Saturday, October 15, 2005
Waltham Forest 0, Burgess Hill 1. F.A.T. 15-10-05
Town set out their stall early on with the much copied ball up field and run out style of football that Wimbledon played in the 70’s. This was quite effective as they managed to find their man but the home defence dealt easily with almost every threat.
The first three attempts on goal came from the Stags as they used both wings to mount a threat; but then Town showed they could be dangerous too when Luke Gedling took a free kick from way outside the Stags’ penalty area. Charlie Hasler did well to tip the ball over the bar. From the resultant corner, the ball was nearly forced over the goal line but for some quick reactions of the home defence.
Darren Duporte replied speedily when he latched onto a right wing cross, unhappily his shot was well smothered by ‘keeper Matt May.
With the Stags now making the running, they should have gone ahead on twenty minutes when Jermain Hughes met a cross from the left and sent the ball into the penalty area where Leon McKenzie was waiting unmarked: he chose the wrong option and side footed the ball just wide of the upright.
That let off signalled a revival from Town and they started pumping the long ball up once again. This had the desired effect and kept the Stags penned in their own half and giving away free kicks around the penalty area as they tried to come to terms with the six foot plus giants from the south coast.
It was obvious that the Stags’ luck was not in when, on 36 minutes, Hughes sent the ball in from the right edge of the penalty area. Mass Jallow was ready with his back to goal and sent in a beautiful bicycle kick which May somehow managed to keep out of the goal.
No goals in the first half turned to nightmare in the second half but not before more chances went begging for the Stags. On 46 minutes Wes Thomas sprung Town’s off side trap and bore down on goal. Unhappily, instead of passing square he chose to do what every good striker does and go for goal but this time May was in position for another save, the ball ran loose but May was quick enough to gather the ball at the second time of asking. Two more shots just over the bar brought up the hour.
Disaster struck on 75 minutes when home central defender Marc Ward was sent of in what must be one of the harshest decisions any referee can give. Last man he was, goal scoring chance there was none. Once again a lack of consistency went against the Stags! A Town attacker was going down the inside left channel and was outside the penalty area when Ward fouled him, defenders were able to be in place before a shot and Hasler was between the attacker and the goal.
The kick was taken and saved by ‘keeper Hasler but the ball came off the angle of the crossbar to be planted home by Hardy Pinto Moriens.
Forest tried to get back on terms but Town defended well and, with the lacklustre Forest side unable to give enough quality ball to the forwards, the more direct team won by keeping the ball in the air and in the opponents half for 60% of the match.
19:25 Posted in Match Reports | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Great Wakering R. 2, Waltham Forest 3. SFL 11-10-05
Wesley Thomas’ three goals, some stout defending in the last 15 minutes and a stunning save from Gavin King in the dying seconds of the game were the differences between the two sides in this end to end encounter by the sea.
Forest, without five regular starters were, once again, playing against a team happy to effect the offside trap and the long ball without realising the two distinct failures of the system: you open yourself to your opponents breaking quickly and you force all your opponents behind the ball thus making it harder to find a way through.
This system proved to set the pattern for the match in which Stags’ raiders should have gone ahead three times before Thomas finally broke the deadlock with an immaculate header from a Georgiou cross on 40 minutes. Great Wakering could have drawn level on the final whistle of the half when Gianni Frankis headed over the bar when there was no pressure on him.
With the first move of the second half Rovers drew level courtesy of Steve Buuterworth who’d found acres of space on the inside right to shoot home from 15 yards.
The Stags took the lead, once again, on 56 minutes when Thomas reacted more quickly to a through ball, drew ‘keeper Marrable out, took the ball around him and shot home from an acute angle.
The lead only lasted 10 minutes when Butterworth popped up again, in an almost identical position, to score the equaliser. Thomas scored the winner on 80 minutes when he reacted more quickly to a loose ball in the Rovers penalty area.
This heralded the Rovers onslaught but all looked in vain until seconds from the end of the match when Richmond seemed to have got the equaliser in a Pele v Banks moment. Gavin King was up to the job and pulled off a superb “Banks” save. The final whistle blew and the points were in the bag.
Truth be told, the Stags could have scored six goals had they taken their chances, however, even though Thomas got three goals, it must be the defence that takes the plaudits for once.
08:25 Posted in Match Reports | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Waltham Forest 6, Aveley 2. SFL 8-10-05
Aveley were faster out of the blocks and had their first try on goal after only two minutes, they then went on to frustrate the home side for a good twenty minutes, however, the early signs were that Jermain Hughes had the beating of defenders on both sides so the Forest midfield and defence began to find him with their out balls.
Aveley’s attitude to the game was certainly positive and they began to pressure the Stags in their own half.
As the game settled, it was Forest who really should have gone ahead after 22 mins when, using both wings, the ball was sent to Richard Georgiou on the right, he cut in and sent over a pinpoint cross which Leon Belton McKenzie rose to but headed over.
Then Aveley’s Simon Thomas had a golden opportunity to score when left unmarked momentarily in the box: he hurried his shot and sent the ball wildly over the crossbar.
The complexion of the game changed on 36 minutes when Jallow latched on to a loose ball 35 yards out from the Aveley goal. His grasscutter of a shot found the back of the net low to the left of ‘keeper Stuart Crumpen.
Up until that moment, the game had become very “bitty” with lots of off sides and free kicks but the goal was the signal for the Stags to start work. Within two minutes they were two ahead when Richard Georgiou scored from the most impossible of angles after cutting at the right of the Aveley goal.
Aveley were not going to lay down and pulled a goal back on 40 minutes when a combination of Simon Thomas and Steve Jones caught the Stags napping and Thomas slotted home from close range.
This could have spelt a revival for Aveley but instead they allowed two ex Aveley men, McKenzie and Hughes to combine to for McKenzie to score on 45 minutes from Hughes’ cross. This was an important goal as Aveley felt themselves back in the game at only one goal down.
Forest’s fourth goal was scored in a somewhat debateable manner. Jallow was through in the centre of the field and was taken down just outside the penalty area. To all intents and purposes, as in Carlos Brown’s cast last week, the defender was the last man and Jallow was on a scoring chance. The referee did not see things in the same way and awarded only a free kick. Poetic justice was levied when Darren Duporte made sure of all the points by slamming home the free kick from 30 yards, through Aveley’s crumbling wall.
Paul Armand came on as sub and lashed the ball home from the edge of the area for number five and, after 88 minutes Marc Ward got number six heading in from a corner with the Aveley defence reeling. Thomas scored a late consolation for Aveley from a free kick on 89 mins but by then the game was over.
19:20 Posted in Match Reports | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this