Match Report
Match Report - 09 Oct 2016, Clapham Rovers Clapham Rovers beat Brixton Town
Rampant Rovers have a Brixton Riot
Rovers 3 – 2 Brixton Town
There are few finer things in life than a snazzy Sunday following a Rovers win, and this weekend proved to be no exception as the Rovers bounced back from the previous weeks heavy defeat with a performance as smooth and classy as Richard Keys at his daughters birthday party.
The lead up to the match had been a troubled one with a number of important players being unavailable for selection. Indeed a look at the list confirms quite what a headache putting a team together was;
Smuddypants - Clay pigeon shooting.
Shev - Apparently missing his girlfriend terribly somewhere.
Shaun - Some Warhorse jolly.
Horse - Declared lame.
Matt Wright - Lunching with some Tyrants from one of the Gulf States.
J5B - Chest infection as a result of a youth spent working dawn till dusk in the Wallsend colliery.
The Seed - Shagging.
Ken - Fishing.
Even with those 8 absentees (well technically 7 as The Seed has been absent from all sporting activity this decade, I mean season) stand in gaffer Warren had a strong squad to choose from, including 3 debutants in Nick, Massimo and Ally, and plucked with the tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 formation that had served the Rovers so well in the past and the team lined up as follows with the substitutes being the unlucky Rich, Tom and new man Ally.
It was a fine Autumn morning with bright sunshine and no wind of note as Brixton got the match underway at our new (and has to said impressive) home pitch at Raynes Park. The second most impressive thing in Raynes Park behind the Edward Rayne Wetherspoons which was criminally overlooked for post match drinks.
We started the match extremely well with the Bunman enjoying a very spritely start as he linked play on numerous occasions. Massimo enjoyed a composed start showing good touches and an eye for a pass, including one lovely chipped through ball to myself which with a better first touch would have seen an excellent shooting opportunity. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make the most of this due to it being early in the match and that extra pint I had the night before. In my defence it was Molby's round and I wasn't turning that down.
As the half progressed we continued to dominate particularly in central midfield. We were putting together a number of fine passing moves and utilising the width which Nick and Charlie were giving us on both flanks. Brixton's full backs were reluctant to push forward at all which allowed both the aforementioned to stay in advanced positions for the majority of the half, and resulted in us creating a host of chances to open the scoring.
Charlie broke clear in the inside left position and forced a fine save from the Brixton keeper, Nick forced a very similar save from the opposite flank and Steve had a good header well saved at the back post following an excellent Nath free kick from deep on the left. I missed a very presentable opportunity following a clever Bunman lay off (a shocking finish in truth) and Bunny was unlucky with a shot which the keeper just managed to save on the line at the second attempt after the initial shot squirmed under him.
Just as it looked like the half might end with our dominance going unrewarded the ball broke to Charlie on the left after an impressive foray forward from Massimo. With no Brixton player seemingly showing any concern Charlie looked up and curled a sumptuous shot with his left peg up and over the keeper and in off the far post. An excellent finish and no more than our first half performance deserved.
Brixton had given us very few problems in the first half but they were very direct and so it was to the back 4s credit that the dealt with this without too much difficulty at all, Steve inparticularly looking very composed at CB. in fact the only chance of note I can remember them having was a speculative shot from 25 yards being deflected a couple of yards wide with Pybus wrong footed. Other than that it was all the Rovers and the only criticism as we went in at the break was that we only had one goal to show for our efforts.
The second half started much as the first ended with the Rovers continuing to trouble the Brixton rearguard with neat interplay and it seemed only a matter of time before a second goal arrived. This it duly did around 10 minutes into the half when I received a pass just inside the Brixton half and managed to split the opposing defence with a well weighted pass into the path of the onrushing Nick who capped his debut with a deserved goal with a thumping finish from 16 yards.
The dominance continued and a third goal arrived only 5 minutes later from the spot following myself being fouled on the corner of the six yard box after stealing in front of the Brixton centre back whose wild hack sent me to the turf. I took the resultant pen and despatched low to the keepers left. 3-0 and cruising.
Whilst trotting back to the centre circle following the pen skipper Nath advised stand in gaffer Bunman to give it five minutes and then get some subs on. Showing utmost respect for the Skip Bunny responded by making a double substitution before the game kicked off again. Rich and Ally replacing Bunny and Charlie (who both had excellent games) as we reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.
We continued to dominate and more goals looked likely. One very nearly arrived when Rich drove forward and drove in a cracking shot from 18 yards which crashed off the inside of the post and out (his reaction to this near miss was a joy to behold incidentally - a wonderful double pirouette and howl of frustration) Nick on collecting the rebound put two defenders on their arse with great composure and then hit the outside of the post when it looked easier to score.
Brixton, who had barely been in our half the second half scored from absolutely nowhere. A shot from distance took a deflection and looped up into an area in between Danny and Steve and the opposition striker managed to somehow get between them and deflect it up and over Pybus and into the net. 3-1 then become 3-2 a couple of minutes later when the Brixton central midfielder drove a terrific left footed strike into the top corner from 25 yards.
With 15 minutes left to play we could have shown nerves but in fairness we managed the game out relatively comfortably and didn't really look like conceding again. Indeed we could easily have extended our lead further as Carswell show a shot cleared off the line from the corner and I shanked a left footer wide after a late breakaway.
In summary an excellent performance with lots of positives. With several players to return competition for places will hopefully be very strong in the coming weeks and we should be confident of getting a result against anyone if we can replicate the performance of Sunday. MOM could have gone to a number of people but Nath and Steve shared the spoils by narrowly pipping Massimo in the vote. Special mentions though also to Nick, Bunny (who would later become Roy) and a back to his best Moley (who would later become Moley) for excellent displays.
The only disappointment of the day was the foregoing of the Wetherspoons post match. Instead I had to pay £5.50 a pint in the Earlsfield although I did console myself by dropping in on the way home for a double Glenlivet with ice. A perfect end to a perfect day.
UTFR
POS
P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
PTS
1
AFC Balham
4
3
0
1
11
9
2
9
2
Sporting Continental
2
2
0
0
8
4
4
6
3
Inter Yamam
2
1
1
0
6
4
2
4
4
Clapham Rovers
3
1
0
2
9
6
3
3
5
Bath Old Boys United
2
1
0
1
4
5
-1
3
6
Brixton Town
2
0
1
1
2
3
-1
1
7
Streatham Stanley
1
0
0
1
2
3
-1
0
8
AFC Morden
2
0
0
2
3
11
-8
0
Read more at http://full-time.thefa.com/ProcessPublicSelect.do?psSelectedSeason=408332512&psSelectedDivision=181630383&Submit.x=8&Submit.y=12&Submit=Submit&psSelectedCompetition=0&psSelectedLeague=3545957#JKkf7IlUz2Y82E7b.99
Clapham Rovers Clapham Rovers 3 - 2 Brixton Town ()