Match Report

1st MATCH

This was an important day for the fourths as we could have grabbed 6 points in one day and that would have taken us off the bottom of the table for the 1st time.

There were drop-outs from the double header match (30mins each way) but fortunately FOBG did still have 11 players just about for the 1st match. The line-up for the 1st of 2 matches was:

GK: Mark Edwards
Back Four: Tom Smart, Todd Arnold, Dave Harrigan and Colin Brazier
Midfield: Chee-Yong Lee, Ade Adelata, Kaprice Adeysina, Ivan Kamara
Forwards: Tony Stanley and Gary Harrigan

After the line-up was finally arranged for the 1st match, it seemed as though FOBG weren’t ready for the match as Crofton Albion took an early lead. That goal seemed to wake up FOBG though as an equaliser came not long after with good play on the right by Chee-Yong Lee and Tony Stanley, who provided the cross, all the way to the back post to find Ivan Kamara who put the ball into the back of the net with a great header. Unfortunately for FOBG, Crofton Albion took the lead again before the half-time whistle with an unfortunate own goal by Mark Edwards as the ball bounced off the back of Mark from a shot that hit the post.

So at half-time it was 2-1 to Crofton Albion on a rainy day and soggy surface with the ball skidding off the surface.
On with the 2nd half of the 1st match and it started off very even but as the match carried on the pitch was getting worse and there was still another 60 minute match to go after the 1st match. It was midway through the 30 minute half that Crofton Albion got their 3rd goal from the corner, although it seemed as though a few seconds earlier before the corner the Crofton Albion player seemed to have lost control of the ball and the ball seemed to go over the line for a goal-kick but it wasn’t given, and then in the same phase of play the player turned and then the ball seemed to cross the line for a throw-in but this also wasn’t given, then Crofton Albion were given a corner which they scored from at the near post.

This was game over as it ended in 3-1 to Crofton Albion. So Crofton Albion took first blood but there was the next match to come straight after.

2nd MATCH
On with the 2nd match and a change in line-up with:

GK: Mark Edwards
Back Four: Tom Smart, Todd Arnold, Dave Harrigan and Colin Brazier
Midfield: Tony Stanley, Simon Harvey, Grant Kelsey, Ivan Kamara
Forwards: Kaprice Adeysina and Gary Harrigan

So the 2nd match began and there was not very much action in the 1st half as it seemed there were a few tiring legs out there after the pitch seemed to take its toll. The only clear-cut chance in the 1st half fell to the Crofton Albion striker but Mark Edwards did very well to keep it out with it more or less a one-on-one.

Not long into the 2nd half Ade Adelata came on for Gary Harrigan. With the 1st half of the 2nd match with hardly any action we were all hoping for some action and goals, preferably for FOBG, unfortunately it was Crofton Albion again who got the 1st goal. However just like the 1st match FOBG grabbed an equaliser and it was that man again Ivan Kamara. This time it was via a great ball through from Grant and FOBG had 2 on 1 from the halfway line with the ball at Ivan’s feet and he just ran all the way into the area and with the keeper coming out he slotted past the keeper with good composure.

With 15 mins left the manager decided to bring Chee-Yong Lee on for Tom Smart. At this point both teams kept asking the referee for the time as both teams wanted the win and there was a winning goal to come BUT it went to Crofton Albion as their player/manager scored the winner with about 3 minutes remaining and FOBG still pushed, winning two free-kicks in dangerous positions but could not get a draw and the match was done and Crofton Albion grabbed all 6 points.