Match number: 2799What a game, good result and still unbeaten. Weysiders’ first team had a cracker of a game on Saturday. Playing Laleham & Kempton, who needed just a win to clinch the league, this was not going to be an easy game. Manager Phil Ney was able to pick a strong squad of players and handed a third debut in as many games, this time to Brad Burden. Ash Bradbury started in goal, fresh from a great personal performance and team win against Upper Hale (leaders of the reserves’ league). Jack Goodyear, skipper Matt Ingram, Jack Porter and vice-captain James Pierrepont made up a strong back line. Matt Hilton, Glenn Noble and Chris Murch were selected in midfield and a three-man strike force of Neizan Fernandez, Harry Barlow and Ryan Parlett finished off the 11 starters. Simon Stacey, Ben Carr, Burden, Sam Peters and Jack Shaw made a strong bench. It's fair to say both teams started a little sluggishly with L&K probably having the best of the opening exchanges. Weysiders rode their luck with Bradbury making some fine saves and Ingram leading the line catching the opposition offside. Noble almost scored a low, bottom bin own goal from 15 yards out with the ball going out for a (standard for Noble) corner. A great ball was whipped to the back post that went out for another corner. This was defended well again. Weysiders seemed to wake up from this and some good football almost released Barlow on goal, if not for some good defending from L&K. This, however, led to the first corner for the home team and the first goal of the game. Chris Murch took the resulting corner and Fernandez, with a clever run from deep, was able to meet the ball with a header into the bottom left of the goal past the keeper. Weysiders 1, L&K 0. From the restart Weysiders looked to capitalise on this and applied more pressure. This was the tale for the next 10 mins with the ball going from end to end with no end product. The first change was made with Noble making way for debutant Burden. It didn’t take Burden long to put his mark on the game. A strong challenge led to a free-kick for L&K. This was cleared well, and the ball made its way back to Burden who released Fernandez, who took the ball into the penalty area; the keeper was swift off his line and dived in on Fernandez, bringing him down. The referee awarded a penalty and Fernandez stepped up to score again, low to the keeper’s right. Weysiders 2, L&K 0. This spurred the visitors on and, on the back foot, Weysiders were under the cosh. Porter pulled up with an injury and another change was made. Peters came on and Goodyear moved to form a central partnership with Ingram. Some fine saves were made by Bradbury and defending kept the pressure from the league leaders at bay. A quick break allowed Parlett to take the ball forward into the box and a chance went by. With that the referee blew for half-time. After a brief and rousing talk from manager Ney, the lads went out for the second half unchanged. The opening exchanges were cagey with Weysiders not wanting to let L&K in and the opposition not wanting to concede and have the game killed off. Bradbury made some saves, and the final ball just wouldn't come off for the Weysiders. A change was made, and Carr replaced Pierepont at left back; the latter moved into the centre of the park, replacing Murch who had worked hard and got a fine assist. The back and forth continued with no real end product for either team. There were fine saves on both sides and resolute defending from Goodyear and Ingram were maintaining the stalemate for the half. Matt Hilton was man-marking L&K’s key midfielder out of the game so there was little to worry the home team. The ball broke and Pierrepont twisted and turned outside the box and let a curling shot off, just going wide. With Fernandez’s time running out before having to rush to work, the next change was made. On came clubman Jack Shaw going up top with Barlow moving out wide. There was little action in either box with chances going frustratingly by. The ball then got turned around and Burden picked a beauty of a pass to Shaw. With the legs not quite there, the chance passed but the score was still 2-0, the league leaders thinking that the title wouldn't be theirs for another week. With Hilton on a yellow card Phil Ney brought Stacey on as a direct replacement and Noble on for Barlow. Pierrepont moved back to left back, with Carr moving to the forward line and Partlett switching to the right. With almost immediate effect Pierrepont found himself with the ball and drove out from the back. He shimmied and shook, taking three players out of the game without a thought. He played the ball down to Carr who carried it into the box, cut back to Shaw who was unable to meet the pass. However, it found Parlett who dinked the ball in to the area. Shaw met this and, if not for an outstanding save from the visiting keeper, the score would have been 3-0. Murch came back on for Burden who had had a good first appearance. L&K started to really push for a goal and on 90+3 they finally broke the Weysiders defence and Ryan Dye slotted past a frustrated Bradbury. News had reached the side lines that title challengers Dial Square had lost and, despite losing, L&K had won the league. This was not known, however, on the pitch and when Weysiders went for kick-off, the sight of seven players on the halfway line to attack was a daunting prospect. The ball went back to Ingram who hit a long ball and as the ball crossed the centre the ref blew the final whistle. Dejected for a matter of seconds, Laleham & Kempton’s players shook hands before the news spread that they had in fact won the league. They were gracious in their loss but were obviously jubilant for the big prize. "If Weysiders can keep this run of form up there are good times ahead. As a club we would like to congratulate L&K on their league win,” were the words from manager Ney. Ingram was awarded MOTM. The league may have been won but today L&K lost to a brilliant team performance. Goals: Fernandez x2
Assists: Murch, Burden
MOTM: Ingram
Words by Phil Ney |
