EAST PECKHAM JUNIORS

22nd November 2008 - Pembury Reserves 2 - 0 East Peckham Juniors

 

Starting Lineup

				Nichols
	Tom Revell		Ryder		Scott		Tony Revell
	Willett		Lardner		Jennings		Pearson
			Hayes		Blundell

Substitutes Used

Liam Payne > Tom Revell, Brett Howell > Dean Hayes, Callum Matthews > Dave Blundell

Report

Juniors travelled to Pembury with a strong squad to choose from and the luxury of 4 substitutes.  The only changes from the previous week’s fixture were Pearson starting on the left of midfield allowing Hayes to move forward to start up front.

The early exchanges of the match were swaying in Pembury’s favour with a number of attacks and corners, and around the 10 minute mark, the home team took the lead, a long ball forward found the striker who finished brilliantly from the edge of the box into the far corner of the goal.

The goal seemed to kick Juniors into life with Nichols becoming a virtual spectator as the away team began to play better football and have the lion share of the possession.
Juniors were becoming more dominant but for all of their attacks they were unable to produce an equaliser.

Pearson and Willett were performing well on the wings and were both making it tough for the full backs to defend against them, on a number of occasions Juniors played some brilliant football but the final ball was letting the East Peckham side down, as for all of their possession, there were very few clear cut chances before the
half was up.

As the half time whistle blew Juniors left the field content with only being one goal behind having played into strong winds for the first half and were happy with how they were playing.
As the second half began, again it was the away team who came out playing football, but it was the home side who should have extended their lead in the 60th minute, Juniors failed to clear, leaving the Pembury striker what seemed an easy chance only yards out but he skied his effort well over.

A free kick was awarded to Juniors just outside the box and Blundell curled the ball goal wards but his effort hit the top of the bar.

Juniors felt they had found a way back into the game 5 minutes later when the home keeper dropped a cross after being knocked into by his own player and the ball was put into the net by Hayes but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

Matthews and Howell come on to replace Hayes and Blundell upfront.

Juniors continued playing good football and at times were carving the home side apart, but the Juniors back line had to be aware of how quickly Pembury were able to break with the away team having committed men forward.

Shortly after the substitutions Pearson pulled a save from the Pembury keeper as he cut inside his man before hitting a powerful shot towards goal that the keeper could only push clear. 

Juniors were pressing and pressing and it seemed only a matter of time before the goal came, first the keeper dropped another cross, this time the ball going inches wide of the far post, and then secondly the keeper replicated his previous save with another parry from another firm shot.

The injured Tom Revell was replaced by Liam Payne with Pearson moving to right back.  Payne’s first action was a firm right foot shot that came close to troubling the home keeper.

With time running out the Pembury keeper produced a save that proved to match winning, as Jennings collected the ball and hit a shot destined for the bottom corner and fingertips from the keeper sent it round the post.

Juniors were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them, but the home side were resolute in defence, and with about 10 minutes to go Juniors were made to pay for their profligacy at the other end of the pitch when again they failed to clear the ball and the shot came in through a group of players and found the far corner of the net.

The final whistle blew, and as so often this season Juniors were left wondering how they had come away with nothing after a dominant display, yet again failing to turn possession into points.

EPFC!