Mile Oak 0 (0) v (1) 2 Godalming

Winning is a good thing but winning two games in a week is a very good thing and just as requested in the Horsham report the Management and Players brought all 3 points back from the trip to Mile Oak on Saturday. Ryan O’Sullivan returned in goal and the defence that started the cup game made their second appearance in 5 days. From right to left they were Jack Sherwood, Ishmaila Doumbia, Ollie McAleese and Joshua Hill. Some juggling in front of them as Matt Cox slotted into the right side of midfield alongside Elroy Weathyland, Rob Parrott and James Mansfield. Up front Cam Edwin and Deji Alabi completed the line up. A full bench was present consisting of the other two JMs, Jonny Miller and James Mariner, with Nana Afful, Ellis Rowland and Charlie Welch.

Very early doors and a Jack Sherwood throw in found Captain McAleese, but Deji was flagged offside as he picked up Ollie’s through ball. The Gees straightaway conceded a corner as Ish cleared for safety with the ball going just a little too close to our goal for comfort as we viewed it from the other end. Ish cleared the corner, Deji got the ball out to Matt Cox who was not amused to be called up for a foul. We conceded a free kick just outside the area, the short ball went right to an unmarked opponent who put the cross out for a goal kick. Godalming were settling into the game though and we saw Deji win our first corner turning and shooting having latched on a Rob Parrott cross after some good linking play with Josh. Matt picked up the Mile Oak keeper’s punch out from James Mansfield’s corner, and Cam was just short of connecting with Coxy’s pass. Not yet 10 minutes gone, and Cam set up James for a shot which was just wide of the left hand post.

Ryan was called on to stop a shot from distance following a less than perfect clearance and we went straight back up the park where Coxy won corner No.2. The corner sailed over Ish’s head on the far post, he ran to retrieve the ball, but the move ended in a goal kick. Rob went down in the circle, expecting a free kick; he wasn’t amused to see the restart was to be a drop ball. In short order he won corner No.3, which was headed narrowly wide by Ollie. Mile Oak’s moments in the half came again via that annoying Godalming habit of conceding free kicks a few yards outside the area. Happily, they came to nothing. We were beginning to see early signs of some decent Godalming passing play, all be it the result wasn’t quite there. The Mile Oak keeper beat Coxy to the ball after Ollie and Rob set him on goal. The keeper punched away Rob’s shot, Coxy was called offside on two further sorties down the wing and Ollie headed over for a second time.

The opening goal came on 40 minutes. Deji threaded the ball to Matt, who bore down on the Mile Oak keeper, the two clashed, and in almost slow motion Cam picked up the loose ball, he wasn’t in the easiest of positions, but he tickled it over the line. Had it not been for the Mile Oak slope I doubt it would have reached the back of the net, but as we know they all count, 1-0 Gees. One more corner for the Gees, again punched clear by the flying goalie, and it was half time.

No changes to the line-up for the restart but the Referee was spotted pulling both managers together for a ‘little chat’ before blowing the whistle. Who’d been a naughty boy? Matt Cox picked up a pass from Cam and had two goal-bound shots blocked in turn after the first was returned to him for a second attempt. Deji set up Matt on another run, he rode two tackles, got the ball to Elroy, on to Deji, but Deji’s shot was high and left on display in the netting behind the goal. A brief interruption while a ‘foreign deposit’ was removed from the pitch. Had it really been there for the best part of an hour? Best not ask but the curious can go to the Mile Oak Twitter feed which includes a helpful emoji to identify just what it might have been.

Mile Oak should perhaps have done better with their first chance of the second half; a poorly hit shot that was easily dealt with by Ryan. Back up to the other end and Elroy placed the ball into the path of Deji. Two arms into Deji’s back from the Mile Oak No.5 cost him a straight red card. The free kick, taken by Jack, was just a foot outside the box and was punched away by the keeper yet again, James pounced on it and passed to Deji who shot wide. One of those ‘like watching Brazil’ moves saw Messrs Edwin, Doumbia, Weathyland, Mansfield, Sherwood, Edwin (again) and Alabi (sorry if I missed anyone out) set up a chance for Mr Cox, whose shot was cleared just feet from the line. The ball was in the back of the net in the next Godalming attack but when Rob and Cam both went in to convert Deji’s cross from the left the lino spoilt it all by giving Cam offside.

70 minutes and the first Godalming substitution saw Cam being replaced by Jonny Miller. The second goal came 5 minutes later. It came from Matt Cox starting the move with a ball to Jonny, on to Rob and back to Jonny. Jonny rolled the ball to his right, straight into the path of Coxy who had continued his run. Matt had looked to have a goal in him all day and it was to be as he send a sweet strike into the top of the net. 2-0. Before the restart the scorer took his rest to be replaced by Nana Afful. Mile Oak broke to the goal line, but the two goal cushion was preserved when they could only hit the side netting. Ollie took our only card of the day for a challenge just outside the box, the free kick punched to safety by Ryan. Chances fell to Elroy, shooting wide, and Deji foiled by the goalie from a James Mansfield pass. 2 minutes to run and a double change as Mo brought on Charlie Welch and Ellis Rowland to see time out for Deji and Josh Hill. James picked up a ball from Jonny Miller, beat two men but saw his shot spin away off the stranded keeper. The final effort fell to Rob who opted to shoot at the end of a four man break away.

A good day’s work all round. No rest for the wicked and next up on Saturday we have the small matter of unbeaten Seaford’s visit to the Bill Kyte.

COYG’s