The weekend showed that the one’s have resilience at the back only seen in title contenders while the three’s displayed character only seen in OG’s XI’s which has potential to be turned into a promotion challenge. Roundup’s are from one professional journalist, one from a non-professional journalist….. but I don’t think you can tell.
A gritty performance from the first XI ensured they went to the Goat for their weekly dose of beer and Chicken Soup on top of Pasta in buoyant mood after a 3-0 victory over local rivals Old Finchleians.
Both sides went into the game having taken four points from their opening two matches and their similar records were reflected in the competitive nature of the opening quarter.
The conditions were again testing, with the mercury topping 25 degrees for the second week running and the Old Garchonians home pitch — which more closely resembles a basketball court due to its lack of width — ensuring the game was played at a frantic pace.
Skipper Ishmael Osamor is determined to ensure the team make new home ground ‘The Ride’ a fortress, however, and once the team realised turning the opposition defence with quick balls into the channels was the best way of getting to grips with the game they began to take control of proceedings.
This was helped by a central defensive pairing of Luke Tripp and Steve Edwards, who formed a formidable barrier in front of an imperious Matt Nyong. With Osamor — restricted to a watching brief due to a christening — putting in an excellent performance on one leg the week before the side look well stocked at centre half this season.
Throw a resurgent Tom Lytton-Dickie, who patrolled the space in front of the back four with an aggression that belied his year long absence from the game, into that mix and it is going to take something special for the opposition to score against Old Garchonians this season.
This led to a paucity of chances for Finchleians, with the few that were created fired off target from range or comfortably handled by Nyong. Old Garchonians were far less profligate, with Dan Lodge, Josh Dowling and Matt Brown brilliantly taking their chances to ease Old Garchonians to a 3-0 victory.
This week was very much a case for the defence, however, with a third clean sheet of the season taking Old Garchonians to joint top of the table.
Man of the match: The Goat
Result: 3-0 win
Onto an embellished report of the 3’s trip to Old Lyonians by club documentarian, Harvey Sooper:
A great day, a great pitch and we were in for a great game, supplemented by a handful of players from the 2s we were feeling confident despite having lost to our opponents pre-season.
After a cagey first 10 minutes with only a couple of have chances for both teams, OL found an opening down the right and a low cross to their big man up top who popped the ball under Farhad from close range. OL began to dominate the game with a spring in their step. Then half way through the first half the lax-starting black and goal gifted the ball away trying to play out from the back and OL pounced. 2-0 down.
A much needed, rallying cry from the side-lines including ex OG hologram hands, David Gavin Gallagher got our heads back up. All of a sudden OGs remembered how to play football and chances started arriving. A sublime free kick from Josh thundering off the underside of the bar and away; which, despite a VAR check, did not cross the line and sees us still two goals down. Several chances come our way: Jamie Harney, Alkins, Jermaine Bossman and Josh Dawson all have opportunities to get us back in the game but to no such luck. Then out of nowhere Ben Owen takes in the ball with his back to goal just inside the OL half and plays a sumptuous ball through to Jamie Harney who slots it pass the onrushing keeper with a couple of minutes to go until half time. The half-time whistle blows and OGs are back in the game after a slow start.
The second began as the first ended, OG’s dominating possession and getting the best of the chances, including Ben Owen being through on goal with acres of space but “he had too much time” and passed it to the keeper. Looking to make amends, a wonderful cross field pass from Bossman and Ben smashed it home with his left. 2-2 with 50 minutes played.
With the wind in our sails, A couple of minutes after the equaliser and deep free kick from Alkins, a flick on from Owen, havoc in the OL penalty area, pinball, balls falls in Josh’s lap and he places it in the corner from the penalty spot for a much deserved goal for him and a more than deserved lead for OGs!!
The goal awoke OL from their slumber. 5 minutes after we take the lead a low cross came into the box from the right which Milan swipes at. Despite getting to the ball first, the referee awards a penalty to OL after their striker clearly didn’t get the memo that nominations for the Emmys had already closed. The penalty is dispatched clinically despite Farhad guessing correctly. 3-3.
The next 10 minutes are quite cagey, not much happening, but then we win a corner with 20 minutes gone in the second half. We haven’t had the best track record but we have been missing the key ingredient: Ben Owen. Josh swings in a textbook delivery and Ben rises at the post to power the ball into the far corner and restore our lead. 4-3. Let’s
OL come at us, and if it weren’t for some exceptional defending and goalkeeping, our lead would be long gone, then with 2 minutes remaining Rob carries the ball from his own half, leading a sublime counter attack, on the edge of the box he plays it out left to Ben who cuts in and goals for goal, a great save by the keeper denies Ben his hat-trick but he has pushed the ball straight into the path of Joe Alkins who has joined the counter attack from centre back, he tucks it into the bottom corner and begins wheeling away in celebration before the referee blows for offside, still just one goal in it.
One final attack from OL, a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box sees them gain a free kick on the edge of the box. Stoppage time is over, the side lines are an emotional wreck, the group-chat is panicking, it all comes down to this. The ref blows his whistle, the OL player steps up, hits it left foot, over the wall, curling towards the top corner… SAVED!!!! Farhad scrambles to his left before diving to get 2 hands to the ball in order to beat it away from goal. A hard fought 4-3 win with standout performances from the baby-faced Lloyd, the ponytailed Milan.
Harvey did not score. Rob was almost on time.
Man of the Match: Harvey Soper
Result: 4-3 win
Upcoming:
Training
Thursday 26th September
8PM-9PM
@Whittington Park fault.asks.lobby
Matches
Saturday 21st September
1st XI
Away at Carshalton
2nd XI
Home to Polytechnic
3rd XI
Away at Crouch End Vampires
