffin came where Addiscombe sent the ball into the D and a deft deflection past the keeper and two defenders took the game out of reach.

Although we fought on, with five minutes left and a tight Addiscombe defence to breach, the game concluded with a loss that could easily have gone another way. Four games remain, three teams are fighting to avoid relegation with two of those still to play, all to play for, nothing to lose! Man of the match, Chaz and some serious thinking to be had over the week. James Armitage

4th XI 2-2 Old Reigatians
A draw left us without a win since Christmas, but it could have been much worse but for a scrambled equaliser – deserved after ten minutes of incessant pressure – three minutes from time. We will play far worse and win, but although we controlled a good-spirited game and dominated the midfield, we were behind after 64 seconds when our defence was caught cold, equalised, only to go behind against 12 minutes from the end with a well-placed flick off a short corner.