Goals: Spencer, Kenga
4 wins on the bounce now. The shocking start to the season seems like a vague but distressing nightmare. We arrived at Regents Park in good time, but could not find what pitch we were on – it would have been nice for the opposition to make contact with us, and show us to our pitch – but alas no. The pitch was also a lot worse than what we would normally expect – resembling more of a cow field than a football pitch – oh for the creature comforts of the SAL!
We lined up with a similar team to the HSBC game, with the exception of Skips, Zack and Woots coming into the fold. We started the game strongly, forcing the pace and creating chances from the off. We took the lead after about 10 minutes, when Egan played a lovely ball into the box, and a deft back header by Tom looped over the keeper into the net. A great finish by Tom, who knew exactly where the goal was. The opposition rarely troubled us in the first half – we were completely dominant. The lone front man was easily bullied by German and Skips, and the few times he did get by his touch let him down or Stimps was out like a rocket to claim.
We scored the second goal when Wilko fed Skips on the right who swung in a beautiful in swinging ball for Elion to arrive at the back post with a diving header – Skips would like to point out that there is independent verification available to those who do not believe he is capable of this!
The rest of the half we took our foot of the pedal slightly, making silly mistakes. One thing that kept on occurring was trying to play our way out of trouble when a ball into the channel would have set us on the break. Several players were guilty of this repeatedly, and this is something that will be punished by better quality oppo. As the half drew to a close, the oppo right back told Skips to ‘watch his tackles’. He was left in no uncertain terms what he could do with that. Obviously football is a non-contact sport at Magdalen College!
Second half we brought on Claude and Christian relatively early for the industrious Zack and Elion. To be honest, we just about did enough, and for the last 20 invited pressure on ourselves through poor decisions, not holding the ball up top or in midfield. This half also witnessed 2 of the worst throw-ins I have ever seen by Fabb and Moruzzi (and they want to know why I want to take them!) and possibly one of the worst free kicks ever taken at any level off football by German – despite the fact Kieron was asked to take it by Skips, Egan managed to balloon it high wide and handsome, probably into the monkey enclosure at London Zoo! Despite this, we hit the post twice through Kier and Tom, and German had one cleared off the line.
For the last 5 we were really under the cosh, but some safe handling from Stimps and a goal line clearance ensured that he kept his clean sheet, thus sparing another goat from sacrifice.
We just about did enough all in all. Being 100% honest, the oppo were way below the quality that we normally face, but it was the type of game that in recent seasons we may have lost – veterans of away ties at Globe Rangers, Old Buckwelians and Old Kingsburians will testify to this. Next week the challenge will be much greater – unbeaten league leaders Poly at home. Let’s keep up the performances.
MOTM – so many to choose from – Elion was constant threat, Wilko owned the midfield, Kiers delivery was flawless. However the nod goes to Tom – a quality all round striker.
Team: C Simpson, Fabb, Moruzzi, McLoughlin, Egan, Wootten, Wilkinson, O’Leary, Kenga (Lett), Amankwah (Mbelo), Spencer.
