Old Boys Clapham 7-1 Supercala (CUP) Feb 2011

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Matt Belk demolished Supercala with a fine hatrick at Garratt Park. Belk opened the scoring on five minutes with a low drive under the keeper. Supercala were awarded a penalty midway through the first half when Tom Simpson handled in the box. Supercala put the penalty wide and Belk went down the other end and scored. Belk completed the hatrick early in the second half when he held off his marker and turned the ball home.

Joe Kubik grabbed a brace and Mike Breen hit a wonderful sixth from thirty yards before Johan Bakker mugged Tom Simpson at the back post to hit the seventh in stoppage time. OBC were excellent in all departments today against higher league opposition and next week we'll have to be at our best as we have Division 1 leaders Project Clapham in the Quarter Final.

OBC were back in cup action in the Geoff Ellis Premier Shield Round 1 against Division 1 side Supercala at Garratt Park. The run of tough matches helped OBC on a day when they were expecting a tough and experienced team to roll into town. OBC last played Supercala in the 2004-05 season where we were beaten 6-1 away and 4-0 at home. How things have changed since those days. In goal today was Matt Custance. Across the back were Charlie Horner, Andy Cochrane and the returning Tom Simpson, with skipper “old” Alex McGreevy at left back. Max Pumphrey was injured in the week but was named as a substitute so Emmett Shingler was chosen ahead of Joe Chun to start wide right. In the middle, after capping a fantastic defensive performance at centre half Jelle van der Zwet was promoted to central midfield to partner the ever industrious Steve Allison as Cian McGuire had picked up an ankle knock in the game against Knaphill. On the left Dean Barrett was back and eager to go. Up front Joe Kubik was favoured over Johan Bakker to partner big Matt Belk up front. The bench was made up of Joe Chun, Johan Bakker and new to Garratt Park, the highly rated central midfielder Mike Breen. The game was a cracker.

OBC started with Joicey saying it would be a tough game and that we had been brilliant in defence lately except for the odd individual mistakes which appeared to have been getting punished. Joicey urged everyone to concentrate on their game and if those mistakes were removed then we should keep the score down at the back and with more clinical finishing up front we’d have a good chance of victory today.

OBC were out of the trap like whippets. Dean Barrett was unlucky not to have opened the scoring inside twenty seconds when he weaved his way through the defence and beat the last defender but he could not get the power required in the shot to trouble the keeper. Moments later both Belk and Kubik had efforts well saved by the Supercala keeper. From one in-swinging corner Tom Simpson rose highest put planted his firm header just above the bar.

OBC were not going to be denied though. Like a battering ram banging on the front gates of a castle the momentum was with the OBC. Alex McGreevy slipped a wonderful through ball for Belk to run onto. Belk with power and accuracy fired under the keeper and got his first goal of the afternoon in the 5^th minute. Belk’s 18^th goal of the season.

Joe Kubik was played in on the keeper by Matt Belk but Joe’s low shot was well saved. At the other end the big number 11 had a firm drive that was deflected but thankfully landed the right side of Matt Custance’s right hand post.

Apart from that effort by Supercala it was all one-way traffic and then came one of those mistakes Joicey feared as Simpson was ruled to have controlled the ball with his arm inside the penalty box by ref Andy Flynn. I thought it looked a harsh decision but Charlie Horner thought it was a certain penalty. So up stepped the Supercala striker and pulled his penalty wide. OBC, for the first time in a long while, were let off the hook. Great save by Custance.... the old Jedi mind trick worked.

Joe Kubik had another good chance and scuffed his shot. The loose ball was picked up by Dean Barrett who’s ball into Belk was handballed out by the big centre back. Despite OBC’s appeals Andy Flynn had an obstructed view and gave a corner.

Then Steve Allison was denied a penalty when he was scythed down in the box but again Flynn waved away the appeals. Assistant Manager, Paul Lewis felt that Flynn rarely gives OBC a decision as we are always nice to him. Again Flynn pointed for a corner.

But it was not long before the Supercala defence was breached once more. Joe Kubik was lively and dangerous throughout the opening spell and his run on goal and firm shot was met with an acrobatic save from the Supercala keeper. The keeper only managed to palm the ball into the path of Belk who made no mistake and rolled the ball into the net for as the OBC doubled the lead. 25 minutes gone, Belk’s 19^th goal of the season.

Then it was 3-0 within a minute as Joe Kubik headed in an Alex McGreevy corner. Kubik lost his marker and planted a firm header into the back of the net. Kubik’s 9^th goal of the season on 26 minutes.

Supercala looked to get back into the game when they scored an absolute screamer. Matt Custance saved well to deny the first effort but Steve Allison was disposed on the edge of the penalty area, twenty five yards out and the Supercala player laced into the ball on the half volley as the ball looped into the back of the net by the top left corner and there was nothing Custance could do. 3-1 32 minutes gone.

Supercala tried to make a fight of the remainder of the first half and Joicey was pleased to get the lads in at half time with a two goal lead. Joicey said that it was a good half and OBC were playing well. Emmett Shingler was asked to up his game as he seemed to be struggling out there but apart from that the lads were doing well.

Supercala almost got a second in the early minutes of the second half when Emmett Shingler was disposed and did not try to recover the ball. Supercala’s striker placed his shot narrowly wide of Custance’s goal. It was to be Shingler’s last contribution of the afternoon as Joe Chun was immediately brought on the right wing. Shingler said that his toes were injured but neither Joicey or Lewis knew this prior to the game as Chun would have started.

Joe Chun made instant impact as he provided the square ball for Matt Belk in the box where Belk steadied himself, held off the centre back and slotted the ball under the keeper for his hatrick. 4-1 OBC, 49 minutes gone. Belk’s 20^th goal of the season.

It was just before the fourth goal that new “left back Alex” Whelan arrived to view his new teammates in action as McGreevy gets pensioned off in the summer. (This gag is going to run and run for some time yet!!). That conditional formatted spreadsheet of Joicey’s has another big cross against a bold red name at the top of the list!

Mike Breen was introduced for Steve Allison and Johan Bakker came on for Jelle van der Zwet with thirty five minutes to go. Lewis asked; “why the early changes?”, but the game was all but over as a contest. There was no way the OBC were going to do an Arsenal.

Joe Chun was involved again in OBC’s 5^th goal of the afternoon as he raced up the right hand touchline and put in a perfect ball to Joe Kubik’s feet. Kubik shifted the ball to the left and smashed the ball past the keeper for his second goal of the afternoon. 5-1 OBC 65 minutes gone, Kubik’s 10^th goal of the season.

Tom Simpson had a header narrowly go over the Supercala bar at one end, and made a majestic block at the other to keep the visitors at bay. Simpson, “Old” Alex, Charlie Horner and Andy Cochrane were colossal at the back today.

OBC kept on pushing for more goals. Dean Barrett had two efforts on goal, one from forty yards that sailed over. Barrett was having an excellent afternoon and thought he’d try his luck.

Mike Breen and Johan Bakker continued to control the midfield in the manner that Jelle and Steve had done so earlier in the game and it was Breen’s turn to raise the proverbial roof with the goal of the game. Breen received the ball twenty five yards out (from Joe Kubik I think), Breen shifted the ball left and thumped the ball into the far corner of the net. An excellent strike on his Garratt Park debut. 6-1 OBC 88 minutes gone, Breen’s first goal for the club.

And six became seven when Alex McGreevy flighted an excellent ball to the back post where Tom Simpson was mugged by the big Dutchman for Johan to bullet home a header to round off a wonderful afternoon of football. 7-1 90 minutes gone, Johan’s 3^rd goal of the season.

This cup fixture was delayed from mid-January and as a result we are at Project Clapham next week, near to Tolworth station, playing in the Geoff Ellis Premier Shield Quarter Final. Project Clapham sit top of Division 1 and score goals from all over the park but are not as prolific as the OBC though they have a pretty mean defence. So a tough tie waits next week but another exciting challenge.

Training is on at Lilyan Baylis Old School site on Lollard Road, Lambeth, 7pm-9pm, please confirm your attendance by Wednesday.

Peter Joicey
14.02.2011