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Sat 6th Feb 2010
League
Oxhey Jets 0-1 TAFC First team
TAFC goals: Simon Ellis |
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It may not have been pretty and at times it may have been uncomfortable but we will not worry about that. After losing two games on the trot it was great to get back to winning ways again. The crucial moment came three minutes before half time and was the result of a rare bit of quality in a match that was more perspiration than inspiration. Tony Fields did well to hold the ball up on the right wing and release Graham Hall down the line. Our skipper then produced a sumptuous cross that gave Simon Ellis the easy job of nodding the ball past former Athletic keeper Sam Styles.
Oxhey Jets are always tough opponents and their quick breaks and passing style of football are easy on the eye. They had two good chances in the first half when Lee Armitt twice sprang the offside trap but on both occasions he dragged his shot wide of the far post. Armitt also tried his luck with a lob from distance but again it failed to hit the target. After that our defence tightened up, reducing the home side to few chances and keeper Mike Underwood was not required to produce a save of note throughout the game.
We were far from prolific in front of goal ourselves and Sam Styles was not overworked either. He did do well to clear a Tony Fields cross off the toes of Danny Gray and must have been relieved when a super Vinnie Iannone cross from the bye line went over his head and was not claimed at the far post by any of our players. The only other involvement Sam Styles had in the first half was an easy save from Vinnie Iannone after he had been nicely played into the area by Rob Duncan.
Rob Duncan made a number of good runs using his speed and wingers instinct to good effect and on another foray forward he slipped a lovely pass through to Danny Gray only for the scoring opportunity to be denied by the offside flag. Rob has performed consistently well in defence and is making the left back spot his own.
Oxhey had the better of the first half and the game was seemingly heading for a 0-0 half time score until Simon Ellis popped up to head in the crucial opening goal. Simon has now made 3 appearances since joining from Chesham and has now scored 2 goals and is making an important contribution from midfield.
HT: OJ 0 TA 1
The second half was very strange, with the referee taking centre stage with what can only be termed as an extreme case of carditis. He quickly booked three Oxhey players after the restart then obviously decided that he should go for parity by then booking our players. The final tally was 9 yellow cards, five for us and four for Oxhey. Considering there was hardly a foul of note it was a remarkable total.
We started the second half in a dominant fashion and started to control the game without creating too many chances. The home players and supporters were becoming increasing frustrated at the flurry of bookings and the regular bleep of the referee’s whistle for offside particularly against Lee Armitt.
The regular disruption for free kicks and substitutions did little to help the flow of play and gradually we lost control of the game as Oxhey pushed forward to grab an equaliser. The play became frantic and we were forced to defend in numbers, but we dug in doggedly to see out the game with the slimmest of winning margins.
FT: OJ 0 TA 1
It was pleasing to have ground out this win against tough opponents who have only lost in the South Midlands to Aylesbury and ourselves away since the end of October. The three points enabled us to leapfrog over Aylesbury, who lost at home 2-1 to Kingsbury London Tigers, into second place behind Chalfont St Peter who become the third team in two weeks to top the table. Chalfont, who beat Kentish Town 3-0 at home, have a one point lead and a game in hand over us, and we are two points ahead of third placed Aylesbury, who have two games in hand.
It is tight at the top and whilst this was far from our most fluent performance Phil Casserley will be pleased to see the team show plenty of spirit and determination to come back from recent disappointments and grind out a win and keep a clean sheet. Next up are two home games against Biggleswade United on Tuesday and Langford on Saturday. Phil Casserley will hope to have back leading scorer Mark Burfoot and fellow forward Darren Franklin.
Teams:
OJ: Sam Styles, Ian Bywater, Lee Grace, Steve Brown, Chris Harding, Chris Ingham, Lee Inch (Chris Killer 74), Tim O’Mara, Wayne Gladdy (Myles Stephenson 77), Luke Beardsworth, Lee Armitt (Karl Bull 85). Subs not used: -
TA: Mike Underwood, David Salmon, Rob Duncan, Graham Hall (Capt), Brett Court, Henry Thomas, Tony Fields, Simon Ellis (Chris Salmon 74), Vinnie Iannone (David Whicker 74), Ashley Addison (Steve Smith 90+1), Danny Gray. Subs not used: Keith Eldridge, George Liveing.
Goals:
OJ: -
TA: Simon Ellis (42)
Crowd: 62
OJ Website: www.oxheyjets.com |
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(No photos on file)
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