Montpelier Villa 0 (0) v (0) 2 Godalming
Another Seaside Saturday for the Gees, no sticks of rock this time but they brought back something far better for body and soul; three points. Perhaps I should say a rare three points because thanks to Graham’s opening lament in his excellent Banstead report on the recent tendency of our games to finish all square I had a delve into the past to see how recent that tendency has been. I was staggered to find that we must go back to 13th January this year to find the team’s last win. It’s been a long 12 league games, 9 draws and 3 defeats since then.
All praise then to management and players for breaking that winless run on the 3G at Lancing where we started with Ryan O’Sullivan in goal behind a back four of Matt Cox, playing again at right back after Tuesday, alongside centre backs Rob Parrott and Ollie McAleese. Jack Sherwood moved to left back for this game. With their season also starting on the same day Jack Conroy turned out for the U23’s, I’m sure we’ve not seen the last of him by any means. In the middle of the park sat of course, Captain James Mariner with Conor Stillwell, Athan Smith-Joseph and Asa Goodsell. Cameron Edwin led the line alongside Jonny Miller. Three lads on the bench, Nana Afful, James Mansfield and Charlie Welch.
The first action of the game saw Jonny Miller brought down 30 odd yards out from goal. Athan’s free kick was punched away by the keeper. Jonny Miller picked up the ball and played it out to Matt Cox who won our first corner. Jonny’s corner was cleared but returned to him and he set up a chance for Ollie McAleese which their keeper managed to get down to and smother. 8 minutes in and Asa Goodsell won the ball on the left, found Cam who in turn set up Jonny to win our second corner of the game. Asa was called marginally offside when Cam, receiving the ball from a throw in set him up on goal. The first bizarre decision of the day saw Athan denied a corner from a clear deflection from a Montpelier defender. He was back again seconds later setting up a chance for Jonny Miller who had his shot blocked. Mazza played in Athan wide on the right but again he saw another clear corner chalked off in favour of a goal kick.
It wasn’t all one way traffic; 20 minutes into the game and a so-far rare Montpelier attack saw Ryan parry a long free kick on to the head of a blue forward which Ollie cleared for their first corner. A second Montpelier corner wasn’t long in coming; it went unchallenged in the box and a happily soft backheel toward goal was picked up by Ryan. Back on the attack Jack Sherwood played a long ball to Athan, who had moved out to the left; with no one in the middle he tried a shot which found the side netting.
Ollie was fouled just outside our box, put the free kick out to Conor who in turn found Jonny. Jonny turned and delivered a cross which was inches in front of Cam’s head. 35 minutes in and Rob Parrott won a corner; he, like Cam earlier, was close to getting his head to the corner on the near post. There were those few signs emerging that the chances were there, but that final finish was becoming hard to come by again. Another Coxy and Jonny Miller combination play led to a goal -bound Asa header being pulled down by the keeper at a stretch. Asa took a pass from Mazza but Athan was adjudged marginally offside. Half time whistle and we went in having had much of the play but with nothing to show for it, 0-0.
No changes at half time but, no sooner after kicking off than I could say ‘Montpelier Away 2nd half’ into my phone, Cam picked up a loose ball, delivered to the feet of Athan who slotted it past the keeper as cool as you like. 1-0 Gees. At the other end Montpelier won two corners, Jack cleared the 2nd to safety but somewhere and somehow Ollie came out of it all with a yellow card. An offside decision went against Cam, and we witnessed another piece of good build up play between Messrs Cox and Miller, but it lacked an ending. Athan tried for his 2nd with a shot from distance forcing another save from the keeper and he had the ball in the net moments later, put through by Conor’s winning tackle and pass, but the flag went up. Conor had picked up a cut on his arm which required by my count at least 3 shirt changes and at the 60 minute mark the hardworking Cam was replaced by Nana Afful.
Nana came close, shooting after having been threaded a pass by Athan and on 70 minutes James Mansfield replaced Mazza, Athan dropping into the midfield and Ollie taking the armband. A ball out from Ryan found Nana and James (that’s now Mansfield) saw a decent effort well saved. The Gees still weren’t home and dry though, a Montpelier cross from our right needed dealing with promptly. Following up, a free kick to Montpelier in our half resulted in a straight red of one of their players, a retaliation? Whatever but they were down to 10 men. That free kick then cleared both our goal and the high netting way up behind it. Jonny was just wide picking up a flick from Rob at a corner and had a defender not got in the way we would have seen a Jack screamer hit the net set, up via his 1-2 with Nana.
88 minutes and that second goal finally arrived. Coxy put a ball into James his turn and pass found Asa who calm as you like put the ball away for 2-0. Jonny Miller, who impressed throughout, gave way to Charlie Welch as we saw a James freekick and an effort from Nana both trouble the keeper before the final whistle blew.
Three points in the bag, full marks and more of the same gentleman please. Next the small matter of a Cup game at Chessington again on Tuesday and then back at home for Worthing in the League on Saturday.
COYG’s