Great winning run continues for Wars with a 2-0 victory over Feltham

Combined Counties Division One – Saturday 9th October 2010
Warlingham F.C. 2 Feltham F.C. 0

Warlingham came into the game on the back of a superb 7 game unbeaten run which includes the two excellent FA Vase victories (Next Round Reading Town 13th November). This included a narrow victory over Feltham in the Division One Challenge Cup and whilst they have struggled this season we knew this was going to be anything but an easy game – there aren’t any in this division.

For a refreshing change Wars were out of the blocks quickly and Feltham were behind as early as the 4th minute. Dean destroyed the full back and his cross was met by Jansen whose header took a deflection past the Feltham keeper. Again Wars threatened in the 12th minute when a corner fell to Elson on the edge of the box and his half hit shot fell to Tom Greenhouse whose shot found the net only to be disallowed for offside.

On 20 minutes Felix Dean had to be replaced. He had been terrorising his full back and did one trick too many and twisted his knee. Whilst this looked like very bad news for Wars he was replaced by Neaves another buccaneering young wide player who had not yet come to prominence this season.

Neaves picked up where Dean had left off and the Feltham right back, having initially felt pangs of relief, was left wondering what he had done wrong to deserve this sort of onslaught. He was getting limited support from his team mates and on 26 minutes Vidal sent a through ball to Neaves whose cross was met on the volley by Jansen who saw the ball fly wide. Two minutes later and Neaves hit the bar with a cross come shot that deceived the Feltham keeper and bounced down onto the goal line and was cleared.

At 1 nil with chances going begging Feltham were always in it and Coote kept them out on 35 mins with a good save low down to his right.

Still the chances kept coming for Wars and Neaves again provided a cross for Gledhill to shot but this again came to nothing. On 40 mins a Vidal free kick was headed back across the box with Nick Greenhouse completing an “air” shot leaving Gledhill to attempt an overhead which again went just wide.

And the chances kept coming and going. Elson had a shot saved following a cross field pass from Jansen. Jansen himself shot wide and Nick Greenhouse sent a thumping header against the bar from a free kick.

Just before the half time whistle and deep into added time Feltham could and probably should have scored. A through ball was controlled by the Feltham forward with his hand but both Referee and Assistant missed it and he should have scored but Coote saved and Wars went into the break 1-0 to the good but wondering if their profligacy in front of goal would come back to haunt them.

A much more determined Feltham came out in the second half clearly relieved they were still in the game. The initial exchanges were much more even and Wars were struggling to get back on the front foot. Manager Tucker decided to freshen things up after 56 minutes and replaced Elson and Gledhill with Higgins and Bugden. The game continued with Feltham having the better of the exchanges and Coote was called into action after 64 minutes as he saved following a free kick conceded by Williams who was otherwise having a strong game at full back.

The industry, power and strength of Nick Greenhouse had been prominent throughout the game and he had been spoken to on a number of occasions for his robust ball winning qualities. He was eventually booked after 69 mins but by this time the Feltham threat had been largely blunted and Wars were right back in the game.

Cecil went close with a header from a Neaves free kick after 75 minutes and Feltham should have done better with a free header just seconds later.

Finally Wars put the match beyond doubt when good work by Bugden on the break set Jansen free down the right channel and despite the Feltham keeper’s efforts to drive Jansen wide he coolly slotted home to put Wars 2-0 and beyond reach with just 8 minutes remaining.

To finish the game off the two former youth team players, Neaves and Bugden, combined well but Bugden could only fire wide. The referee then declared, much to Tucker’s dismay, that there were 6 minutes of injury time to be played but Wars saw it through with no further incident of note.

Team: Coote, Williams (A), Cecil, Brown, Vidal, Dean, Gledhill, Greenhouse (T), Greenhouse (N), Elson, Jansen Subs: Neaves (for Dean), Higgins (for Gledhill), Bugden (for Elson), Pledge, Cecil (D)

MOM – Good performances all round this week. Back four well marshalled by Brown and Cecil together with the productive industry of the Greenhouse brothers in midfield all caught the eye. The stand out performer for me was Lee Jansen for his work rate leading the line and bringing others into play and not to mention the 2 match winning goals – could and probably should have been more!