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Tue 18th Aug 2009
League
Sponsored by Ralph Griffiths
TAFC First team 1-0 Chalfont St Peter
TAFC goals: Neil Roberts |
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A superb goal from Neil Roberts and a dogged defensive display clinched a valuable victory over a strong Chalfont St Peter side. Last season the Bucks outfit finished 3rd in the table and were literally seconds away from an FA Vase final but they have had a disappointing start to the new campaign and they are amazingly bottom on the table with nil points from 3 games. But they are a good side and will soon climb the league and will be amongst the challengers for the title.
Neil Roberts has now made 5 appearances for the Club and there are clear signs that he is settling into the side having score 3 terrific goals in his last 2 games. His crucial strike came in the 34th minute when Chalfont failed to clear a free kick and from just inside the area he smashed a volley into the net giving keeper Mark Oliver no chance.
We scored 16 goals in our 4 previous games but this was never going to be another high scoring match, instead we showed a determination to keep our lead and it was gratifying to see that we learnt our lesson from our defeat a week earlier at Harefield United where we conceding a 2 goal lead. The visitors had their chances, as we did, but we defended with determination and never let them have an easy shot at goal. Steve Smith in particular was superb plugging gaps and snuffing any danger with his acute reading of the game and although Chalfont mounted some frenzied attacks particularly in the 2nd half they only tested Tom Vincent on a couple of occasions. In fact of the 2 keepers Mark Oliver was called into more serious action.
As we did against Harefield United we started slowly and Chalfont had the early initiative. Ben Stack knocked a great ball across the goal area which Charlie Strutton was just unable to reach and Tom Vincent hacked a header clear from a corner. The visitors were finding good positions but gradually we got into the game and just past the quarter hour mark Graham Hall flicked a header from a corner to the far post where Henry Thomas had a shot blocked. We could have taken the lead in the 18th minute when Darren Franklin sent Mark Burfoot through but the keeper did well to come out quickly and make a save. Neil Roberts demonstrated his prowess with a dead ball when his fiercely struck free kick was punched clear by Mark Oliver.
We committed the cardinal sin of waiting for the whistle when the ball appeared to go out for a throw but the linesman kept his flag down and Charlie Strutton took the opportunity to race clear and nearly score, shooting wide of the far post. Strutton was proving to be a handful with his pace and direct running and he quickly seized on a loose pass to charge towards goal, but under pressure from Matt Myatt, who was playing in an unfamiliar left back role, he shot well wide. Neil Roberts hit a volley wide as we started to look more dangerous going forward.
Adam Bunce headed a long throw wide but with just over 10 minutes to go before half time the crowd was roused when Neil Roberts struck superbly to put us 1-0 ahead. Our guests responded positively and were dangerous going forward and Charlie Strutton did well to get a shot off and force Tom Vincent into a flying save whilst being harassed by Henry Thomas and Matt Myatt. As half time approached we carved out 2 good opportunities. Firstly Mark Oliver got down well to push a David Whicker shot round the post and then he demonstrated his predilection for punching by fisting clear an Ashley Addison volley after he had been sent clear by Mark Burfoot’s flick. At the break we had our noses in front but we knew there was a hard 45 minutes still to follow.
HT: TA 1 CSP 1
Darren Franklin went down under a challenge in the area, but it would have been a harsh penalty, and we made a meal of clearing a cross from Jerome Okimo. Steve Smith showed his alertness by headed behind for a corner a dangerous looking diagonal cross into the box. The crowd then held its breath when Charlie Strutton went down in the box following a challenge from Henry Thomas. But the referee, who was well placed, awarded a corner obviously believing that our big central defender got a touch to the ball first. But it was a close call.
Midway through the half the Chalfont manager hauled off defenders Alex Duffy and Edward Chemlal and replaced them with the more attacking Lee Togwell and Adam Louth and we put on Tony Fields for Neil Roberts who seemed to have got a knock. Mark Burfoot beat the offside trap but he could not beat Mark Oliver who made another good save. It was building up to a tense finale and Tom Vincent punched clear a long cross and when Jerome Okimo’s shot was blocked by Henry Thomas the Chalfont players screamed for handball, but it seemed like an act of desperation.
Vinnie Iannone, back from holiday, replaced Darren Franklin who had worked hard up front with 18 minutes to go. Dave Whicker nearly picked out Mark Burfoot at the far post from a corner and soon after Graham Hall did likewise after a good move down the left but our main focus was on preventing any more goals rather than scoring them. Chalfont pushed players forward, including their centre back and captain John Carroll. Both teams played their last subs, Chalfont brought on Ryan Welsh for Ben Stack and we replaced Ashley Addison with Danny Gray.
From a free kick to the far post a Chalfont player fired wide but despite their attacking intent our defence did well to keep them. Set plays and through balls failed to find their targets and when the visitors did manage to get a shot on goal Tom Vincent handled the ball cleanly and confidently. With time running out Graham Hall had a shot blocked after good work by Vinnie Ianonne and Vinnie was presented with a chance from a David Whicker flick but he fired wide. The referee played 5½ minutes of added time but to our relief finally blew for a very good 1-0 win.
FT: TA 1 CSP 0
After previous high scoring encounters this season it was good to see that we can churn out a 1-0 win when required. It may not have always been pretty but we did a good job against a very dangerous team and the back five of Tom Vincent, Dave Salmon, Matt Myatt, Steve Smith and Henry Thomas showed that defenders can win games. We restricted Chalfont to few chances particularly in the 2nd half and we probably created the better scoring opportunities. A clear sheet and 3 points was a satisfactory reward for a hard night’s work which puts us in 3rd place in the table, a point behind an expensively assembled Aylesbury side, who we entertain on Tuesday 29/9/09.
Teams:
TA: Tom Vincent, Dave Salmon, Matt Myatt, Graham Hall (Capt), Steve Smith, Henry Thomas, Darren Franklin (Vinnie Iannone 72), David Whicker, Mark Burfoot, Ashley Addison (Danny Gray 81), Neil Roberts (Tony Fields 68). Subs not used: Jack Copson, Dave Clark.
CSP: Mark Oliver, Lewis Cumber, Alex Duffy (Adam Louth 64), Edward Chemlal (Lee Togwell 64), John Carroll (Capt), Alan Hedley, Ben Stack (Ryan Welsh 78) , Luke Brook-Smith, Charlie Strutton, Adam Bunce, Jerome Okimo. Subs not used: Shaka Mughall, Remmell Clarke.
Goals:
TA: Neil Roberts (34)
CSP: -
Attendance: 78
CSP Website: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/chalfontstpeterafc01/ |
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