Selsey 1 (1) v (0) 4 Godalming Town
A strong squad made the latest trip south and the Keeper and the backline were as last week, Ryan O’Sullivan in goal with Nana Afful, Rob Parrott, Ollie McAleese and Malik Shittu in front of him. Mark Soares was available again and came into the midfield alongside Deji Adeosun, Jonny Miller and the Skipper – James Mariner. Cameron Edwin was back too, starting up front alongside Will May. The bench was bursting with Elroy Wealthyland, Deji Alabi, Jack Sherwood, Conor Stillwell and James Mansfield all raring to go – but not before we had a little delay while the Selsey Keeper changed to a less clashing strip.
A quiet start, Rob Parrott cleared an early Selsey attack and Jonny Miller played a give and go ball to put Malik Shittu in on goal, but Malik could only shoot wide. On 13 minutes Ryan cleared the ball down field, but it fell to a Selsey man some 30 yards out. There wasn’t that much pace on the return shot, but the ball bounced badly and eluded Ryan’s dive to give the hosts the lead. 1-0.
The cause wasn’t helped by Will May falling victim to two poor decisions in my book. Firstly, he was clattered by two defenders falling on top of him, with the keeper arriving to make it a trio, and got up to find the Ref’s decision was a Selsey free kick. Secondly, almost immediately after the first, a Selsey free kick was again given for another challenge that appeared to have been on him.
We saw 25 minutes of good build up from the Gees, but it began to look like one of those games where the ball just would not run Godalming’s way. Will got the ball out wide to Cam but couldn’t get enough purchase to head home Cam’s cross. Jonny Miller and Malik both battled for and won corners, Mark Soares won a rather soft free kick just outside the box, his kick going over the bar. Deji had a goal bound shot blocked and a challenge on him saw the first yellow card of the game for Selsey. Ollie McAleese got his head to the free kick, but the ball went wide of the near post. A foul on Cam brought a second Selsey yellow card but Cam himself saw yellow for a pretty innocuous tackle on the halfway line. The final act of the half saw Mark hit another free kick over the bar leaving Godalming that goal down at the break.
The same eleven players took the field for the 2nd half and what followed will win the Oscar for the ‘Best performance in first 15 minutes of a second half’ in the 75 years of Godalming Town history. But, as I managed to ‘lose’ my recorded notes, we’ll have to rely on my memory (!) and with it, apologies to those players involved in the action who don’t get a mention. With the Gees pressing from the whistle, they won a corner in the first minute of the half. Mark Soares’ ball came over from the right, and as it pinged around the box Rob Parrott was first to react and stretched out a leg to plant the equalizer in the back of the net. Four minutes later, and with Godalming dominating all the play, the ball was put into the box from the left, Deji Adeosun poking it home for the Gees’ second goal and his first for the club. Cue wild celebrations on and off the pitch, not least by Malik Shittu who convinced most of the travelling fans that it was he who had scored. Not today, Malik but it will come.
Selsey were getting a battering as waves of yellow shirts swept forward and the third goal came in the 58th minute courtesy of the boot of Jonny Miller when he picked up a clearance on the 18-yard line just in front of goal and placed it back past the Selsey keeper. What a turnaround, and I suggest even the most cynical of us couldn’t see Selsey getting back into this one. Jack Sherwood came on for Nana and straightaway won a corner overlapping and breaking down the goal line. The corner went long, but Deji picked it up and planted the ball back in the box, Ollie nearly scored with the header although he was flagged offside. On 68 minutes some blue shirts were seen in our half and encouraged, Selsey made a triple substitution. Two minutes later Mazza pinged a ball forward and it was headed backwards by one of the substitutes. Mark Soares latched onto the ball and the score was 4-1 as Mark’s 25-yard effort nestled in the back of the net, and the rest of the squad nestled on top of him.
Deji Alabi came on for Jonny Miller at the restart. Ryan, who had had nothing to do in the half thus far, pulled off two excellent stops, punching the ball away for corner kicks as Selsey showed some sign of life. Conor Stillwell replaced Mazza on 77 minutes, James Mansfield came on for Cam on 79 minutes and Mark Soares gave way to Elroy Wealthyland with 7 minutes left. Godalming remained well on top of the game as it went into added time when they were awarded a penalty for handball, defending a shot by Elroy. It’s funny how that never happens for us when it’s at a crucial point of the game. With Mazza on the bench Will May took the kick only to see the keeper save it. It was a shame for Will, who had put in another good shift. There was just time for another Godalming corner kick before the Referee called an end to proceedings.
Now that was what you call a game of two halves. Billingshurst away comes up next, Saturday at 3pm.
COYG’s