Game details Saturday 31st October 2009 away to Goffs Old Boys

League game Saturday 31st October 2009
Away v Goffs Old Boys
Meet at Club 1.30
ko 2.45

Goffs Lane Playing Fields
Goffs Lane
Goffs Oak
Herts EN7 5EG

Match Report 24 October 2009 v London Welsh AFA Cup

AFA Cup v London Welsh - away - match abandoned after 25 minutes.

Not much to say about this game. Everyone knows what happened with Eamon losing it for no reason and pushing and punching the referee.

Its a shame because the game was being played in a good spirit and there wasn't a bad tackle or any kind of trouble until the incident, which just came out of the blue.

London Welsh were not a very strong team and we would have went on to win the game comfortably and be in the next round.

After the incident we carried on and played the rest of the game as a freindly, with us winning 3 -1. Great hatrick from Pasta. I thought the new ref was excellent!

Louis also played a role on the pitch and looked quite good in the right midfield/winger role, until I was told he was supposed to be playing right back.

Adam Tompkinson also showed us that he can play in goal, so Lewis beware.

The current situation is that the incident has been reported to the AFA and we are compiling our report to them. We have no defence as to what happened other that it was just one rougue player who caused the trouble out of nothing. I spoke to the referee after the game in the bar and he said that he had no problem with Minchenden as a Club or our third II in patricular and if he was asked to ref minchenden again he would do it without hesitation. The guys from London Welsh also said to me that they had no problem with us and if we needed it they would give our team (except 1) a character reference for the AFA.

It seems that we will get a large fine and be kicked out of the competition and hopefully nothing else. It would be a shame to punish the rest of the players for just one idiot.

For player ratings this week I will give everybody 9 out of 10 for keeping their composure during the whole time and the game afterwoods. I will give Pasta 10 for scoring some great goals.

Man on the match Pasta

For next weeks game it looks like I have 17 players. As I mentioned on Saturday, I will have to drop 3 players to the 4th II. For those that go down it does not mean that they will not be coming up again as you know injuries and unavailablity always occur.

Next Saturday we are back to League games and are away to Goffs Old Boys. I will post details of this later.

John

Game details Saturday 24 October v London Welsh

Game Saturday 24 October 2009 away to London Welsh
AFA Cup

University of Westminster Sports Ground
Cavendish Road, Chiswick W4 3UH
(entrance is adjacent to Hartington Road)

ko 2.30pm
Meet at club 12.15pm

Match Report - Sat 17 October OB Cup v Salesians

OB CUP v Salesians
Home Lost 2 - 4
Scorers Aaron (pen), Chris

Off we went again with yet another Cup game, this time against Salesians from the SAL.

We knew that they would be a good side and that we had a tough game on our hands. We had a full squad available with 3 subs at the start of the game, but I was worrried about injuries as Chris, Eamon and Petros were all carrying injuries. Pasta also was a sub, and was also carrying an injury.

We started the game well and for the first 5 minutes looked the better side. They were good going forward and their wingers and forwards were pretty quick. On our left side their player was like a Ferrari, quick sleek and pretty with a 0 - 60 of under 5 seconds. Against him we had Chambers, a old Ford Fiesta that never let you down, and a 0 - 60 of under 5 minutes.

After about 10 minutes we lost the ball in their half and the through ball went to their foward and he ran forward and scored. He was about 10 yards off side but the ref didn't see it. I thought the ref was not fit enough ( does this mean that me and Fergie are in the same trouble?)

The goal gave them a lift and for the next 10 Minutes we were under a bit of pressure. As the half went on we finally got to grips with thier midfield and started to push forward and create chances, and with 30 minutes gone, Aaron floated a corner into the box for Chris Bagely to head into the net 1 -1

For the last 15 minutes of the half we were the better side and as the half time whistle blew, I thought that we would go on and win this game.

The second half started evenly and both sides played some good fast attacking football and Tom coming close a couple of times After about 15 minutes we lost the ball in their half and one of their super cars broke forward and scored. 1 - 2

We moved to a 4- 4 - 2 formation in order to try and get a goal back. The possession was even and both sides had chances but none of them clear cut. With 30 minutes gone, there was a drop ball on the edge of our box which we failed to clear, and the Ferrari volleyed the ball into the net. It was a good goal. 1 - 3.

We continued to push forward and got our reward with 10 minutes left, when the ball struck the hand of one of their players in the box. Penalty. Aaron stepped up and scored from the spot. 2 - 3

We contunued to push forward looking for the equaliser and with 5 minutes left we had a penalty awarded against us for hanball in the box. 2 - 4

Aaron pushed forward to make a third striker as we strived to find another goal, but it was not to be. Final score 2 - 4

We also had a few firsts this week.

Chris scored his first goal of the season
For the first time Eamon didnt get spoken to by the ref
Sean bought his first round of the season
Adam Tompkinson played his first game after being banned
Tom Sicknote Hannington didnt get injured

Next week we have yet another cup game. This time in the AFA Cup away to London Welsh reserves. I am not sure if its rugby or football? I will let you all have details by text in due course and will also post the details on the blog.

Player ratings

Lewis Pontin 7
Adam Tompkinson 7
Aaron Wilson 8
Chambers 7
Andy Blackburn 7
Sonny Davis 7
Chris Bagely 8
Tom Hannington 9
Sean Gallagher 7
Petros 7
Niki Heigho 8
Richard Agostini
Eamon Meaney 7

Man of the match - Tom Hannington

John

Saturday 17 October - Game information

Game on Saturday v Salesians
Old Boys Cup
Home at Bramley Road
meet 2.00pm
ko 3.00pm

LOB Cup v Hale End Athletic 10th October 2009 - Match report

LOB Cup v Hale End Athletic
Lost 2 - 4

Another Saturday another cup game. We played our 3rd cup game in a row against a good organised team from Division 2 North.

Now we have lost a game I can cut my hair. After last weeks episode I was discussing with Aaron at training what type of headband I should wear to stop my flowing locks going into my eyes, as I would have scored a couple more goals on Thusday at training had it not been for the hair in my eyes. Should I go for the McEnroe look or the Berbatov/Torrres look. I decided on the Berbatov/Torres look. So Saturday morning before the game I found myself in Top Shop in Enfield Town with all the 15 year old girls trying headbands on. They had every bright colour available and in the end I settled for a green one (luminous). I showed my wife when I got home, and once she had picked her self up off the floor, I was persuaded that I looked like a pratt in it so in the bin it went. Maybe I will try for the McEnroe look!

We arrived nice and early for the game as we were on the top pitch for the first time this week. Nets were up and the pitch was in great condition.

With only one forward available we were restricted to playing 4 - 5 - 1, as Pasta was taken upto the twos and Petros and Harvey are both injured, but we still had a strong squad with three subs avalable.

The game did not start very well. Within the first minute they got a corner and from the corner their centre back came close with a header. We were very nervous at the back with passes and kicks going astray. The first corner should have been a warning, as a couple of minutes later they got anaother corner and the same centre back lost his marker and headed the ball into the net. 0 - 1

For the next 20 minutes they closed us down every time we got the ball and did not let us play the type of football we are capable of. It was only a matter of time before they scored their second goal. On 30 minutes they scored a second goal. 0 - 2

The second goal seemed to spark us into life. For the next 10 minutes we attacked them and had them on the back foot and our pressure was rewarded with a goal from Sean with his right foot. His first goal of the season. Half time 1 - 2.

I decided to change things at half time and play two upfront. It was a cup game and we had to score. So John Henderson came on for Sean as he was the only palyer on the bench who had played up front before, and could also play on the left if we needed to go back to 4 - 5 - 1.

The second half started the same as the first, with them having more of the ball and attacking us. After about 10 miniutes we were forced to make a substitution as Tom was caught on the ankle with a tackle and Adam Barrett came on in the middle of midfield with Eamon moving to the right.

We were still not playing well and after 15 minutes they scored a third. 1 - 3

Ben ONeil then came off for Adam Tompkinson and we went three at the back to try and chase the game. We were also fitter that they were and as the game went on, chances starting falling our way. Two chances for Niki and one for John came along and they should have scored. But unfotunately it wasnt to be and they caught us on the break and scored again. 1 - 4

We kept pressing until the end and John Henderson scored a consolation goal with 2 minutes to go.

Final score 2 - 4.

LOB is only a small cup anyway.

Team ratings

Louis Pontin 6
Ben ONeil 6
Andy Blackburn 6
Aaron Wilson 7
Cambers 6
Tom Hannington 6
Sonny Davis 6
Eamon Meaney 7
Sean Gallagher 7
Carl Stapleton 8
Niki Heigho 6
Adam Barrett 6
Adam Tompkinson 6
John Henderson 6

Man of the match - Carl Stapleton


John

Game Saturday 10th October 2009 v Hale End

LOB Cup v Hale End Athletic
Home at Bramley Road
ko 2.30pm
meet time 1.00pm

Old Boys Cup 3rd October 2009 v Old Owens - Match report

Won 5 - 0
Scorers: Niki Heigho 2, Aaron Wilson, Eamon Meaney, Sonny Davis

Another week, another Cup game. At least this week it was at home so we didn't have to travel to the otherside of the world to play. We welcomed Old Owens who are a side in the SAL and usually quite strong.

The conditions were not ideal with a stong wind blowing from right to left along the pitch which would have some effect on the game.

This week our sqaud was depleted with many injuries and players away, so yours truly had to be put down as a substitute, and we called in Kevin Lyons to fill the left back position and Niki Heigho, who we hope will join us permanently, to play up front.

We started the first half kicking against the wind, and playing 2 upfront in a 4 -4 - 2 formation. As expected Old Owens were a good side and started winning the midfield battle and with the wind in their favour, had us penned in our half for the first 10 minutes. Because of this, we moved Pasta back to left midfield and Carl back into the middle, so that we had 5 men in midfield to try and win the midfild battle. It was going to be a difficult half, with the wind having a big effect and with the change, we hoped to keep a clean sheet for the first half and attack them in the second half when we had the wind in our favour.

Even with the difficult conditions we were lively up front and did create a couple of good chances in the half. Luckly for us, even with the ball mainly in our half most of the time, their forward, who had longer hair than me but was uglier, couldn't score in a brothell, so we went in at half time 0 - 0.

We changed back to 4 - 4 - 2 at the begining of the second half as we thought that with the wind we could now take the game to them.

The game was now more even but they still had more of the ball during the first 15 minutes of the half, but without really creating anything. With about 15 minutes gone Carl picked up the ball in Midfield and the passed to Niki who then flicked a through ball to Sonny who had only the keeper to beat. Just when we thought he had taken it to close to the keeper, Sonny slotted the ball passed him and into the net. Against the run of play, we had scored. 1- 0.

From the kick off we won the ball straight back, and a long ball to Niki was hit on the half volley and straight into the back of the net, Great goal. 2 - 0.

Old Owens then fell apart. Arguments started within their Team and within 5 minutes we had scored another 2 goals.

The first one was a through ball to Niki who slotted it passed the goalkeeper, and the second was similar with Eamon tackling their defender and taking it through to score. 4-0 game over.

Old Owens tried to get back into the game, but for all their huffing and puffing could not score as their forward line could not hit a barn door with a shotgun.

With about 5 minutes to go, Niki was through with only the goalkeeper to beat and was taken down. Penalty. He stepped up to claim his hatrick and put the ball to the right of the keeper. The keeper went the right way and made a good save.

3 minutes later, a good run by Pasta was rewarded with another penalty as their defender brought him down and Aaron stepped up and put the penalty away. 5 - 0.

Game over, just as I was about to come on!!!

A good result against a tidy team. We are now through to the next round and play Old Salesians III in the next round. From what I can see they are anoter SAL team and the game is to be played on 17 October at home.

Player ratings would have been higher this week, but you all took the piss out of my hair so I've marked you all down!!


Lewis 7 Steady game and a clean sheet
Kevin 7 Came in a did a good job. Ball was not on the left a lot
Aaron 8 Solid at the back
Andy B 8 Solid at the back
Ben 9 Worked hard and chased every ball
Carl 7 Second half display was excellent
Sonny 7 Quiet first half, but second half was good. Good goal
Eamon 7 Kept getting the tackles in all game. Good goal
Tom 7 Another good game
Niki 8 Great debut with two good goals
Pasta 8 Did not stop running and causing them problems

Man of the match - Ben O'Neil

Next weeks game is another home cup game against Hale End (LOB cup). I will let you all have details during the week.

John