A performance of real calm and assurance on a topsy-turvy, tumultuous day helped Old Garchonians first XI see off both a spirited Merton side and storm Dennis at the weekend.
A settled squad with genuine depth has allowed captain Ishmael Osamor to implement the same 4-3-3 formation throughout the year and as we enter the business end of the season the decision is paying dividends.
In two cup semifinals and top of the league, fans of the club are beginning to hope for silverware. But with Osamor’s “one game at a time” mantra ringing in their ears it was only fullback Felix Murray who spent Valentine’s Day dreaming of getting his hands on a pair of big jugs.
The game began slowly with both teams wrestling with the conditions. But with Steve Edwards and Osamor pushed up high and fullbacks Murray and Theo Rodney stretching the opposition, OGs began to take charge.
A sharp move helped the ball out wide to Nas Sapeur, whose quick feet eased him inside on to his favoured right. A snapped effort, whipped inside the far post, left the goalkeeper routed to the spot. 1-0 OGs.
From here OGs took charge of the match. Midfielders Sam Joiner and Tom Lytton-Dickie began to shift the ball quickly into Blair and right winger Ben Khan who were finding space in front of the Merton back four. This allowed Rodney to gallop forward, one run taking the young tyro the length of the pitch and past half the Merton back four.
Murray, who was a constant thorn in Merton’s side at both ends of the pitch, had an excellent header ruled out for offside and it seemed only a matter of time before the team scored their second.
A series of excellent goals duly followed, with Sapeur’s electric display down the left – in eighty minutes after a first half sin bin – leading to a hattrick, Blair’s performance getting the goal it deserved and Edwards completing a fine day for the back four with a towering header.
5-0 to OGs the final score. Tough tests await but the first XI are finding form at the right time.
Man of the Match: Sam Joiner for not making the write up all about himself
The Two’s fixture backlog continues to increase as they lost out to the weather once more. The week previous started brightly taking a 2-0 lead away at Civil Service before crumbling in the second half ending up on the wrong end of a 3-2 score line and 10 men after Joe Beach collected two lovely yellows. Among the disappointed fan base was Matt Brown’s younger father but they will be hoping for a response this week as they face Alexandra Park and they need points on the board to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
The Three’s had a week off from the blustery conditions but completed another routine 2-0 victory over local rivals Alexandra Park the week prior. They have quietly gone about their league business and this weekend face top of the table Norsemen where victory would move the black and gold within 4 points with a game in hand. The One’s are taking the limelight but with a semi-final looming beware the silent assault on silverware from the 3’s.
Lovely pair of jugs