Farnborough
Allied Counties League Premier Division Wednesday 13th January 2008
Farnborough (1)1
Oxford City (3)4 (Norris 16, 42, Denton 30, Holmes 55)
City’s up-and-down season continued with another convincing win over Farnborough.
Farnborough, despite losing 5-1 at City last month, were still second, with City near the foot of an increasingly congested table, but there was little doubt who was the better side on the night.
Farnborough, desperate to avenge their recent convincing defeat, started at a frantic pace on a freezing evening against a City side whose warm-up time had been cut short after motorway hold-ups, and took advantage of defensive indecision to go a goal up in the 8th minute.
The reaction of the Farnborough players to this goal showed how much this game meant to them, but it was City who were spurred into action and totally dominated the rest of the first half. The whole team put in a tremendous effort, with Mitchell Meredith and Simon Reeves commanding at the back, Alex Williams dealing confidently with everything that came his way, the full-backs and wide midfielders providing real width, Lawrence El Kassir solid in front of the back four, the front two challenging for everything and Luke Carnell showing real class in the middle of the park.
The equaliser came when Tom Holmes’s perfectly-weighted free-kick was met by an unstoppable header from Richard Norris which saw the ball bullet into the corner.
City added two further goals before half-time, both created by the excellent Carnell. First a through ball split the defence and Rhys Denton smashed the ball into the top corner from 18 yards; then Norris was set free down the right. His cross was cut out by a last-ditch challenge which prevented Denton scoring, but the ball merely rebounded to the advancing Norris, who netted from the corner of the six-yard box. Kyle Harris and El Kassir could also have scored for a City side who were well on top.
Farnborough attempted to get back into the game after the break, but it was City who went further ahead, with Denton making a great run on the left and firing in a cross which the keeper could only palm out to Holmes, who netted coolly.
Farnborough never looked likely to retrieve the situation, often wasting promising situations by shooting needlessly from distance. City’s best remaining chance fell to substitute Aaron Davies, who shot wide after a great run, unfortunately sustaining an injury in the process which meant he had to be replaced himself.
This was a great all-round team performance, particularly in the first half.
Team: Alex Williams (capt) – Zac Lafford, Simon Reeves (sub Aaron Davies 53 min) (sub James Harris 83 min), Mitchell Meredith, Joe Bull – Kyle Harris, Laurence El Kassir, Luke Connell, Tom Holmes – Richard Norris, Rhys Denton. Unused sub: Brett Freeman.
Farnborough (1)1
Oxford City (3)4 (Norris 16, 42, Denton 30, Holmes 55)
City’s up-and-down season continued with another convincing win over Farnborough.
Farnborough, despite losing 5-1 at City last month, were still second, with City near the foot of an increasingly congested table, but there was little doubt who was the better side on the night.
Farnborough, desperate to avenge their recent convincing defeat, started at a frantic pace on a freezing evening against a City side whose warm-up time had been cut short after motorway hold-ups, and took advantage of defensive indecision to go a goal up in the 8th minute.
The reaction of the Farnborough players to this goal showed how much this game meant to them, but it was City who were spurred into action and totally dominated the rest of the first half. The whole team put in a tremendous effort, with Mitchell Meredith and Simon Reeves commanding at the back, Alex Williams dealing confidently with everything that came his way, the full-backs and wide midfielders providing real width, Lawrence El Kassir solid in front of the back four, the front two challenging for everything and Luke Carnell showing real class in the middle of the park.
The equaliser came when Tom Holmes’s perfectly-weighted free-kick was met by an unstoppable header from Richard Norris which saw the ball bullet into the corner.
City added two further goals before half-time, both created by the excellent Carnell. First a through ball split the defence and Rhys Denton smashed the ball into the top corner from 18 yards; then Norris was set free down the right. His cross was cut out by a last-ditch challenge which prevented Denton scoring, but the ball merely rebounded to the advancing Norris, who netted from the corner of the six-yard box. Kyle Harris and El Kassir could also have scored for a City side who were well on top.
Farnborough attempted to get back into the game after the break, but it was City who went further ahead, with Denton making a great run on the left and firing in a cross which the keeper could only palm out to Holmes, who netted coolly.
Farnborough never looked likely to retrieve the situation, often wasting promising situations by shooting needlessly from distance. City’s best remaining chance fell to substitute Aaron Davies, who shot wide after a great run, unfortunately sustaining an injury in the process which meant he had to be replaced himself.
This was a great all-round team performance, particularly in the first half.
Team: Alex Williams (capt) – Zac Lafford, Simon Reeves (sub Aaron Davies 53 min) (sub James Harris 83 min), Mitchell Meredith, Joe Bull – Kyle Harris, Laurence El Kassir, Luke Connell, Tom Holmes – Richard Norris, Rhys Denton. Unused sub: Brett Freeman.
posted by Julian at Thursday, March 20, 2008
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