Godalming 2 (1) v (2) 2 Chessington & Hook
Ryan O’Sullivan returned in goal for this match but for the third game in a row Mo was able to field the same back four. They were, from right to left Matt Cox, Rob Parrott, Ollie McAleese and Jack Sherwood. Up front we welcomed a new signing wearing the No.9 shirt, Deji Alabi, he was supported by Athan Smith-Joseph. Behind them sat a midfield four of Nana Afful, James Mariner, Conor Stillwell and Elroy Wealthyland. The bench was full, populated by Jason Cotton, James Mansfield, Jonny Miller, Asa Goodsell and Charlie Welch.
Godalming started strongly and we had a first look at Deji Alabi who combined well with Athan to create an early half chance for himself. Nana played in Matt Cox who duly won our first corner, Rob Parrott headed it on to Deji whose overhead kick was knocked behind by the Chessington & Hook keeper for corner No.2. The keeper then repeated his actions to give us corner No.3 from which C&H broke away to be foiled by Coxy’s clearance.
It all went pear shaped on 8 minutes when the defence could/should in hindsight have opted for the relative safety of conceding a corner to the 2nd C&H attack down our right. Instead, the attempted clearance hit a forward to leave him with the goal a begging and the Gees 1-0 down. That was the first goal conceded at home and the second anywhere this season, but still hard to take. However, the Gees came back and four minutes later Coxy got the ball forward to Nana who turned and found Deji Alabi on the far post, Athan picked up the knock back to hit the back of the net; one of the best crafted team goals we have been treated to in many a while. 1-1.
Then the ‘whinging’ started, first with the C&H captain complaining about the floodlights, followed by what C&H no doubt felt was a jolly jape by warming up their Subs in yellow tops. Magically they instantly all found red bibs when the Ref’s attention was drawn it. The second half was to see the C&H keeper fall and dawdle on every catch, nothing new. For my money throughout the match, we didn’t get to grips with winning the long balls forward when we were unable to get through on the ground and added to our problems in the first half with some last second clearances that left hearts in mouths. Having said that, chances were still created before the break, notably by two of Jack Sherwood’s forward runs, the first ending with him just failing to get enough power on his header having set up Nana’s cross into the box, the second seeing his shot blocked and cleared.
That might have been that for the first half, but a shot returned in from a cleared C&H free kick was allowed to find the net, C&H looked almost as stunned as we were, and the Gee’s found themselves going in 1-2 down.
No changes for the 2nd half and early doors both Nana and Deji put over decent balls, but no one was anywhere near converting them. Change came on 60 minutes with Mazza giving way to Asa Goodsell, the Captain’s armband passing to Ollie, and Athan moving into a deeper position. Gradually signs of improvement followed as Athan forced a save from the keeper and Rob’s headed challenge in the box to a Gees free kick gave Deji a chance, saved. A poor back pass went past the C&H goalie, Deji got to it first, turned the ball back to Asa but his shot went over the bar. A first booking for C&H on 65 minutes, kicking the ball away, shock! And 5 minutes later we saw James Mansfield and Jonny Miller coming on to replace Deji Alabi and Elroy Wealthyland.
Coxy appeared to have won our first corner of the half leaving two C&H men on the ground behind him in need of serious treatment. On the restart all he had won turned out to be a throw some way back down the pitch. That corner did come soon, courtesy of Jonny Miller picking up a through ball from James Mansfield.
Jason Cotton made his entry to the game for the last ten minutes of normal time in lieu of Nana Afful and It was to be an eventful ten, or as it turned out nearly twenty, minutes that remained, especially for Jason. In the next attack Asa was marginally and again later, much less marginally called offside. Between these two events we had the poor referee whacked with a shot in a delicate area. Cue ribald terrace humour, you horrible people. He was fit to continue, and restarted the match with a drop ball, of course.
88 minutes on the clock and a Coxy/Miller combination ended with Jonny placing the ball across goal to Jason who pulled in back to Jonny to hit the equalizer, 2-2. We thought we had won it when Rob’s top notch ball picked out Asa, but the C&H keeper pulled off the save of the night if not the season so far from Asa’s shot. Jason picked up the rebound, but the angle was just too tight for him. The one remaining scare for the defence came when C&H won a free kick in a position too remarkably like that for their 2nd goal for our comfort, Jason Cotton cleared.
We get into ‘added time’ and Jason found himself on the end of a long ball, defender behind him, keeper and goal in front. Was he fouled, no doubt he was from us paying punters, but no says the Ref, play on. Cue carnage and handbags. The villain of the piece for me was whichever C&H defender it was who threw himself to the ground outside the ‘D’ no doubt exciting their keeper sufficiently to run 30 or so yards to apply a hand to Jason’s head. Jason didn’t react until the keeper was bearing down on him, so cue a good few minutes of discussion between Ref, Lino, two Captains and the two main protagonists. Eventually a red card for Jason and more discussion before the more obvious red for the keeper. Cue a restart with a C&H throw and minute or so’s further play before the final whistle signalled some more animated banter between the two camps.
COYG’s