(These match reports are biased, one sided and probably inaccurate)
KERRIA KNIGHTS 0-1 OLD BOYS CLAPHAM
Breen 85
HT 0-0
Croygas Postal Ground
2pm kick off
ref: J Taylor
Man of the match: 37. Chubby
Line Up: Harman, Whelan, Idjiwa, Henderson, Burke, Horner, McGuire, Walsh, Dundas (Peters), Belk, Breen; unused subs Kelly & Barrett
Mike Breen scored his 14th goal of the season to send OBC to the Geoff Ellis Premier Shield Final against St. Andrews on Wednesday 11th April. Breen rifled home a low drive at the back post after Alex Whelan and Charlie Horner combined to good effect on the right wing. Horner got into the area and pulled his cross back for Breen to bury from ten yards. Earlier Marc Henderson had gone close with a shot and header and Cian McGuire had a point blank header smartly saved by the Kerria stopper. Kerria with the best defensive record in the League were always going to be a difficult side to break down. In the first half Kerria controlled the game and Andy Dundas cleared off the line in a half of few chances. But OBC came out the stronger in the second half and as the Knights tired OBC took the chance that came our way and that was enough to win the tie. Breen had a second goal bound effort cleared off the line in the dying stages as Kerria Knights frantically tried to turn a defensive approach into an attacking one. Not the best of games but it is the result that matters. In other news Old Boys Clapham 2XI were well beaten 5-2 at Larkhall Park by Destiny Academy.
After last week’s comfortable County Cup Quarter Final against Chessington KC OBC were back in Geoff Ellis Premier Shield action in the semi-final against in form Kerria Knights. Manager Peter Joicey was able to name an unchanged line up with Steve Harman in goal. Across the back were Alex Whelan, Idjiwa Adjido, Grant Burke and Marc Henderson. Across midfield were Charlie Horner, Cian McGuire, Ian Walsh and Andy Dundas. Mike Breen reverted to second striker alongside skipper Matt Belk. On the bench today was Adam Peters, Dean Barrett and Mark Kelly.
Mid-table Division One side St. Andrews would await today’s winners as they beat NPL Reserves 2-1 last week in the other semi-final. OBC made a good start as Cian McGuire won the ball in central midfield and played a well weighted ball for Mike Breen to chase. Breen forced a good save from the keeper and forced the first corner of the game on two minutes.
Breen tested the keeper in the fourth minute when Belk flicked on a header but the keeper was equally to an effort that lacked the power perhaps Breen was looking for. Breen was in thick of the early action as he closed down the back four, with the help of Andy Dundas they forced another early corner which was cleared.
Alex Whelan drove from twenty five yards a well struck effort but went comfortably over the bar.
The early dominance evaporated in the twelfth minute when Idjiwa was forced to concede a corner after being disposed in a dangerous position. The corner was whipped in an Marc Henderson was on hand to head the ball out for a second Kerria corner.
Mike Breen had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the fourteenth minute when a Belk knock down was rolled to Breen. Breen on the left hand edge of the penalty area turned the full back but sliced his shot wide of the far post when he had only the keeper to beat.
The tide of the game was turning Kerria’s way however as Grant Burke was forced to make an expertly timed headed clearance at the back to stop the Kerria striker getting a run on Steve Harman’s goal. Kerria forced their third corner of the game in the nineteenth minute that was swung to the back post where the ball was met by a Kerria player unmarked but he powered his header wide of Harman’s post. A real let off for the OBC.
At the other end Charlie Horner could not get out of the way of a goalbound Marc Henderson flick on from a Matt Belk throw. Horner found himself practically under the bar and as the winger tried to deflect the ball in the net but he only helped it over the bar and out to safety.
The game lacked quality and OBC were sucked into reactionary tactics as we looked to use our aerial threat rather than try to break down a stubborn Kerria back five. Kerria when they did have possession played it around nicely in contrast to the rushed clearances and rushed football from the OBC which meant that the final ball in the final third was often poor and wayward. To Joicey’s frustration most of Kerria’s attacks were sparked when OBC’s own attack broke down with players piling forward.
The chance of the half fell to Kerria after another quality corner was delivered into the box. The striker managed to get his shot off and it was heading for the corner of the net but Andy Dundas was well placed to clear the effort off the line.
At half time Joicey said that OBC were playing the game that Kerria wanted us to by being sucked into their game and that they were on look out to try nick a goal in the second half. Ian Walsh gave an impassioned half time talk and asked everyone to up their game as this was a semifinal afterall and that we can dominate this side by playing better football down the channels as balls up to their centre backs were not producing much in the way of a dividend and you could see why they have one of the best defensive records in the League.
The first chance of the half fell to Kerria as Whelan was disposed at right back. Idjiwa came across to cover but he was turned by the striker and Marc Henderson had to get back on the line to stop the shot going in.
The early scare was to be Kerria’s last meaningful effort on goal as OBC upped a gear or two with Alex Whelan and Charlie Horner linking up well and causing their full back more problems with one two football.
On fifty-four minutes Whelan whipped an excellent ball to the back post and Belk was ready to bury the header all but for an excellent piece of defending by the Kerria centre back who was able to head the ball out for a corner. The corner was whipped in and came out to Walsh on the edge of the area but Walsh’s effort was thrashed wide.
Moments later Marc Henderson flicked a Matt Belk throwin just over the cross bar as Hendo’s bearings appeared to be off today.
Midway through the half Adam Peters was introduced for Andy Dundas with Mike Breen moving over to the left.
Cian McGuire powered a Charlie Horner corner at the keeper as the pressure continued to build. Another forced corner saw Marc Henderson turn and shoot similar to the position from which he scored his goal last week against Chessington but this time the effort went just over the bar.
Henderson was unlucky after poking a shot the wrong side of the post from another OBC corner.
Alex Whelan got the goal line and forced another corner which saw Matt Belk make a good contact but again the Kerria keeper made a decent save.
Whelan was denied a penalty with ten minutes to go when he was tripped in the area but the referee waved away the appeals though it was in a crowded area and perhaps difficult to see. Whelan himself then had a drilled low effort from twenty five yards well saved by the keeper.
As Kerria tired the game became stretched and Whelan was able to do a neat piece of interplay with Horner where Horner got to the goal line where he pulled the ball back to the back post where Mike Breen was on hand to bury the ball into the net from ten yards a quality piece of football to open the Kerria defence and put OBC 1-0 up with five minutes to go. Breen’s 14th goal of the season.
Kerria made a change and looked to go on the offensive. Long balls were pumped into the OBC box and they managed to force a series of late corners. One was swung in and met by the big centre back but he powered a free header over. With one last corner deep in stoppage time, even the keeper had came up, the ball was cleared and Adam Peters could not get a shot away but instead he knocked the ball into Mike Breen’s path. A well struck shot was fired goalwards with the keeper stranded but somehow a defender managed to get back to clear the ball off the line and the referee blew for full time. For third successive season OBC have made a cup final. Well done lads. We have two more semi-finals to win and of course the League title is looking even more of a possibility as Norton and Balham lost and Pilgrims Well were held 2-2 by Wilf Kroucher. Next week we’re up against Park Boys who are on a decent run themselves and they beat St. Andrews who we’ll face in the Geoff Ellis Premier Shield Final on 11th April 2012.
Peter Joicey
10.03.2011
07736309442
WANT TO JOIN?
oldboysclaphamfc@live.co.uk
