Match Report

Seeing as I missed the newsletter deadline last week for submitting the match report in time against Maidstone Vets I have decided to do which I believe is a FOBGFC first today and actually write our match report in real time as it happens whilst the game is underway against our opposition today who go by the name of Crofton Albion Vets!!

In all fairness to Crofton that is a “tongue in cheek” remark and although no disrespect is meant towards the oppo I believe that yours truly could have easily done the match report during the 90 minutes but alas there was no wifi connection in the vicinity!!!

We lined up today as follows:

Gary Rosslee – GK
Danny Saines –LB
Tony Simpson – CB
Matt Wright- CB
Rich Davies – RB
Neil Connelly – LM
Richard Cooke – CM
Jim St John – CM
Rob Lipscomb - LM
Peter Harvey – CF
George Kleanthos – CF

Substitutes

Dave Garretty
Darren Mace
Andy Cobham

We should have been ahead inside the first 10/15 minutes but both George & Pete Harvey saw their respective efforts well saved by the Crofton GK who did well to keep the scores at 0-0 it seemed like it was just a matter of time before Farnborough were to break the deadlock but somehow we went 1-0 down.

Farnborough failed to deal with a long throw into the box and after two attempts to clear the ball from both Matt Wright and Tony Simpson a grateful Crofton player found the net with just Rosslee to beat from 4 yards out, bit of a shock, Crofton 1-0.

Thankfully normal service was resumed within a few minutes when Rich Davies unleashed an effort from a direct free kick 25 yards out an although it took a wicked deflection off of the Crofton wall Davies claimed it was always on target and therefore the dubious goal panel did not need to be informed on this occasion! 1-1.

We then took the lead immediately as Neil Connelly hit a peach of a cross from the left wing and Peter Harvey duly obliged with a free header from a matter of yards out leaving the Crofton GK no chance and putting Farnborough in the driving seat 1-2 FOBG.

It didn’t take long to turn our one goal advantage into two as George Kleanthous was on hand to coolly finish after being set up by Pete Harvey taking his tally to 14 for the season and then Pete Harvey was on hand to hit the goal of the game with a curling effort into the top corner leaving the Crofton GK a mere spectator, 1-4 Farnborough and then the ref put Crofton out of their misery by signalling for half time. 1-4 FOBG.

We made several changes during the game which saw Darren Mace replace Danny Saines at left back, Rich Davies was now covering for the injured St John in the middle of the park and Dave Garratty slotted in at right back and Andy Cobham replaced Matt Wright at centre back.

Crofton, apart from a couple of corners, really did not test the resolute Farnborough back 4 and it wasn’t long till Farnborough found the net yet again, this time Richard Cooke getting amongst the goals after an excellent header back across the Crofton goal which typified our play today. 1-5.

1-5 soon became 6 as George rounded the GK but from where yours truly was standing it looked like it had gone wide with the goal gaping however George assured us all that it “went through the side net” and to be fair there were few complaints from anybody on the pitch although I’m sure I saw Pete Harvey arguing with the ref that the goal should NOT stand as this strike had now put both George and Pete on 15 goals each for the season!!

Not to be outdone Pete Harvey scored his 3rd of the match and Farnborough’s 7th courtesy of some unselfish play from the Crofton throw in taker who laid the ball neatly in Pete’s path and he let a low shot fly which looked like the goalkeeper would have eaten for breakfast but it somehow found the net. 1-7 Farnborough

This was to be the last kick of the game as the ref blew for full time and Farnborough ran out extremely comfortable winners in the end, hopefully this will be the perfect platform to build on ahead of our cup match at home against Lambeth next week.