Match Report

So Princes Park Vets at home. We should have been coming into this game on the crest of a wave having picked ourselves up and dusted off the disappointing defeat away to Ditton 3 weeks ago by following that up with a victory over Wellcome Vets in what was a truly amazing match (for the neutral) and to then come out against the plod with our heads high with a plucky draw but on yet another lovely Sunday morning Farnborough show signs of ‘pitch-tulance’ once again!

With the squad depleted in numbers yet again Farnborough thankfully rallied a couple of familiar faces in order to assist them and lined up as follows

GK, Gary Rosslee
LB, Neil Connelly
CB, Andy Cobham
CB, Paul Brett
RB, Aaron Carpenter
LM, Ben Clunn
CM, Jim St John
CM, Matt Wright
RM, Jason Miller
CF, Jerry Dolke
CF, Simon Davies

Subs,

Paul Tanton
Daragh Nott
Richard Davies

The first notable chance fell to Princes Park and they should have rightly taken the lead in the opening 5 minutes but thankfully Rosslee was alert enough (well at this point of the match) to stick out a size 10 and block an early effort as the ball was drilled across the Farnborough penalty area with pace that nearly caught out the home team rearguard. From there on Farnborough were left frustrated many times. Tanton on the sidelines made a one of his “tactical” changes which saw Neil Connelly take up centre berth in midfield in an attempt for somebody to put their foot on the ball and try and grab control of the game. However it was Princes Park who would create more chances to score and they would go on to test our defence more than we did to theirs! Rosslee was then equal to an effort that had the top corner written all over it and was somehow able to tip the ball around the angle for a corner, normally these types of efforts have him beaten as soon as they leave the boot so it was good to see him pull off a decent save (but fear not normal service would be resumed before the game was finished)!

Farnborough’s first real chance first fell to Jason Miller who had timed his run into the box with perfection and his first time effort looked destined to break the deadlock but the Princes keeper pulled out a ‘worldy’ to keep the scoreline level. On the 2 (yes only 2) occasions that the ball was played into the feet of Jerry Dolke he showed the close control and strength that has often put both Farnborough Vets teams to the sword over the years. The first, he conjured up an opening for himself and found a yard to try and curl an effort around the Princes Park goalkeeper but the stopper was equal to it, expertly diverting it around the post for a corner but soon after this Dolke neatly played in St John who was able to scuff the ball home to give the home team a slender lead going into the interval, 1-0 OBG’s and half time.

Princes Park drew level soon after the restart as Jim St John was still in the middle of his Winston Churchill ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ rally cry when he allowed his man to jump unmarked and arrow a header into the top corner that gave Rosslee no chance, 1-1. St John then had a chance to make up for his error and should have restored Farnborough\'s lead but his air shot from a matter of feet out kept the scores level. Jason Miller then gave Farnborough the lead back with a fortuitous goal, his free kick from some 50 yards out didn’t look like it would trouble the goalkeeper who bizarrely elected to try and kick the ball to safety but the ball sliced in off of his failed attempt at a clearance, 2-1 OBG’s.

Princes Park continued to press for an equaliser and nearly found one with a tremendous effort from the edge of the box that Rosslee got the faintest of touches on to deflect onto the crossbar but it\'s safe to say that was far more luck that judgement. For all of Princes Park’s pressure and directness they would indeed take home a share of the spoils with 5 minutes remaining, a speculative rather than spectacular strike that Rosslee in all fairness should have saved but he allowed the ball to beat him from 35 yards out. 2-2 full time, and disappointment all round after another frustrating 90 minutes.

Shot of the match: The Princes park thunderbolt form the edge of the box.

Air shot of the match: Jim St John’s.

Save of the match: A close call between the Princes Park keeper who did brilliantly to save Jason Miller’s close range effort and Rosslee’s acrobatic save in the first half to claw the ball away from the top corner!

Man of the match: Andy Cobham with 4 votes, there were 3 other players on 3 votes, including Neil Connelly, Jim St John and Gary Rosslee

Moan of the pitch: Our inability it would seem to play football on the top pitch!

Next week we are home again, and this time to Sanco Vets, having only played them once with the corresponding fixture last year resulting in a 1-1 draw, and it is on the big pitch so there should be no excuses next week for anyone! Hopefully the report will be a bit more detailed next week as yours truly is on antibiotics this week and therefore not allowed any alcohol!!