E & H turn off Claydon’s Cup Campaign

After reaching the Quarter-Final stage of the competition last season, Steeple Claydon FC were knocked out of the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup by Intermediate Division side E & H. Bob Hurley took solo charge of the side for the first time with Dave Whiting acting as assistant. The pair picked a 4-5-1 formation for the game at The Rec with Paul Gibbs starting in goal with Adam Cowley, Barrie Davies, Leo Hodges and Dave Terry making up the defensive line. In midfield, Sam Fedoriw kept his place on the left side of midfield with Stewart Caldwell-Smith, Ben Wilkins and Gary Brigden making up a centre-mid trio. Jason Lewis would start out on the right while George Carpenter would play the lone role up top. James Patterson and James Cross would start the game on the bench.

The game was played like a typical cup-tie between two evenly matched sides. The start of the game was scrappy with neither side really finding any rhythm. Claydon were trying their best to spread the ball in the midfield and work alongside Carpenter to try and give him as much support as possible. E & H were using the wings well finding little joy against Cowley but Terry was often caught at the back allowing the E & H captain to whip some dangerous balls into the area. Luckily for Claydon both Hodges and Davies were working very well in the air along with Paul Gibbs who appeared to have glue on his gloves for the number of good clean catches he made!

Jason Lewis was trying his best to find and exploit the space on the right side while the midfield trio of Wilkins, Brigden and Caldwell-Smith were chasing seemingly every ball and covering every blade of grass hunting for the football and trying to find the best pass available to them. Caldwell-Smith was dogged as ever, covering players and find holes in the midfield while putting in some important challenges.

Claydon’s best form of attacked seemed to come from the long ball pumped towards Carpenter. Carpenter read the bounce of the ball well, gambling off the last defender and getting into some dangerous positions. Fedoriw also had a good shot just go wide after taking the ball down with his first touch, jinxing past an E & H defender and firing just wide of the post. However, E & H broke the deadlock with a break of their own, a burst of pace down their left side meant that a low, drilled cross into the Claydon 6 yard box was met by a sprinting striker who prodded the ball past Gibbs. A bad goal to concede for Claydon considering the lack of chances in the game overall.

At half time, Hurley brought the team together and talked through his tactics and thoughts for the second half. Claydon started the second half as a more organised unit and were able to squeeze E & H into their own half for the opening exchanges. Leo Hodges was able to pick the ball up from deep with Paul Gibbs essentially playing as an extra defender for much of the half. E & H still managed to find some joy down their right side but didn’t appear to be as dangerous in the balls delivered than they had played in the first half. Claydon pressed and pressed with the midfield working well all across the park allowing Carpenter some extra support up top. With the game fairly settled, Paul Gibbs came out of goal to partner Carpenter with James Cross going in goal replacing Jason Lewis. James Patterson came on for an injured Gary Brigden with around 15-20 minutes remaining in the game. Claydon won a corner out on the right side which was floated in by Patterson. Paul Gibbs rose above everyone to nod home an equaliser for Claydon with a powerful header into the roof of the net.

Claydon now defended in numbers with Wilkins and Caldwell-Smith roaming in front of the defence. E & H seemed to get their second wind from Gibbs’ goal and surged forward putting more pressure on the Claydon back line. Cross was called into action making a number of good saves but a free kick conceded by Claydon 20-25 yards out would turn the game in E & H’s favour. As Claydon formed their wall no-one appeared to peel off to track one E & H player sprinting down the left side. The free kick was played short to the player who was able to sprint into the area and get his shot away past cross.

Claydon rallied again and tried to find a way back into the game but were hit by another E & H break shortly after with the ball falling to one player on the edge of the Claydon area who was able to squeeze a shot past a diving Cross and the goal post. The final whistle blew shortly after in what had been far from a cup classic but had been a tough game for both teams involved.

Steeple Claydon wish E & H all the best in the second round game.
Claydon are back playing league football next weekend with a trip to league leaders, Stoke Hammond Reserves.

Starting 11
P. Gibbs
A. Cowley
D. Terry
B. Davies
L. Hodges
J. Lewis*
S. Fedoriw
G. Brigden**
B. Wilkins
S. Caldwell-Smith
G. Carpenter

Subs
J. Cross*
James Patterson**