MATCH REPORTS 2008-09

BEACONSFIELD SYCOB RES. 0  NORTHWOOD RES. 2
 

Just 48 hours after the massive away victory at Fleet Town, the games kept coming thick and fast, with no bigger a challenge than the short trip up the M40 to table topping Beaconsfield Sycob.

The home team fielded a strong side including 3 or 4 first team players and what was always going to be a difficult night was made even harder when one of the players cars got lost, containing Courtney Francis, Jerome Cole, and Ray Defreitas, resulting in some late enforced changes, and Woods starting the match with the bare eleven outfield players and only goalkeeper on the bench!!

What followed was an absorbing game of football. The home side dominated possession without creating too many clear cut opportunities in open play: they were a big, strong, physical side who on the night played a very direct long ball game. They looked most dangerous from set pieces, which was something they clearly work hard on to exploit their physical attributes of size and strength in the air. However, on the night, the pre-match drama seemed to inspire the players who adopted a siege mentally, and the back four come in for particular praise, producing a collective superb performance to stand firm under long periods of immense pressure. Half-time 0-0.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the home side continuing to command the lion's share of possession but failing to break down a well organised Woods defence, marshalled brilliantly by Jazz Rose. Of the two sides, only one tried to get the ball down and Woods in short spells played some neat passing football. John Daily in the centre of midfield was an ever growing influence and, partnered by Scott Purdue they started to win the battle in the middle of the park with performances of great maturity and discipline.

The immense effort put in the first half took its toll and we were soon forced into two early second half changes, losing talisman captain Carl Hunt (calf) and Dan Briggs (exhaustion in his first game after four weeks out). This proved to be a significant turning point, with the introduction of Courtney Francis and Jerome Cole up front and a hasty reshuffle, with Will Hudson dropping into the back four as a makeshift full-back and Jake O'Meara dropping into wide right-midfield. On 73 minutes, against the run of play, Courtney made an immediate impact when following a mazy left to right cross field run by Laurie Walters, some desperate last ditch defending saw the centre half stop Laurie on the edge of the box, but his clearance hit Courtney in the midrift, only to fall nicely into his path and he smashed the ball home past the stranded keeper!

The home side were now having to chase the game and as we entered the last 15 minutes they started to frantically commit more players forward, losing their discipline and leaving themselves open to Woods' swift counter-attacks. This proved to be their undoing, and on 81 minutes, following a flowing counter-attack move down the right hand side, Jerome Cole managed to shift the ball inside to the unmarked Courtney, who swept the ball home from 12 yards to bag a brace! Woods managed to see out the final few mins with their clean sheet intact, which added further to a tremendous performance on the night against strong opposition. This excellent result keeps us very much in the mix for Suburban League North Divisional honours, with Beaconsfield and Hampton & Richmond both still to play home & away respectively. Well done lads.

Report by Gez Reilly