Old Boys Clapham 3-1 St. Andrews FC

(This match report is biased, one sided and probably inaccurate)

OLD BOYS CLAPHAM 3-1 ST. ANDREWS
after extra time, full time 1-1

Peters 75
Belk 104
Horner 107

St. Andrews goal 77,

Tooting & Mitcham United Football Stadium of the Rymans League

7.30pm kick off

ref: Vladimir Ninkovic

Line up: Harman, Horner, Idjiwa, Henderson, Burke, Breen (Chowdhury 90), Walsh, Kubk, Dundas (Shingler 90), Belk, Barrett (Peters 60)

Half time 0-0

Man of the match: 33. Idjiwa Adjido

PETERS PERFECT IN OBC CUP FINAL WIN

Old Boys Clapham won the Geoff Ellis Premier Shield Final by overcoming a very good St. Andrews side at Tooting & Mitcham United’s stadium in South London. Substitute Adam Peters looked to have finally broken St. Andrew’s resistance when he headed home at the near post with the aid of a deflection on the line. St. Andrews then hit OBC with a sucker punch of their own as an excellent freekick from the right was met with an unmarked powerful header to give Steve Harman no chance to level the scores up. Peters almost won the tie with the last kick of normal time but his fine strike rattled the inside of the post and came out. At full time Emmett Shingler and Mahf Chowdhury were introduced for Andy Dundas and Mike Breen on the wings and the added pace helped run St Andrews into the ground. St. Andrews were unlucky not to take the lead in extra time when a shot from thirty yards rattled the OBC crossbar but as the opposition legs tired Matt Belk was able to bundle in from close range before the break and Charlie Horner sealed the win with an audacious freekick that beat the keeper at his near post shortly after it. A good game but better fitness was the difference today between these two very good teams. Well done lads.

OBC midfielder Cian McGuire could miss the rest of the season after picking up a heavy sprain in the excellent 4-1 County Cup semi-final win over Alfold FC on Saturday so he was unfortunate to miss this fixture and had to attend on crutches. Right full back Alex Whelan was called into work up North so he also missed out. As a result, Steve Harman continued in goal and Charlie Horner was asked to play at right back. Marc Henderson returned to the starting line up to partner Grant Burke in defence and Idjiwa Adjido continued at left back. Across midfield Mike Breen returned to the starting line up and was asked to play wide right with Ian Walsh, Joe Kubik and Andy Dundas all continuing from Saturday’s win. Up front skipper Matt Belk was again paired with Dean Barrett. On the bench were Adam Peters, Emmett Shingler and Mahf Chowdhury.

Referee today was Vladimir Ninkovic with Ian Brash and Ivan Stone acting as Assistant Referees. The fourth official was Dave Rowland.

The game kicked off with St Andrews having the better of the early exchanges and Steve Harman was forced to tip an effort over the crossbar to safety. The resulting corner was cleared by centre back Grant Burke.

OBC had the chance to take an early lead in the fifth minute when Mike Breen won the second ball in the box after a Belk throw in. Breen looped a firm effort towards goal but the ball arched just over the cross bar. It looked a certain goal from the sides but it was a let off for St Andrews.

OBC struggled to get a foothold in the game with St. Andrews winning nearly all of the second balls in midfield as their midfield three played neat triangles around Ian Walsh and Joe Kubik.

St. Andrews had the chance to open the scoring in the eighteenth minute when an excellent ball from the right wing was met by the St. Andrews striker but his firm header was misdirected and went the wrong side of the post.

Slowly but surely OBC started to get hold of the game. In the twenty third minute Matt Belk forced a good save by the opposition keeper after Ian Walsh headed the ball into Belk’s path. Belk tried to flick the ball over the keeper but the lad showed good awareness to close down Belk and smother the shot.

Ian Walsh had two headers and Andy Dundas had a low left footed drive from a tight angle go wide as OBC started to make their territorial advantage pay off.

St. Andrews were nearly let in when there was a miscommunication between Steve Harman and Marc Henderson. Henderson took charge of the situation despite Harman’s call and Hendo headed it out for a corner. The corner was expertly whipped in and Mike Breen nipped in and nearly scored an own goal but thankfully the effort went inches wide of Harman’s post and out for another corner. The corner was swung in but it was cleared by Idjiwa Adjido. The half time whistle blew for 0-0

At half time Joicey said that OBC could play much better in the second half but had to make better use of the balls on the wing. Too often passes were being misplaced and we needed to up our tempo. Joicey pointed out that the opposition appeared to be tiring and would struggle perhaps in the later stages. Ian Walsh and Joe Kubik asked for more support off one of the strikers to combat their three in the middle. Dean Barrett offered to try and drop off to help. Joicey said that Adam Peters would be better suited to that sort of role and if the score line remained the same then Adam would come on pretty early in the half. Joicey said that he would introduce Mahf & Emmett on the wings to give us more pace on the flanks if this if we can’t get the breakthrough.

From the restart OBC almost committed hari-kari when from our own kick off as we lost the ball straight away and Steve Harman had to finger tip a spinning deflected shot around the post. The spin and power of the ball damaged Harman’s fingers and they needed to be taped up after the game but thankfully the big stopper wanted to carry on despite being in discomfort.

St. Andrews swung the ball in and the ball fell to the striker to smash but thankfully an OBC player got a block on the line and the chance was cleared.

Thankfully OBC recovered their composure and again started to dominate territorially with eight corners being forced in the second half.

With no end to the deadlock in site Joicey brought on Adam Peters for Dean Barrett on sixty minutes. Peters made an immediate impact as he used his skill and trickery to retain the ball in tight positions as he linked up with Kubik, held the ball and then knocked into Belk who put a beautiful ball across the box but Mike Breen was inches from a tap in as he slid in on goal.

Moments later Breen had another chance to open the scoring when he and Charlie Horner worked the ball well up the right wing and Breen found himself with a shooting opportunity. Breen hit a firm low drive that failed to test the keeper as the firm effort went just wide of the far post.

OBC were getting closer that is for sure as a seventy third minute corner was whipped in by Andy Dundas and Grant Burke (?) got a header to the ball but again it landed the wrong side of the far post.

Matt Belk looked to have been played in on goal a minute later by Peters but he was denied by a last ditch saving tackle by the excellent number five for St. Andrews and the ball was put out for a corner.

Andy Dundas whipped the ball to the near post where it was met by Adam Peters whose firm header deflected off the full back on the line and went into the roof of the net to get that vital breakthrough. 1-0 OBC, Peters’ 3^rd goal of the season on 75 minutes.

It looked as if OBC would see out the game as it had been all one way traffic since the opening minutes of the second half but it was not to be as the old adage came true that you are always most vulnerable after you score as concentration can be momentarily lost. Mike Breen fouled a player on the right wing and the resulting freekick was whipped to the back post where a big St Andrews player was unmarked headed into the net powerfully giving Steve Harman no chance. 1-1 on 77 minutes.

St Andrews hit a long shot from distance in the eightieth minute that fizzed just wide of Harman’s post that had the crowd buzzing. It looked pretty close from the sides and would have been some goal had that effort found the bottom corner of the net.

OBC were able to get back onto the front foot as the half drew a close. Belk had a low effort hit the side netting from a tight angle and Adam Peters rose highest to plant a Dundas corner just wide.

Peters then thought he had scored as a good piece of interplay on the edge of the area found Peters getting a firm strike that thundered off the inside of right hand post and out. The referee blew for full time.

Joicey praised everyone for their efforts and said that St Andrews appeared to be struggling as four or five of them were cramping up with all three of their subs having been introduced. Joicey said that their tired legs would give us further opportunities and that the game was there to be won. Joicey brought on Mahf Chowdhury and Emmett Shingler to injected added pace on the wings for the hard working Mike Breen and Andy Dundas saying it would be madness not put fresh legs on at this stage as the game was perfectly set up for the young flying wingers.

Extra time kicked off and within a minute OBC had the chance to take the lead as Grant Burke headed wide from a Charlie Horner corner. From the resulting clearance St Andrews were able to get up the field and hit a sweet strike from thirty five yards that rattled Steve Harman’s cross bar, that was too close for comfort.

Adam Peters had another headed opportunity put wide as OBC started to up the pressure until Matt Belk finally bundled the ball in from six yards after a Charlie Horner corner as the first half of extra time drew to a close. Belk’s 36^th goal of the season and 81^st goal for the club making him the new top goalscorer ahead of former OBC hit man Dean Barnes. 2-1 104 minutes gone.

From the restart OBC got further in front thanks to another wonderful freekick from Charlie Horner. The kick was right on the edge of the penalty area as the referee had initially awarded the penalty as the penalty box line was not clear due to a lot of sand being on the pitch. The referee had a chat with his assistant referee and it was deemed that the player landed in the area but was fouled just outside the box. Up stepped Horner and beat the keeper at his near post. The angle was not ideal for a right footed player (as the angle was perhaps better suited to a left sided player, such was the position of the ball) as Horner showed great skill to bend the ball into the net and in an unorthodox fashion. 3-1 107 minutes gone. Horner’s 11^th goal of the season.

Belk and Chowdhury had chances to put the tie further beyond St Andrews but the key was the introduction of fresh legs as Mahf Chowdhury and Emmett Shingler stretched an already tired defence and midfield. Emmett and Mahf kept the St. Andrews players occupied and we took the opportunities that came our way as our fitness held up better than theirs. Perhaps not the most pleasing on the eye in terms of games but to be successful in football you have win in many different ways and styles; today boiled down to pure footballing attrition as we ground down a hard working and very good St Andrews side who had their chances but we took ours. All four goals came from set pieces so you could say that it was game, set piece and match for OBC. Something of the OBC story of our season so far and may long it continue until the final game on Thursday 10^th May as there is still plenty to play for this season.

Assistant Manager Paul Lewis said after the game that St Andrews were dying on their feet at full time and with the introduction of Emmett and Mahf it stuck the knife in as St Andrews were forced to run back towards their own goal.

Old Boys Clapham have bagged our first trophy of the season and there is the League title, the County Cup title and at a stretch the top goal scorers title all to play for.

Thanks go to the League officials Mr Gordon Worsfold, Mr Mike Hemmings and Mr Richard Brum who made this competition and final possible and to Mr Geoff Ellis for sponsoring this competition. Thanks go to Vladimir and his team of officials who controlled the game expertly with no bookings shown to either side in what was a fairly contested game. Thanks also to Tooting & Mitcham United FC for allowing the League to stage the final of this competition. Good luck to St Andrews for next season and if they play this well like they did tonight and as they have done in the league recently they should do well next season. The sides meet each other again in the League on Tuesday 24^th April 2012 which should be another tough game.

Next up for Old Boys Clapham on Saturday 14^th April 2012 is the well organised and very good side Pilgrims Well at Larkhall Park on Saturday in the League. A win would keep us one point behind Norton (should they beat the inform Shaftesbury Town) with four games in hand. Another tough game in prospect but hopefully it will be another step on the way to winning the League title.

Peter Joicey
12.04.2012

League Top goal scorers;

Norton (Div1) 66 goals (with one game to play)
Old Boys Clapham (Div1) 62 goals (with five games to play)
Stoneleigh Town (Div2) 70 goals (with four games to play)