Old Plymouthians 1-5 Old Boys Clapham

McGUIRE MAGIC IN FIVE STAR SHOW

Old Boys Clapham kick started their season with a 5-1 impressive win at Old Plymouthians. Cian McGuire was voted as man of the match as he controlled the midfield and set up two goals. Joe Kubik bagged a brace to get his first goals of the season, while Joe Chun, Dean Barrett and Mahf Chowdhury continued their impressive scoring runs. Old Boys Clapham were solid throughout and Matt Custance was denied a second clean sheet in three games as a result of a freekick thumped through the wall and into the net.

With manager Peter Joicey on paternity leave assistant manager Paul Lewis took charge for this one on the south side of Croydon. Matt Custance continued in goal. Andy Cochrane came in at right back for Charlie Horner who was injured. Marc Henderson started in place of Tom Simpson who was away and was partnered by the impressive Jelle van der Zwet. Skipper Alex McGreevy was restored to the side at left back. Across the midfield Joe Chun was handed his first competitive start for the club after setting up Matt Belk last week and scoring against Battersea the week before. Steve Allison and Cian McGuire continued their partnership in central midfield with Leroy Donald continuing wide left. Dean Barrett was restored up front to the partner the barnstorming but recently goal-shy Joe Kubik. On the bench were Mahf Chowdhury and Marcus Bristow.

Reporting at the Croygas Ground in Wallington was Paul Lewis. The kick off was delayed to the late arrival of the referee. Old Plymouthians had been out and ready forty-five minutes before the kick off and were being put through there warm up paces. Over an hour later the match kicked off. It was clear from the early stages that the Plymouthians had good control of the ball but lacked a bit of pace as the collective OBC midfield was able to harry and close down the home side.

OBC had the better of the opening exchanges but could not carve out an opportunity in front of goal. It was Plymouthians that had the first effort on goal in the seventh minute bringing out a stunning save at full length by Matt Custance. Plymouthians managed to get the ball out wide on the right and a whipped in ball was cleared out to the edge of the area where the effort was fired back in and Custance denied the home side with a terrific save to his left. The rebound fell to an on-rushing Plymouthian striker who fired the ball back across goal but Custance was back on his feet and made a stunning reaction save to palm the effort over the crossbar. The new keeper is fast becoming a fans favourite at Garratt Park.

OBC could have broke the deadlock a minute later when Joe Kubik chased down a ball into the Plymouthians penalty area and managed to lay the ball onto Leroy Donald who shot tamely wide of the near post.
The pressure was starting to mount as Jelle van der Zwet brought the ball out of defence and played the ball up to Kubik who did a neat one-two with Dean Barrett. Kubik got a good shot away which the keeper parried but Joe Chun casually fired the rebound over the bar and a good opportunity was wasted.

Cian McGuire controlled the game from start to finish and was brought down after a trade mark mazy run on the edge of the area with thirty minutes gone. The resulting free kick was taken by Dean Barrett who fired over harmlessly high and wide.

Joe Kubik broke the deadlock in the thirty-fifth minute with his first goal of the season. Dean Barrett applied good pressure on the Plymouthian left back who was forced to handle the ball and concede a free kick in a dangerous area. Joe Chun whipped in an excellent deep free kick to the six yard box where Jelle van der Zwet cushioned a header back towards fellow centre back Marc Henderson but Kubik nipped in to head past goal keeper from close range. 0-1 OBC 35 minutes gone.

Steve Allison was also having a good game in the middle and won a free kick after a mazy run of his own. Marc Henderson stepped up, (I know what you’re all thinking), where his effort caused panic and was cleared for a corner.

OBC doubled the lead on forty minutes when Leroy Donald played the ball inside to Cian McGuire. McGuire drove into the heart of the Plymouthians defence and fired a shot across the keeper where Joe Chun managed to get on the end of it, control the ball which a sublime piece of skill and calmly stroked the ball past the keeper. Chun’s 5^th goal of the season and his impressive form continues. 0-2 OBC forty minutes gone.

OBC had chances to extend the lead further before the break. Joe Chun curled a sublime effort around the left hand post after a good one to two with Dean Barrett. The effort was beautifully flighted and had it gone in would have been a beautiful goal.

Joe Chun was involved again when he put Dean Barrett through one on one with the keeper but Barrett stalled in front of goal and failed to seriously test the keeper as his shot, straight at the keeper, was tame. The referee blew for half time.

At half time assistant manager Paul Lewis said he was pleased with the performance but wanted to swap Joe Chun and Leroy Donald on the flanks. Donald moved to the right wing and Chun to the left wing.

OBC started the second half the brighter of the two sides. Skipper Alex McGreevy nearly got his first goal for the club when he flicked on a throw-in which just wide of the Plymouthians goal.

OBC added the first on fifty-five minutes when yet again Joe Chun was involved to flick the ball into the path of Dean Barrett. Barrett outmuscled the Plymouthian centre back to be left one on one with the keeper. Once more Barrett fired down the keeper’s throat but the keeper could not hold the ball and the rebound fell back to Barrett who tucked the ball away for his 10^th goal of the season. 0-3 55 minutes gone.

Leroy Donald was unlucky not to make it four moments later when he cut inside and unleashed a rocket from the edge of the area which cannoned off the near post and across the goal.

Marc Henderson was unfortunate not to get on the score sheet as Joe Chun whipped in a wicked corner and Henderson planted his header against the Plymouthians cross bar.

Old Plymouthians grabbed themselves a lifeline in the seventieth minute when they won a dangerous free kick thirty yards out to the left of centre. The effort was blasted straight at the wall but went in between the heads of Jelle van der Zwet and Marc Henderson and the unsighted Custance was unable to stop the howitzer of an effort flying into the roof of the net. 1-3 70 minutes gone.

Paul Lewis made his changes bringing on Mahf Chowdhury for Leroy Donald and then Markus Bristow on for Dean Barrett up front.

Chowdhury got quickly into the game and provided an opportunity to Joe Chun but Chun’s effort was comfortably saved. Cian McGuire continued to press the OBC forward and laid the ball off to Joe Kubik who fired at goal from the edge of the area but the effort was comfortably saved by the Plymouthians keeper.

McGuire and Kubik linked up again a minute later when McGuire bulldozed his way through the Plymouthians defence to lay the ball off to Kubik who coolly toe poked his effort past the keeper for his second goal of the afternoon on eighty-six minutes. 1-4 Kubik’s 2^nd goal of the season.

As the game came to a close there was still time to get a fifth goal as a quick one-two between Chun and Kubik end with Kubik having a point-blank effort saved by the keeper but Mahf Chowdhury was on hand to control the rebound and fire the ball home for 1-5 in stoppage time.

A great win, a great result. It’s the always formidable Park Boys next week at Garratt Park.

Peter Joicey
18.10.2010