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Match Reports » September 2007 Old E’s 3rd XI V Sinjun Grammarians (AFA) - 29th Sept 2007Result 3 – 0 Scorers: Peter Moore, Benjie Jones, Kurtis SpencerHad a real worry all week trying to find a keeper for this game, to finally get one Friday night was great news, but as I soon found out, when there's good news, bad news follows!!! 3 players informed me they were unable to play due to injury late Friday night!!! Lots of notice..... I now had 10 men so spent Saturday morning ringing round and managed to get 12 in the end!! So out pop the new looking 3s waiting to get started. Finally, 15mins late, the away team kick off, and straight away Rob Whitfield uses his strength to knock a defender off the ball and nearly score!! From then on we had most of the possession and created some good chances in the first 20mins with Rob and Benjie linking up well. New midfield man Callum looked impressive, working hard and stringing passes around the pitch, and Kurtis was rock solid at the back winning every header and every tackle, easily MVP. Players Ratings
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7/10 Old Stationers V Old E’s 5th XI - 29th Sept 2007Result 2 - 3 Scorers: Barry Sturgeon (pen), Greg Morrison, OGOur furthest away trip of the season (apart from EBOG away twice), the 5th team travelled with 12 players, having 5 unavailable due to prior arranged issues, such as child care, injury or school excursions. We had a strong team although during the warm up Craig and Frank over extended themselves, so carried groin injuries for 90 minutes. Old Stationers lined up as an experienced 11 but regardless we started like an express train, organised, hard working, communicative, slick in our passing, intelligent running. 20 minutes of this was sure to break Old Stationers, but we couldn't quite get the breaks, shots were ranging in from out side the box and their defence held firm. A big tackle from Stuart sent their centre forward to the touch line and he was replaced by a rangey, jet heeled bloke who went on to cause a little discomfort during the rest of the first half. We got our break, a little fortunately, but still deserved for all our pressure and solidity at the back. Another move that swept into their box, but was well defended and only half cleared, the ball fell to Brian Sturgeon who returned the ball with venom and a deflection into the bottom right hand corner, 1 – 0 with half an hour gone. This seemed to shock Old Stationers, who sat back even more and a missed header from Toddy and a shot by Morrison that cannoned into the skipper, were chances that went begging. Old Stationers did get one chance, a 1 on 1 and Jamie our young keeper did went to slow the fella down, who clipped the ball over him, in which time Toddy got back to clear off the line. We then marched up the field with another sweeping move, involving Matty Roberts and Brian, Craig and the tank like presence of Greg Morrison, to allow Bazza to steam into the box, confuse the defender, who could only bring him down. Bazza dispatched the penalty with aplomb, 2 - 0 Old E's. All we had to do was nail down until half time 5 minutes away, but stupidly we missed 3 tackles on their impressive striker, who got through and side footed past Jamie onto the post, only for the ball to return to him and slap away for an undeserved goal 2 - 1. Half time we discussed our need to be positive and get the ball down as all our moves wide, were at their best when we did it quickly. Craig and Frank were struggling, Craig could only run half pace, Frank couldn't kick the ball!! So we persevered as we were to try and go at them early. The first 25 minutes were tight no real chances, Toch trying his hardest to create and cover for Craig, Matty Roberts was very busy and for a while our best outlet. Bazza had their defence worried with his experience and presence, and James Malone was always comfortable on his side. It was James 'Coventry City 2 Man Utd 0' Malone who had delivered some excellent balls to Matty and into the box all day long that was the supplier of our next goal. A free kick into the box only for the MVP Morrison to notch at the back post 3 - 1 Old Es. We then dominated like title contenders should, excellent football, defence and running saw us create numerous chances, which, on another day, would have seen us score 12. It’s the creating thats the positive thing. Although comfortable we conceded again to leave us to cling onto a game we should have put to bed a long time before. A loss of concentration at the back, injury to Frank saw them claw a tap in back for 3 - 2 Old E's. We held on for the next few minutes without too much fuss and take a well earned (in the end) 3 points back to Wadham Lodge. A mention to Gary Pritchard, who came on for Craig and never once moaned about being on the bench after travelling to an away game, a lesson to all players (but he did try an audacious over head kick, which he will pay for in the morning!!). Also we served up the best move I have seen in our club football for many years, a move started at the back with Cov Malone and ended (so nearly) by Matty Roberts after a wonderful touch. Something many teams could only dream about. Player Ratings
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All 12 are available for next week (3 injuries permitting), giving Bazza and myself some selection headaches, and massive amount of yearly subs collected. Up the E's. Old E's 5th XI Vs Winchmore Hill 10th XI - 22nd Sept 2007Result 2 - 0 Scorers: Owen Herringshaw, Barry Sturgeon (pen)After two successful friendlies in terms of accumulating players and getting them a run out, Barry and I prepared what we considered to be our squad for the season, including some Old E's of the past, present and future. We had our customary drop outs on Thursday, but we looked into the also availables and picked a squad of 14. Good dressing room banter as traditional with Todd and Sturgeon ensuring new members were welcomed to our team. Bazza had prepared a motivating speech centred on 'don't get complacent against any 10th team'!! Last season Winchmore 10s scored 120 goals, conceding 23 in 20 games, but league rules mean they couldn't get promoted (due to WH 8ths and 9ths being in the league above). We got to the pitch to find, not the veteran or youngster heavy team we had expected, but a group of men ready to uphold the Winchmore 10s title. First 20 minutes were difficult, not because WH were much better than us, but we tried our hardest to make life as difficult as we could. WH 10s didn't create too much in the first half that we couldn't deal with, but with large holes in our midfield, they should have seized the initiative. Toch and Bazza looked very lively up front, ably supported by Brian and OJ, with glimpses of Leroy's previous quality. James and Stu were hemmed in all too often and Craig worked very hard doing 2 mens jobs. Frank and myself showed enough experience to keep, just about on top. After half an hour we were awarded a penalty that looked a dead cert from 80 yards away. Bazza dispatched the ball for 1 – 0 and we could have scored again before the break. Half time came and more of the same was agreed, which is what we gave. As the game went on we became a little complacent and Matty and Craig finding the hard midfield yards difficult to maintain. All the same they had 2 half chances from lucky bounces and deflections. Jamie in goal saved one chance, only being bothered to take 20 odd goal kicks as WH tried to press forward. Substitutions were made and some of the 'less' fit players managed to play the 90 mins, which will benefit them next week. Owen scored a wonderful team goal, started by the goalie and worked well, with slick passing up to the strikers. A goal that broke WH. We should have scored a few more but for our woeful finishing and some lucky last minute stops. We were deserved winners, a great team atmosphere, no negatives, and we all drank together at the end. Player Ratings
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