Tadley Calleva 4 (1) v (0) 0 Godalming Town (Aldershot Snr Cup)
Tuesday brought another midweek cup jaunt just 2 weeks after the trip south to Wick, this time vaguely in the other direction to Tadley Calleva of the Combined Counties Premier Division. Neither result being what we wanted.
These days midweek selection and availability looks to be quite a challenge and the starting lineup for the Gees included only 4 of the starters from Sunday’s win at East Preston. Ollie Ballam came back into the side in goal and in front of him perm any 4 from 5 to my eyes. Charlie Welch was certainly right back, but was Nana Afful at left back? Aren’t we more used to seeing them on the left and right respectively? Or was Ollie McAleese at left back with Darren Xavier and Shiloh Ndiulor in the Centre? It’s all triangles, diamonds and other shapes these days. For sure Rob Parrott, James Mansfield and Elroy Weathyland were in Midfield and Deji Alabi was in tandem with Bradley Fangas up front. The bench was full and was populated by 4 players who started on Sunday, Malik Shittu, Cam Edwin, Athan Smith-Joseph and Jonny Miller, with the addition of Shiloh O’Connor
Godalming got the first shot of the game in when Deji broke through and laid the ball to Rob who shot over the bar. At the other end Ollie B was called on to punch out a tricky incoming cross for Tadley’s 1st corner. 5 minutes gone and a Tadley free kick from our right was met unopposed by a Tadley head on the far post to open the scoring for the home side. Charlie was clattered on the halfway line and the Gees at least had the next effort on goal when their keeper punched the resulting free kick out to Deji but his effort was wide.
Tadley were looking ominously that wee bit quicker and more accurate in their build up and a 2nd corner was not long in coming. Not to say the Gees did not create chances themselves. There was a vague shout for a penalty after a challenge on Rob, not given by the Officials, all Army men judging by their badges, and a repeat foul on Charlie and free kick had the home keeper take the ball just in advance of Ollie M’s header.
At the half hour Rob and Charlie combined well down the right, but with no one in the middle the defence were able to bring the ball away. 5 minutes later James placed a free kick over the bar following a foul on Rob. We had a bit of a let off when a Tadley forward blasted the ball wide with only Ollie B to beat followed by a long-range attempt that went too close to the woodwork for comfort. Twice Deji, James and Elroy tricked their way toward goal and on the 2nd occasion Tadley intercepted and broke away, the attack mopped up by Shi. A 2nd Tadley goal looked certain when 2 forwards broke the line, with just Ollie to beat. The first man obviously didn’t fancy his chances and passed to his partner who, with the open goal in his sights blasted the ball high and handsomely over the bar. The half ended on a small bout of ‘handbags’, Rob was involved somewhere in there and Bradley received a yellow card, presumably for his rapid arrival at the scene. 1-0 at the whistle then, struggling at times but not out of the tie.
With no changes the 2nd half started promisingly when the Gees immediately won a corner. It was a decent ball over and just cleared by the defence. Deji was obviously in some discomfort and was substituted on 47 minutes, Athan Smith-Joseph taking his place. Tadley were awarded a free kick around the edge of the area which looked goal-bound when taken. Ollie got down to his left, parried the ball away and was up again to gather the shot from an incoming forward. A great piece of work, now freely available to view again on the Twittersphere or the Club’s Facebook. On 54 minutes though Ollie could do nothing to prevent the 2nd Tadley goal as they waltzed down our right from halfway and their low cross was duly dispatched into the net.
A triple substitution was made on 60 minutes as Jonny Miller, Shiloh O’Connor and Malik Shittu replaced, in no particular order, Charlie Welch, Rob Parrott and Nana Afful. A shot into our side netting resulted in a corner decision, it didn’t appear that Ollie B touched it but credit if he did and he saved again from another chance created when a poor clearance from the back was pounced on. The final pass wasn’t coming off for the Gees and on 70 minutes another Tadley attack ended with a penalty decision against Shiloh, I might be wrong as somewhere in there Athan appeared to pick up a yellow card and Ollie Mc received a long talking to from the Ref. 3-0 from the spot, no chance for Ollie B.
Cam came on for Bradley just after the restart. James fed Jonny who couldn’t find a Godalming head with his cross but at least caused the home keeper to fumble the ball. Cam went on a run into the box, but his shot didn’t have the pace to beat the keeper. The keeper failed to hold an Athan shot but the ball rebounded too quicky to Ollie Mc to enable him to keep his shot down. Action at both ends in the last few minutes saw Athan win a strong tackle, get the ball to James who shot just past the post. Malik stopped another attack as Tadley broke through in numbers. What was to be the final cross of the match ended with the final header of the match and the final goal of the match, unfortunately they all went Tadley’s way. 4-0, the man in black had had enough and blew the final whistle, which means we won’t get the chance to play the Army again this year.
Back to league action for the next match, at home to Billingshurst on Saturday, kick off at 2pm
COYG’s