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Tue 17 Mar 2015
1st TeamEgham Town
V Kokolou (0')
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1st Team v Egham Town
Steve Goldfinch17 Mar 2015 - 21:45
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Match report
North Greenford went into the game against Egham Town on a high after their excellent win over Daventry on Saturday. Having lost both games against Egham this season by narrow margins we “owed them one”. However a nightmare start and some “smash and grab” at the end meant the Sarnies took all three points, despite being outplayed for much the game.
Greenford could not have got off to a worse start when after just three minutes Basram Peshaj struck a low drive into the corner of the net from twenty yards with keeper Pal either unsighted or too slow to react. It got worse after eleven minutes as Andrew got free on the left and had time and space to cross for Brendan Mathew to head home unopposed. So, eleven minutes in, and the veritable mountain to climb. For the next ten minutes the Sarnies continued to look dangerous on the flanks and were getting dangerous crosses in far too easily.
Gradually though Greenford started to grow into the game and as in previous games George Moore started to influence the game. On twenty minutes Moore got on the end of a cross from the right to power in a header that was brilliantly saved by Cunningham in the Egham goal. Two minutes later and Moore sent in a curling shot from the edge of the box and with the keeper off his line the ball look destined to find the back of the net. To his credit Cunningham somehow got a fingertip to it to deflect it onto the bar and over. The resultant corner eventually got to Comacho on the edge of the box, but his low shot through a ruck of players went straight at the keeper and he gathered safely.
On twenty nine minutes Moore got free of the box and although he got to the ball before the keeper he only managed to stab the ball the wrong side of the post. Surely a goal was coming!! Although Greenford continued to press forward the excellent Egham defence, superbly marshalled by Luke Neville held firm. Just when you thought the first half would remain goalless for Greenford, debutant Vianney Kokolou saw the keeper off his line and from thirty five yards sent a curling shot over the keeper and into the net – another contender for goal of the season!!
That was the end of the action for the first half, a very good game played at a good pace by both sides. 2.1 to Egham at half time but all to play for in the second half. And what a second half it was!!
Greenford were camped in Egham’s half for most of it creating numerous chances. Anton Robinson sped clear of his marker on fifty four minutes and with a cool head on would have slotted the ball past the advancing keeper. However, he opted for power and put his shot over the bar. Moore then set up Camacho with a great cross but in a carbon copy of the Leighton game his header flew over the bar. Comacho then had an easier chance, but as the ball dropped to him two yards out he somehow managed to balloon the ball over the bar – three gilt edged chances – Greenford should have been out of sight!! Greenford continued to press and Robinson fired over the bar again when well placed.
Then on 80 minutes Egham finally broke away and managed to force a corner. The corner was swung over from the right, headed on and there was Mathew at the far post to head home his second of the night and Egham’s third. That’s what’s called a smash and grab!!
To their credit Greenford did not give up and continued to push for another goal which nearly came on eight eight minutes when Marlon Kabi’s goalbound effort was headed off the line.
But it was not to be and the game finished with another defeat. This was particularly hard to take – probably our best attacking performance of the season, but as they say you have to take your chances and we did not do that on the night. That said, the level of commitment is first class and if we continue to play in this fashion who knows what might happen. Still nine games to go – that’s twenty seven points to play for – stranger things have happened!!
Team; Pal, Comacho, Fasie, Ambroisine, Mohammed, Agebane, Mitchell, Moore, Kabi, Robinson, Kokolou
Subs; Morris, Flanagan, Ruiz, Goncharov
Greenford could not have got off to a worse start when after just three minutes Basram Peshaj struck a low drive into the corner of the net from twenty yards with keeper Pal either unsighted or too slow to react. It got worse after eleven minutes as Andrew got free on the left and had time and space to cross for Brendan Mathew to head home unopposed. So, eleven minutes in, and the veritable mountain to climb. For the next ten minutes the Sarnies continued to look dangerous on the flanks and were getting dangerous crosses in far too easily.
Gradually though Greenford started to grow into the game and as in previous games George Moore started to influence the game. On twenty minutes Moore got on the end of a cross from the right to power in a header that was brilliantly saved by Cunningham in the Egham goal. Two minutes later and Moore sent in a curling shot from the edge of the box and with the keeper off his line the ball look destined to find the back of the net. To his credit Cunningham somehow got a fingertip to it to deflect it onto the bar and over. The resultant corner eventually got to Comacho on the edge of the box, but his low shot through a ruck of players went straight at the keeper and he gathered safely.
On twenty nine minutes Moore got free of the box and although he got to the ball before the keeper he only managed to stab the ball the wrong side of the post. Surely a goal was coming!! Although Greenford continued to press forward the excellent Egham defence, superbly marshalled by Luke Neville held firm. Just when you thought the first half would remain goalless for Greenford, debutant Vianney Kokolou saw the keeper off his line and from thirty five yards sent a curling shot over the keeper and into the net – another contender for goal of the season!!
That was the end of the action for the first half, a very good game played at a good pace by both sides. 2.1 to Egham at half time but all to play for in the second half. And what a second half it was!!
Greenford were camped in Egham’s half for most of it creating numerous chances. Anton Robinson sped clear of his marker on fifty four minutes and with a cool head on would have slotted the ball past the advancing keeper. However, he opted for power and put his shot over the bar. Moore then set up Camacho with a great cross but in a carbon copy of the Leighton game his header flew over the bar. Comacho then had an easier chance, but as the ball dropped to him two yards out he somehow managed to balloon the ball over the bar – three gilt edged chances – Greenford should have been out of sight!! Greenford continued to press and Robinson fired over the bar again when well placed.
Then on 80 minutes Egham finally broke away and managed to force a corner. The corner was swung over from the right, headed on and there was Mathew at the far post to head home his second of the night and Egham’s third. That’s what’s called a smash and grab!!
To their credit Greenford did not give up and continued to push for another goal which nearly came on eight eight minutes when Marlon Kabi’s goalbound effort was headed off the line.
But it was not to be and the game finished with another defeat. This was particularly hard to take – probably our best attacking performance of the season, but as they say you have to take your chances and we did not do that on the night. That said, the level of commitment is first class and if we continue to play in this fashion who knows what might happen. Still nine games to go – that’s twenty seven points to play for – stranger things have happened!!
Team; Pal, Comacho, Fasie, Ambroisine, Mohammed, Agebane, Mitchell, Moore, Kabi, Robinson, Kokolou
Subs; Morris, Flanagan, Ruiz, Goncharov
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