EAST PECKHAM JUNIORS

4th September 2010 - High Brooms Casuals 0 v 1 East Peckham Juniors

 

Starting Lineup

				Nichols
	Woods		R. Pierson		Bungay (c)		Ettinger
				Tom Revell
	Howell						Jagelman
				Bourne
			Jennings		Lardner

Substitutes Used

D. Pierson > R. Pierson

Report

After a decent pre season the first team began their league campaign away to High Brooms, who would surely be one of the early favourites for the title.

The game looked like being tough, with Juniors having a mini injury crisis and a number of players unavailable, and facing the team who they had lost to the previous week in a friendly, although a number of new signings making their competitive debuts softened the blow.

Both teams started the game brightly, and Juniors, kitted out in their new strip began to shade the early exchanges.  The East Peckham outfit were well aware of who the dangermen would be for Casuals, and that if they could be kept quiet, then the visitors had a very good chance of taking something from the game.

Despite Juniors just having the best of the possesion, it was Casuals who drew the first save of the match, with their captain picking the ball up in midfield and driving towards the edge of the box before hitting a low shot which the keeper managed to push wide of the post at full stretch, low to his right hand side with his fingertips.

Juniors were playing well but without creating any real clear cut chances.  With Marc Oakley pulling the strings in the middle of the park for Casuals, the East Peckham club had to be wary, knowing that with the pace of Harman and Hickmott up front all it would take was one ball for them to have another chance.  Around the 40 minute mark the hosts did carve out a second chance, the ball into the box finding Hickmott, but Nichols raced from his goal to block the shot with his leg.

As the half drew to a close, there was a penalty shout for the home side as Harman and Pierson tangled legs but the ref waved play on despite intially looking like he was going to award the decision to the hosts.

The half time whistle blew with both sides seemingly happy with their performances so far, with debutant Woods and Ricky Pierson impressing for the visitors, with the latter keeping the usually dangerous Harman relatively quiet.

The second half started evenly but it was Juniors who were looking the more likely and were clearly playing with confidence, passing the ball around well.  Around 10 minutes into the half the visitors deservedly took the lead,  Howell with a fine lobbed finish after a good build up.  Howell almost added to his goal around 10 minutes later with an inventive back heel flick from a poor corner, but the keeper managed to put the ball over the bar for a corner.

High Brooms were still able to attack and get the ball forward well but were unable to find a way through the resolute Juniors back line.  The visitors suffered a blow with around 25 minutes to go, the impressive Pierson picking up an injury and having to be replaced by his brother, meaning a reshuffle was required by Juniors, with Ettinger moving to the middle of the back four alongside Bungay and Bourne dropping in to left back where he made a number of crucial interceptions.

Chances came and went at both ends with both sides guilty of wasting fine chances with wayward finishing or just being let down by the final ball.

Casuals were pushing everyone forward, and must’ve felt that they had got their equaliser with 10 minutes left on the clock, as Juniors failed to clear their lines from a corner and the man up from the back smashed the ball goalwards from 8 yards, despite seeing the ball late, Nichols managed to instinctively through his hands up and push the ball over the bar to maintain the narrow lead.

With Casuals commiting men forward, Juniors could and perhaps should have extended their lead with both Jagelman and Howell unable to apply the finishing touches to moves, and it almost looked like their profligacy in front of the goal would cost them dear.  Casuals breaking quickly in stoppage time but unable to find the crucial final ball.

Juniors held on to record a victory in their first game of the season and with it a clean sheet.  With a free week coming up, Juniors will have t owait until 18th September to try to build on their fine start when they host Southborough.

 

EPFC!

Latest News

Juniors charity game raises over £2000 for Ochid Cancer Charity.

Top Goalscorers

1st Team

Player	Goals
Brett Howell	16
Liam Jennings	9
Dave Blundell	7
George Bourne	5
Jason Lardner	4
Matt Jagelman	4

Reserves

Player	Goals
Matt Grainger	10
Connor Shead	6
Lewis Dunn	5
Brett Howell	3
Callum Matthews	2
Dan Pierson	2

 

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