Farnborough
Allied Counties League Premier Division Wednesday 9th January 2008
Oxford City (5)5 (Forbes 14, 25, 30, Smith 28, Meredith 41)
Farnborough (1)1 (Forde-Small 39)
City turned in an excellent performance in outplaying Farnborough.
Farnborough came to Oxford second in the league, while recent reverses and a lack of games had seen City slump to bottom place, but there was no doubt that City were by far the better side on the night.
City took the game to Farnborough from the outset and had the ball in the net in the first minute, only to see Rhys Denton’s strike ruled out mysteriously for offside against a team-mate. City were not to be denied, however, and took the lead in the 14th minute. The inventive Luke Connell hit a pinpoint 40-yard pass to Andrew Smith, who beat the right-back and fired in an excellent low cross for Corey Forbes to hammer home.
City were passing the ball about superbly, and Denton. Laurence El Kassir, Tom Holmes and Forbes came close to adding to the lead, before the game was finished off as a contest with three goals inside five minutes. First Forbes chased down a seemingly lost cause in the corner, cut in past two defenders, drew the goalkeeper and slotted home; then Smith hit an unstoppable shot from fully 30 yards into the top corner; finally the irrepressible Forbes completed his hat-trick with a fierce 20-yard shot.
Farnborough’s highly-rated forward on work experience from Reading, Jamel Forde-Small, who has already featured several times for the Farnborough first team, was kept unusually quiet by the impressive central defensive partnership of Simon Reeves and Mitchell Meredith, but took his one chance in the 39th minute with a well-placed free kick.
Any hope that Farnborough had of a revival was killed off by Meredith’s well-placed header from a corner which restored the four-goal cushion.
Smith and Reeves missed chances to make an excellent first half even better, and only a desperate Farnborough clearance prevented an own goal; overall this was one of the best 45 minutes seen at Court Place Farm in years and 5-1 certainly did not flatter City.
As is often the case when the game is effectively over by the interval, the second period provided fewer thrills. Forbes and Smith, both superb throughout, both came close to scoring on more than one occasion, and Denton was twice denied by excellent saves. Farnborough only created one chance, but with the otherwise immaculate Alex Williams beaten, Meredith cleared off the line.
Aside from those previously mentioned, full-backs Kyle Harris and Joe Bull deserve credit for being faultless in defence and using the ball excellently; every City player should be congratulated for a magnificent all-round display.
Team: Alex Williams – Kyle Harris, Simon Reeves, Mitchell Meredith, Joe Bull – Tom Holmes (sub Richard Higgs 89 min), Laurence El Kassir, Luke Connell, Andrew Smith (sub James Harris 82 min) – Corey Forbes, Rhys Denton. Unused sub: Zac Lafford.
Oxford City (5)5 (Forbes 14, 25, 30, Smith 28, Meredith 41)
Farnborough (1)1 (Forde-Small 39)
City turned in an excellent performance in outplaying Farnborough.
Farnborough came to Oxford second in the league, while recent reverses and a lack of games had seen City slump to bottom place, but there was no doubt that City were by far the better side on the night.
City took the game to Farnborough from the outset and had the ball in the net in the first minute, only to see Rhys Denton’s strike ruled out mysteriously for offside against a team-mate. City were not to be denied, however, and took the lead in the 14th minute. The inventive Luke Connell hit a pinpoint 40-yard pass to Andrew Smith, who beat the right-back and fired in an excellent low cross for Corey Forbes to hammer home.
City were passing the ball about superbly, and Denton. Laurence El Kassir, Tom Holmes and Forbes came close to adding to the lead, before the game was finished off as a contest with three goals inside five minutes. First Forbes chased down a seemingly lost cause in the corner, cut in past two defenders, drew the goalkeeper and slotted home; then Smith hit an unstoppable shot from fully 30 yards into the top corner; finally the irrepressible Forbes completed his hat-trick with a fierce 20-yard shot.
Farnborough’s highly-rated forward on work experience from Reading, Jamel Forde-Small, who has already featured several times for the Farnborough first team, was kept unusually quiet by the impressive central defensive partnership of Simon Reeves and Mitchell Meredith, but took his one chance in the 39th minute with a well-placed free kick.
Any hope that Farnborough had of a revival was killed off by Meredith’s well-placed header from a corner which restored the four-goal cushion.
Smith and Reeves missed chances to make an excellent first half even better, and only a desperate Farnborough clearance prevented an own goal; overall this was one of the best 45 minutes seen at Court Place Farm in years and 5-1 certainly did not flatter City.
As is often the case when the game is effectively over by the interval, the second period provided fewer thrills. Forbes and Smith, both superb throughout, both came close to scoring on more than one occasion, and Denton was twice denied by excellent saves. Farnborough only created one chance, but with the otherwise immaculate Alex Williams beaten, Meredith cleared off the line.
Aside from those previously mentioned, full-backs Kyle Harris and Joe Bull deserve credit for being faultless in defence and using the ball excellently; every City player should be congratulated for a magnificent all-round display.
Team: Alex Williams – Kyle Harris, Simon Reeves, Mitchell Meredith, Joe Bull – Tom Holmes (sub Richard Higgs 89 min), Laurence El Kassir, Luke Connell, Andrew Smith (sub James Harris 82 min) – Corey Forbes, Rhys Denton. Unused sub: Zac Lafford.
posted by Julian at Thursday, March 20, 2008
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