Newsletter w/c 24.5.21

Fixtures for Saturday 29.5.21

Selection

Match Reports

Old Meadonians 0 – 2 Dorkingians

On a day which saw the Meads secure another season in the top flight due to results elsewhere, a poor performance and result thankfully didn’t leave us going into the final day on tenterhooks.

That being said, it isn’t good enough on the pitch. All season we have struggled with consistency and a few good performances covered up our fundamental flaws. Plenty of work to be done for next season.

The match began as usual, we start trying to play football then decide that’s not for us after a few minutes and decide to boot it aimlessly.

A first half of no chances for the Meads led us to being 1-0 at the break courtesy of a long punt over the top after the ball was lost in the middle. Keeper came out and got lobbed after the striker got to the ball first. Not the best goal to concede but the likes of which we’ve seen before.

Second half the boys tried to get the ball down a bit more and could have had a few goals courtesy of some crosses from the right back. He is literally prime Dani Alves and the other teams manager on the side rightfully pointed him out as the danger man and reshuffled their lineup to try to nullify him. Meads would have been level had Xavi not had a head the shape of a 50p coin and missed a sitter.

A few more chances were created but all in all we looked toothless as has been the case all season.

Dorking then went up the other end and had a shot, something we don’t like doing, and the ball squeezed in at the near post.

After that, the game was essentially over. Dorking sat in and comfortably soaked up any attacks we tried to mount. When the rain started, I think everyone just wanted the ref to blow his whistle.

All in all, a shit day for the Meads, all too familiar this season. But, we’re still in the prem and will be next season so we have plenty to work on and will look forward to HAC to finish off the season on a high.

Ps- we’re shit

Mom – Charlie
Wig – Matt

Old Thorntonians V 2 – 6 OMFC IV Wildcats – A budget Dennis Bergkamp

A 12pm kick off is always a risky proposition, not just because it means half your team will likely fail the breathalyser on the way to the game but also because most people are useless at turning up on time for a 2pm kick off. Much to my amazement we were all fit (debateable), sober (lie) and present (true) by 11.15 down Roehampton Vale for another crunch game against thorns who were the only team to get any change out of us down the lands this season. With Shane out on a porn shoot, Jonah watching some budget football at Brentford and Liam ‘Sharron Anderton’ injured there was a return for Stevie V and a Robbie Scotcher debut.

Fresh off the highs of knocking off top of the league there was a quiet confidence in the squad that we could get the job done from the 1^st whistle… scrap that 1-0 thorns after 5 minutes. Not too dissimilar to last week the 1^st half was turning into the story of the girl who fell out the tree, we just weren’t in it. However, beware the wounded animal, Kody on a goal drought longer only slightly than his dry spell, popped up at the front stick from a pokey corner and guided home, 1-1. Nerves settled let’s calm down and knock it around lads, fuck that, 2-1 thorns, any danger. With TST in scintillating form over the past few weeks there were rumours that Rusty was a bit of a forgotten man, but like a Viper the silence is when you need to be most scared and Meads’ answer to Jamie Cureton slotted home in the box to make it 2-2. Rorke pulled out his weekly worldy from a Thorns 1 on 1 to keep the scores level and apart from Marlon trying his best to give away a penalty we got back into the game. As per every week the boys who put the bro in bromance, Aidan & Rob, were keeping me and Steve’s jobs to headers only and Robbie had been a more than able fill in at RB. HT 2-2.  

Second half and Aidan had come off to spend some time with the Mrs which meant a slight reshuffle, Kody slotted into RB (Swiss army knife), Robbie to the middle and our Italian contingent Marco and Nick the Falcon out wide. After a quiet 1^st half Barry was starting to find pockets of space and drop balls into the forward men which seemed encouraging, but still no breakthrough. Then the champagne moment; Marlon won the ball in our box at a corner, and it was picked up by Bergkamp… dribbled through the midfield on the break, into Barry’s feet, Bergkamp kept running, Barry shifted it wide to Nick the Falcon, Bergkamp was still going, Nick crossed, Bergkamp had his back to goal, flicks the outside of the boot around the CB into Barry’s path, 2-3, wasted at CB…

The team inspired, we had them on the run, Rob soon slotted home from the edge of the box, 2-4. Toby then added to his list of candidates for miss of the season and we continued to barrage their box, Marlon causing all kinds of problems out wide and Marco giving their full back a few nightmares including a 12 quid fine after the 3^rd no look pass and dummy in 5 minutes, hot-dogs everywhere. Kody then got the 2^nd goal his performance deserved from another corner, well worked routine off the training ground from the boys, 2-5. Barry iced the cake with a close-range finish, 2-6. Great second half performance takes us 1 step closer to promotion, all on the wokes game this week in their back yard. Also 2 goals separating Toby and Rusty for the golden boot makes things extra tasty.

MoM – Loads of candidates this week, Kody class, Barry brace, Rob as per, but Marlon was unreal with his under the radar hard work giving him the nod this week.

WIG – Marlon – Great work to get MoM but should have conceded at least 2 pens, somehow didn’t.

Squad – Rorke – Clemo – Marlon – Stevie V – Nick the Falcon – Aidan – Rob – Kody – TST – Rusty – Barry – Robbie – Marco

OMFC 7s

The meads romp to an emphatic victory against Tensonians.

After playing poorly and narrowly missing out on 3 points last week the team was amped up and ready to go out with a bang on final match day.

After having the pleasure on playing on Pitch 1 last week we was back on Pitch 5; our goose shit and potholed spiritual home. A makeshift squad assembled on the sideline pulled together last minute by our ever resourceful gaffer. As we eyed up the oppo we noticed some new faces from our previous 4-4 meeting. One fella stood out in particular – basketball season had obviously ended and they had drafted in one of the monsters from space jam. The job in hand was clear from the start.

As per usual we got off to a slow start. Tensonians were knocking it about well and we were struggling to hold on to the ball. A short time into the game we received the wake up call we needed.

Throw in conceded deep in our half. Winger gets a cross into the monster and although tightly marked he connects with an audacious heel kick volley which flys into the net. The Meads defence looks at each other bewildered  and anticipate a long afternoon.

The midfield kick into gear and a great ball into the box is dispatched by our “false” number 9 Andy. 1-1 and the momentum is now in our favour.

We were slowly growing into the game and frustrating the opposition. So much so the opposition decided to stop playing with their feet and tried to play the ref instead. Dubious calls for handballs and shirt pulls were waved away. A poor clearance by Jackson leaves the Tensonians Monster 1 on 1 with Alex our keeper who pulls of a fantastic save. 2nd wake up call!

Meadonians keep the pressure on and a bit of magic by our Chiswick Messi Anas helps put us in front. He picks up the ball in midfield, jinks and weaves between 6 players but with just the keeper to beat he fires it straight at him! Luckily Brandon was there to finish his dinner, 2-1 to the meads. This 2nd half of the season has seen Brandon find his shooting boots and he adds another shortly afterwards after some excellent build up play.

We go into half time 3-1 up and feeling confident. The gaffer however reminds us that we need to stay focused and not get complacent.

Tensonians start the half strong and come very close twice forcing two top drawer saves from Alex. The defence soon patches up the leaks and we start playing some progressive football. Anas and Andy started dictating play in the middle and Carlito & Brandon were making some great plays and runs on the wing. We can feel another goal coming but the opposition are also proving dangerous on the break. The next goal was vital.

Luckily we were the team to make it happen and Andy bundles in his 2nd of the game to make it 4–1. Game over. Time to celebrate!

Tensonians are visibly rattled at this stage and the their keeper comically pushes Andy over as he’s about to run off the pitch with the ball? Even the ref is shocked and take his time to award the pen expertly dispatched by Andy to complete his Hat-Trick.

With only 10 mins to go Tensonians rallied on for prides sake. After some good switch of  play the monster finds himself unmarked in the box and forces a point blank save from Alex. He seems intent on not letting his brother win MOM this week.

Our own resident Big Man Jackson decides to show the Tensonians monster whose house this is and goes through the back of him at the edge of the box. The ref clearly feel sorry for them and decides to award a pen. With a couple minutes to go it’s a small consolation and the whistle blows shortly afterwards 5-2 to the meads.

A fantastic win and a great way to sign off and set  us up for next season!

Sunday vets lost for the 1st time in 3 years!

It was a cold wet windy May day, the grass a little long so i thought to myself great for slow passing and keeping the ball on the deck…so we kicked off and decided to do the complete opposite and try the long ball tactic, even fooled ourselves but for 15mins had some control of the game and created a couple of half chances, one clear cut but failed to take it, to give some credit even though no-one knew where they were from, the opposition were the best side we had faced in our successful vets journey to date… we needed our big players to step up..well they didn’t… and somehow their 5ft strikers were knocking our 6ft defenders off the ball something I’d never seen before whislt playing some very nice combination football that at times was impressive, we struggled to contain and before half time they scored, we continued to push and drive forward, the

commitment from this group of players can never be questioned but we needed half time for a pep talk and to re-organise re-energize and get our composure back.

We started the second half stronger, and had more possession but we had to stay alert and wary of the counter attack, where they were the most dangerous and again after a couple of decent chances, a penalty shout, and and a very good save, they scored again and as their polite captain stated “game over, game over, game over you cuts” and then our most polite man on the pitch Quinny claimed “it wasn’t you cuts” to which one of their players then asked “is he a policeman” but I digress..we had to get back in this, it was a semi final and we needed our big players to find their touch, passing range and second wind…well that didn’t happen and they

scored again on a breakaway, and their polite captain continued to claim “the game was over you cu*ts” unfortunately this time it was, some would say one game too many, but not for this group of passionate footballing loving vets, we go again next year and bring the trophy home.