Old Boys Clapham 7-0 Park Boys 17.03.2012

(This match reports are biased, one sided and probably inaccurate)

OLD BOYS CLAPHAM 7-0 PARK BOYS

McGuire 15,
Barrett 31, 36, 70
Horner 37
Kubik 73
Walsh 90

HT 4-0

Larkhall Park, Stockwell

2pm kick off

ref: V. Ninkovic

Man of the match: 12. Chaz Horner

Line Up: Harman, Whelan, Idjiwa, Henderson, Kelly, Horner, McGuire (Kubik 55), Walsh, Dundas (Peters 55), Belk, Breen (Fairbrother 55);

Old Boys Clapham ran riot at Larkhall Park with a thumping 7-0 win over Park Boys thanks to a hatrick from Dean Barrett. Cian McGuire had given OBC the lead with a trade mark header after fifteen minutes. Barrett got his first just after the half hour mark as man of the match Charlie Horner rode the tackles and put the ball on a plate for Barrett to tap home. Barrett showed an amazing amount of skill and ability for his second as he turned the centre back before unleashing an unstoppable drive past Gary Nelson in the Park Boys goal. Horner got himself on the score sheet when a Breen effort came back off the post as Horner was on hand for a tap in. The second half was less fluent but Park Boys were fortunate that a handball on the line was missed but it mattered not as Barrett wrapped up his hatrick after a good ball from Matt Fairbrother and both Joe Kubik and Ian Walsh thumped home fine strikes as OBC continue to rack up points with games in hand on the four teams above us in Division One. Elsewhere, OBC 2XI bounced back from last week’s loss at the hands of Destiny Academy with a handy 4-0 win at Shirley Town Reserves thanks to a brace from Joe Chun and goals from Ben Newson and Emmett Shingler.

The line up today saw Matt Belk and Grant Burke rested ahead of a punishing schedule of games coming up with potentially thirteen games remaining. As a result Steve Harman continued in goal. The back four was Alex Whelan, Idjiwa Adjido, Marc Henderson and returning Mark Kelly in place of Grant Burke. In midfield Charlie Horner, Ian Walsh, Cian McGuire and Andy Dundas. With Belk not playing Dean Barrett had his first first team start since the 6-0 Balham win before Christmas as Adam Peters had reported an injury during the week. Mike Breen was looking to continue his good run of form after netting a late winner against Kerria Knights in the cup semi-final the previous week. On the bench were Adam Peters, Joe Kubik and Matt Fairbrother. Skipper today was Ian Walsh in Belk’s absence.

The game kicked off with Old Boys Clapham quick out of the blocks. An early Andy Dundas corner was headed wide by Marc Henderson. Charlie Horner did well to get into the Park Boys box down the right where he delivered a fine ball for Dean Barrett to head over from close range.

Mike Breen had a freekick from twenty five yards smartly saved by Gary Nelson in goal for Park Boys. Breen was in the action again in the tenth minute when turned and shot from twenty five yards that went narrowly wide.

Andy Dundas had a low shot saved from the edge of the area on the left but Dundas’ effort lacked the power to trouble the Park Boys keeper.

OBC were winning all of the second balls and had camped permanently in the Park Boys half as Ian Walsh and Cian McGuire snapped and closed down the Park Boys midfield. At the back Alex Whela, Mark Kelly, Hendo and Idjiwa were all playing within their comfort zones as Park Boys failed to any sort of foothold in the game.

The opening goal came and it was Charlie Horner that chased down lost causes and forced a fifteenth minute corner. From the corner Andy Dundas lofted the ball into the box and Cian McGuire powered home a header from six yards. 1-0 OBC McGuire’s 9^th goal of the season.

McGuire almost doubled the score line within a minute when his flicked header was cleared off the line.

OBC’s tails were up and like a predator stalking a wounding beast in the Kalahari desert OBC moved forward with conviction and pace to chase a terrified Park Boys back four. Charlie Horner forced a flying reaction save from Gary Nelson as he caught the ball sweetly with the outside of his boot.

Park Boys had a decent spell of ten minutes as the game briefly started to even out. A free kick conceded thirty yards out was floated into the OBC box but the striker got no real purchase on the header and the ball floated in keeper Steve Harman’s arms. This piece of “action” was to prove big Steve’s only involvement of the game. Harman did not even have a goal kick to take in the first half.

OBC’s dominance returned when Dean Barrett got his first of the afternoon just after the half hour mark as Charlie Horner got past the Park Boys left back and rolled the ball across the six yard box for Barrett to finish from close range. Barrett’s 19^th goal of the season.

Barrett doubled his tally for the afternoon as the ball was played into his feet from Ian Walsh. Barrett turned on the centre back and spun towards goal. Barrett showed an excellent touch to set himself up for the strike and then finished in style with a real striker’s goal. Barrett’s 20^th goal of the season.

Within a minute it was 4-0 as Charlie Horner was in the right place at the right time as Breen’s curling shot came back off the far post and out to Horner to bundle home from close range. Horner’s 7^th goal of the season.

Mike Breen had a glorious chance to make it five but a heavy touch when through on goal with the keeper committed would have resulted in a tap had Breen got it right but the ball flew out for a goal kick

An excellent half of football, fast, furious and committed all over the park. Joicey said that he would introduce Matt Fairbrother, Adam Peters and Joe Kubik within ten minutes and that the team are going to try play with three strikers and three players in midfield. Andy Dundas, Mike Breen and Cian McGuire would be the unfortunate players to make way.

Seven of the first ten minutes were eaten up by injuries picked up by Gary Nelson in Park Boys’ goal. The second of which was from a point blank save from Dean Barrett in the six yard box and the follow up header was saved by a handball by a covering defender on the line but the referee stopped play as Gary Nelson lay dazed on the floor. The game restarted and Joicey made the planned changes.

A scrappy passage of play followed but Park Boys still struggled to get out of their own half. Normal service was resumed on 70 minutes when Dean Barrett completed his hatrick after excellent play by Matt Fairbrother as he cut a ball back along the six yard line and Barrett showed the tenacity and hunger to get on the end of it and rolled the ball into the corner of the net but in the process of doing so he took a heavy knock on the ankle and with all of the subs used OBC were forced to play the remainder of the game with ten men.

The man deficiency did not seem to halt the blue tide as Joe Kubik raced down the left and thumped a first time effort into the corner of the net with a cracking finish. Kubik’s 5^th goal of the season.

Charlie Horner had opportunities to feed Adam Peters and Matt Fairbrother in on goal but the final ball that was so clinical in the first half was frustratingly missing and good opportunities came and went.

The game was finished with a feel good factor as Ian Walsh drilled in a low effort from twenty five yards to send everyone home happy and end Park Boys’ miserable afternoon. Walsh’s 12^th goal of the season with the last kick of the game.

A good entertaining game and enjoyable for everyone involved for Old Boys Clapham. With Norton and Balham again dropping points above us in the table the lead is now just 8 points and we have 5 games in hand on league leaders Norton. Kerria Knights kept up their own Division One title push with a handy 2-0 win at Pilgrims Well. On this form it looks as if it could be Kerria Knights who will be the main challenger for top spot. Next week we are at out of sorts Balham FC with a full squad expected as Belk is keen to return. Balham will probably want to avenge their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Old Boys Clapham before Christmas and may still have sore heads after their eye raising 6-1 defeat to NPL Reserves yesterday.

In other news, Old Boys Clapham 2XI kept up their own promotion push in Division Three with a handy 4-0 win at Shirley Town Reserves with goals from Emmett Shingler, Ben Newson and a brace from Joe Chun. OBC 2XI are up to 2^nd with four games to go. The 2XI are at home to Ashtead Reserves next Saturday at Larkhall Park in another must win game.

Peter Joicey
18.03.2011