Dangerous Ides

After last week’s disappointing-but-ultimately-maybe-a-bit-fortunate draw against Stansfeld O&B, a result that ended their 100% home record, Peckham Town were looking to get back to winning ways against familiar opponents Ide Hill. Today’s visitors were also relegated from the Kent Premier at the end of last season – albeit with a points tally of only 6 compared to the Menace’s 36. The Summer reset has clearly helped however, as they began the game in fifth place on 18 points from 10 games. Those fixtures had yielded 25 goals for and 20 conceded, suggesting an open game might be in store.

Peckham’s pre-game league position of third was a little flattering, based as it was on having played the most games (11) of those around them. 23 points is a solid return, but on a points per game basis they were behind AMG Ballerz and Equinoccial (both unbeaten and with 25 from 9 games), Otford United (19 points from 8 games) and today’s opposition. South East Athletic were also in the mix on 17 points from 9 games. With only two teams to go up, today was an opportunity for Peckham to make up ground on those above them while denting the hopes of a direct promotion rival.

Repeat Team, Yeah?

Mary Philip had the luxury of naming an unchanged side for the sixth game in succession (full disclosure: I’ve not checked that for myself, I’ve gone off what Dave has told me pre-game, but that lad is an encyclopaedia and who am I to question him). Nelson Nunes was in goal behind a back four of Clayton Ryan and Nicky Meta at full back and Jeremiah Duah Danso and Patrick Yawson at centre back. Raymond Agyemang overcame a slight knock in warm-up to take his place at the base of a midfield three behind willing runners Tidi Barry and Femi Cole. Up front, Gabriel Gomes Souto was supported by the speed of Camilo Andres Nieva to the right and Eric Alhassan to the left.

The pitch looked marvellous, Chairman Bryan Hall having removed “about two wheelbarrows of worm casts” from during the week, and spectators on the clubhouse side basked in pre-match anthems and late Autumn sunshine as the game kicked off, with Peckham Town playing downhill in the first half.

Score! Handball! Arghhh…

Ide Hill pressured early and won a corner, which was instructive insomuch as it revealed a little of Peckham’s attacking intent and method and their opposition’s initial mindset. The home side left their pacey front three on the halfway line – as away defenders trotted back to cover they were instructed instead to leave just two back, the rest to attack the set piece. Peckham were betting on their pace and directness in attack, Ide Hill seemed willing to gamble on being able to cope without even man-for-man cover.

The corner and subsequent passage of play came to nothing as it turned out, but the first half played out with Peckham very much winning the wager. Even before a handball on the line reduced Ide Hill to 10 men a quarter of an hour in, Peckham’s wingers seemed able to work space in wide areas. Gomes Souto and Alhassan both had chances in the first few minutes after the menace got in down the right, only to be denied by last ditch defending. But when Meta’s cut back from the left was cleared to Eric Alhassan 15 yards out, the winger calmly slotted into the far corner to make it 1-0 to the hosts on 7 minutes.

The goal spurred Peckham on, and further pressure lead to more chances created. A succession of crosses and shots rained in on the Ide Hill six yard box, met with increasingly desperate clearances. Finally a shot from a few yards out ricocheted up and was heading into the net, only to be clawed away on the line by a prostrate Ide Hill defender. The referee had little choice but to show a red card and award a penalty, although Ide Hill’s protests that the ball had already crossed the line might well have been justified. They would likely have preferred to attack a 2-0 deficit with 11 men rather than 10, but as it happened Raymond Agyemang’s penalty was saved and it remained just 1-0 to the home side.

Get Going

Ide Hill engineered a convenient stoppage with 19 minutes gone, their keeper sitting down for a rest while the remaining nine outfield players gathered round their manager for a tactical refresher course. Just as home fans were pointing out that night was drawing in (a genuine worry after kick-off had been delayed 15 minutes owing to the visitors late arrival), the referee got things going again with a Peckham throw.

The direction of travel for the remainder of the half was all towards the Ide Hill goal, as Peckham made their man advantage count. Frustratingly however they were unable to convert any of the numerous chances they created, with Femi Cole in particular unfortunate not to get on the score sheet from one of several opportunities. Just as I was typing that old cliché of “Peckham might regret not scoring when so clearly on top” into my notes however, they did the decent thing and added the cushion of a second goal on 36 minutes.

On going a man up, Mary Philip had instructed her full backs to be aggressive up the pitch, and so it would doubtless have been pleasing to her that it was right back Clayton Ryan who provided the assist. He and Camilo Andres Nieva progressed the ball up the right wing and a neat give and go released Ryan to the byline. His cut-back was met by Gabriel Gomes Souto on the penalty spot who slotted home into the left hand corner of the goal. He had a chance for another two minutes later after Eric Alhassan turned the Ide Hill defence inside out and back to front, but skied over from six yards.

Earned Repose

Ide Hill’s plan for the second half was clearly to sit deep, stay organised, deny space, keep it at 2-0 and try for a big last ten minutes. Peckham seemed happy with this arrangement, and duly took the opportunity to make some substitutions to give game time to squad players while protecting senior legs. It made for a fragmented second half, and my notes and Dave’s X highlights reveal no chances of note until stoppage time. I can’t speak for him, but I and other Menace Ultras may have been distracted by the cold beer, an entertaining discussion on injuries sustained in childhood in the “of course you wouldn’t be allowed to do that now” genre, a couple of intriguing revelations about [redacted] and some great examples of geese flying in a vee formation over the ground.

Ide Hill’s big last ten in the end amounted to a few long free kicks pumped into the Peckham box, which the home side dealt with comfortably enough. The referee brought the game to a close with night drawing in, and Peckham still 2-0 to the good.

The result lifts them to second place, on 26 points from 12 games (2.17 points per game) behind Equinoccial in first (28 from 10 @ 2.80ppg). AMG Ballerz slipped to third (25 from 10 @2.50ppg) having lost their unbeaten record with a home 2-1 loss to the leaders, while Otford sit fourth (22 from 9 @2.44ppg). With roughly a third of season gone, it looks like two of those four teams will occupy the promotion spots at the end of the campaign.

Peckham’s remaining fixtures for the calendar year have been announced. Next up on the 15th November is an away trip to Bromleians before a home fixture against South East Athletic on the 22nd. Two away fixtures follow at Orpington and Stansfeld O&B on 29th and 6th December before the final game before the break, a real Christmas cracker of a match at home to Equinoccial on 13th December. As ever, any support you can give home or away will be hugely appreciated.

Peckham Town: Nunes; Meta (c), Ryan, Duah Danso, Yawson; Agyemang, Cole, Barry; Alhassan, Andres Nieva, Gomes Souto. Subs: Oduwuga (52’ for Gomes Souto), Friga de Jess (59’ for Andres Nieva), Chris (71’ for Alhassan), Nnadika (71’ for Ryan), Delliache (77’ for Meta), Meta (86’ for Duan Danso).