Wandgas Sports FC

Saturday 31st July 2010
Old Boys Clapham 3-1 Wandgas Sports
Belk 16, 88
McGuire 90

Wandgas goal 72,

1. Kenny

18. Bristow, 2. Cochrane, 6. Henderson, 11. Donald

13. Pumphrey, 4. van der Zwet 8. Kubik, 20. McGuire

9. Belk 10. Barrett

subs
23. Edis, 29. Shingler, 35. Chun

WANDGAS KEEPER GIVES BIRTHDAY BOY BELK GIFTS HE CAN’T REFUSE

Matt Belk smashed in a winner from twenty five yards two minutes from full time. A tame goal kick was returned with interest as the rocket flew back past the Wandgas stopper. Belk had earlier given the OBC the lead when his first half free kick was spilled into the net by the keeper. Wandgas got themselves level midway through the second half when the largely untroubled Kenny lost sight of a Wandgas free kick which bounced in front of him and the ball ended in the back of the net. At the other end Emmett Shingler spurned a hatrick of one on ones, the closet being smashed off the post just before the equaliser and Dean Barrett missed two chances from close range. Belk left it late to smash home the winner before Cian McGuire opened his OBC account with an excellent low drive into the bottom corner from a narrow angle to rub salt in Wandgas’ wounds.

After last week’s eleven goal Hammer horror show Joicey was looking for something more composed against First Division Wandgas Sports. In goal Mel Kenny was making his first start of the season. Across the back Markus Bristow continued at right back. Marc Henderson was partnered by Andy Cochrane who returned from festival duty. The festival was crap apparently, (I thought it would be). Leroy Donald was asked to start at left back as both Alex McGreevy and Simon Burbage were away. In midfield Joicey started with a flat four of Max Pumphrey on the right wing with Jelle van der Zwet and Joe Kubik holding the middle and Cian McGuire posted out on the left. Up front were Matt Belk and Dean Barrett. On the bench were Emmett Shingler, Paul Edis and “sorry but there is no space lad” Joseph Chun as a result of late call offs.

The game kicked off with Wandgas firmly in control as they moved the ball around nicely and with confidence as they popped little passes around Raynes Park. Wandgas appeared to target Markus Bristow at right back but Markus used his pace and skills to good effect to get himself out of trouble.

Wandgas forced four corners in the first ten minutes. Cochrane, Henderson and van der Zwet did well to get crucial headers away as the back line seemed to be coping well with Wandgas’ pressure.

OBC only started to get into the game after ten minutes as Bristow won the ball on the right and did a neat little lay off to Jelle van der Zwet who fired a firm pass into Belky who played the ball to Dean Barrett on the edge of the area who shot put did not get enough power making it a comfortable save for the Wandgas keeper.

Wandgas nearly made the breakthrough on fifteen minutes when a short corner was driven in to the six yards area but the striker headed over from a free header.

It was to prove costly as Henderson managed to get his goal kick over the half way line which Belky laid off to Cian McGuire. McGuire used his strength to turn the defender but was brought down. Up stepped Belk to fire the ball over the wall but straight down the keeper throat. The keeper looked as if he had Vaseline on his gloves and spilled into the net somehow to give the OBC the lead against the run of play. 1-0 OBC 16 minutes gone, Belk’s 3^rd goal of the season.

Wandgas continued to have more of the possession and managed their only effort on goal in the first half when a shot from the edge of the area was palmed around the post by Kenny in goal for another Wandgas corner. Once again the defence stood their ground and cleared.

Jelle van der Zwet collected the ball in midfield and drove forward. Jelle passed the ball out to McGuire on the left who dinked past the full back, took perhaps a heavy touch, and got a shot off which went just wide of the far post as the keeper got a hand to it. A taste of something to come later.

The corner was whipped in by Max Pumphrey which was met by the barnstorming Dutchman but the effort was cleared.

Markus Bristow then got in on the act when he was released by Pumphrey on the right and Bristow put an excellent whipped ball to the penalty spot where Dean Barrett attempted a scissor kick but he could not get enough power on the shot and the keeper managed to gather the effort.

On thirty minutes Joicey brought Emmett Shingler on for Max Pumphrey on the right wing and Joe Chung came on for Markus Bristow at right back. Joicey then opted for a change of formation to try protect the lead as Wandgas still dominated possession without any real impact. Paul Edis came on to sit behind Jelle and Joe Kubik, and Dean Barrett was sacrificed as the unwell Belky became the lone striker. (Belky would not have liked to have been asked to even more running with bad guts).

Wandgas also made changes which weakened their side, whereas the OBC changes complimented an increasingly confident performance.

Paul Edis, Jelle van der Zwet and Joe Kubik patrolled the midfield like Challenger tanks snuffing out any resistance as it was now the OBC who dominated possession.

Joe Chung showed some incredible touches and pieces of skill as he comfortably dealt with the Wandgas left winger.

Joe Kubik was denied from a well worked free-kick. Kubik’s dipping effort over the wall was cleared off the line by an excellent piece of defending by the Wandgas centre back who dropped out of the wall when Belky dummied the effort. It looked a certain goal had it not been for the quick thinking Wandgas man.

Cian McGuire again showed good touches on the left edge of the area as he had the beating of the full back again. McGuire released the ball for Kubik who was waiting just inside the area but Kubik skied his shot. The halftime whistle was blown. OBC lead.

Joicey said that he liked the changed formation and was going to keep the side that had finished the half as OBC looked to hold the lead and contain the opposition. Leroy Donald was put back to his usual left wing and Cian McGuire was asked to fill in at left back. Wandgas had made a good start but had surrendered control.

The second half kicked off with neither side making any inroads as OBC comfortably held Wandgas at bay. On the hour Belky and Donald were withdrawn for Dean Barrett to play as the lone striker and Max Pumphrey returned to the right wing and Emmett Shingler was brought over to the left wing.

Marcus Bristow was brought on at left back as the excellent Jelle van der Zwet was replaced by Cian McGuire in midfield.

Cian McGuire was unlucky not to break free of the Wandgas offside trap when Paul Edis won the ball and played it up to Barrett who delayed the ball by a fraction of a second to the on-running McGuire who was caught offside, just.

Then the chances started to come thick and fast. Dean Barrett this time broke free of the Wandgas defence and Emmett Shingler joined him and it was two on one, surely Barrett would pass the ball to Shingler but Dean tried to keep the ball and beat the last defender. It was the wrong decision and the chance was snuffed out to the displeasure of Joicey.

Then Shingler had the chance to double the lead as Marc Henderson played a straight ball on the deck out of defence for Shingler to chase. Emmett used his lightning pace to good effect and was clear of the defence with only the keeper to beat but he delayed unnecessarily and could only thump his effort off the left hand post as the keeper narrowed the angles.

Within a minute Henderson played the same ball and Emmett was away again and through but ran too close to the keeper and got himself clattered when he should have and could have shot much earlier. As a result of the knock, Donald came on for Shingler on 69 minutes.

Wandgas had a shot from distance that sailed wide earlier but then on seventy two minutes the defence gave away a free-kick twenty five yards from goal to the left of centre. The ball was curled over the wall at not a great pace, bounced in front of Mel Kenny and in. 1-1 maybe Mel should have done better.

With eight minutes remaining Joicey brought back Belk into the game as he came on for Cian McGuire and OBC returned to a 4-4-2 as Matt joined Dean Barrett up front. Joicey decided to try win the game and brought Shingler back on to add, added pace and direction on the left. Leroy was asked to fill in at left back but reacted angrily to the change because he felt Emmett had missed crucial chances that he would have scored.

With two minutes to go and a draw seeming likely Belky was given another birthday present. The goalkeeper tamely gave Belk the ball from his goal kick and it was rifled back with interest as it nearly took the net off to put OBC back in the driving seat. 2-1 OBC Belk’s 4^th goal of the season.

Joicey tried to waste a bit more time by bringing back McGuire on for Barrett, as the OBC reverted to the lone striker formation.

On the break Emmett raced away once more but again got his angles wrong as he delayed the shot and a firm shot fizzed past the far post.

OBC were not to be denied though. Shingler picked up the ball on the left and released it to McGurie on the left hand edge of the area. McGuire beat the full back and laid it off for Belky who did a neat return and from a tight angle McGuire fired under the keeper and into the far corner, now that’s the way to do it. 3-1 OBC and the fans go home happy. McGurie’s first goal for the club, an excellent run and finish.

A tremendous effort from the lads, at time OBC never reached the peak of their potential in terms of fluent playing but we managed to stifle and snuff out almost everything Wandgas threw at us. Joe Chun was excellent at full back, so too Markus Bristow. Jelle van der Zwet, Paul Edis and Joe Kubik acted like workhorses in the midfield with Marc Henderson and Andy Cochrane imperious at the back. It was a day for the defenders, with the OBC counterattacking in some style like Montgomery’s Desert Rats. Well done lads a great feel good victory over higher league opposition.

Next week OBC are in Amsterdam to take on FC Dosr in our first ever International Friendly.

Peter Joicey
01.08.2010