Match Report

Turn of the year and the fourths still looking for their first win of the season. The start of this year has been very much stop start of matches due to them being called off due to weather conditions, but the weather did stay off going into the weekend so there was a match this week and the line-up against Charlton Athletic Deaf was:

GK: Stewart Copeland
Back Four: Mark Friend, Todd Arnold, Steve Blanchard, Colin Brazier
Midfield: Josh Walsh, Tom Smart, Paul Price, Chris Landy
Forwards: Jim Halford, Scott Jasper

Subs: Chee-Yong Lee, Connor Barclay, Lawrence Kamara

So with a squad of 14 the manager had the benefit of 3 substitutes which hasn’t been there for a while.

On with the game and it wasn’t a match that started off with either side having the majority of the possession or chances. It was quite even, Farnborough were passing it around well but weren’t creating any clear cut chances but were winning quite a few corners and deliveries were very good from Tom Smart and the keeper had trouble dealing with them all the time. Eventually Farnborough scored from a corner from the left in swinging which wasn’t well cleared by Charlton Deaf as the ball ended up at Chris Landy’s feet as he took an extra touch to create space and drilled the ball into the bottom left hand corner from 14 yards out to give Farnborough the lead.

After this goal Farnborough started to switch off as the midfield wasn’t there to be seen and this was allowing Charlton Deaf to get forward and attack the back line and this allowed Charlton Deaf to grab an equaliser. This continued as the midfield area was still mostly about Charlton Deaf but Farnborough were playing the offside trap very well as Charlton Deaf were caught offside many times as the defence moved up together, however they were unfortunate that the time they actually didn’t get it right that it ended in a goal for Charlton Deaf.

Half-time came and it was 2-1 to Charlton Athletic Deaf after Farnborough was 1-0 up early on.

Second Half and Farnborough seemed to improve as they started to compact that midfield as Jim Halford was more of an attacking midfielder just to give some help in that midfield, which left Scott Jasper up top on his own to hold up the ball which they both did well. Now it was more even again but both teams not creating any real chances. So as the game wore on the manager decided it was time to use 2 of his 3 subs as he brought on Chee-Yong Lee and Connor Barclay on for Josh Walsh and Tom Smart in straight swaps.

Still it was quite even between both of the teams and no clear cut chances and only a few half chances and free-kick chances for either sides. As the game wore on even more the manager used his last change and brought on Lawrence Kamara for Paul Price. The last 15 minutes or so and Farnborough started to find that extra bit of energy with fresh legs in midfield and it was all really Farnborough pushing for equaliser as the back four was still working very well in harmony and catching the Charlton Deaf players offside when the ball was played through Stewart was there to claim and distribute very well every time.

With all this Farnborough eventually got a well deserved equaliser on the 84 minute as Chris Landy got on the scoresheet for the second time as he took the ball and got into the area with the keeper coming out at him and as he was falling off balance he quickly took the shot which was beautifully curled into the top corner, couldn’t have hit it any better, and celebrated with a contender of celebration of the season as he just dropped to the floor in exhaustion.

Farnborough were now pushing for the winner but also being cautious with the defending but there could have been a few other chances but wrong decisions were being made at the vital moment and that was it as it ended 2-2.

Still the Fourth Team await for their 1st win of the season although it was close to coming today.