Match Report

Today’s Mothering Sunday fixture against ‘Lloyds Golden Oldies’ would prove to be our sternest test for several weeks and this certainly didn’t fail to live up to expectations. And after some last ditch pleading from the management to lure several players into making the trip to Beckenham Farnborough lined up as follows

Gary Rosslee – GK
Robin Lipscomb –LB
Chris Greenhough – CB
Tonty Simpson – CB
Paul Bailey –RB
Neil Connelly – LM
Jim St John – CM
Grant Gable – CM
Richard Cooke - RM
Paul Tanton – CF
Pete Harvey – CF

Sub

Daragh Nott

Farnborough could not have got out of the blocks any better as Pete Harvey opened the scoring within the opening couple of minutes, courtesy of a clinical shot from the left hand side of the box that dipped over the Lloyds goalkeeper and nestled into the net. 0-1 OBG. The lead was then doubled moments later as Farnborough continued to exploit Lloyds down the left hand side and after some neat link up play from Neil Connelly and Pete Harvey there was Paul Tanton on hand to slot the ball home from yards out. 0-2 OBG.

Lloyds managed to reduce the deficit with their fist real attack of the half after and carving open the defence and getting in behind the left back they neatly pulled the ball back to an unmarked player who duly smashed the ball home form 8 yards out. 1-2 OBG. Lloyds then created another decent opportunity but Rosslee managed to save the effort from the Lloyds menace up front to keep the lead intact.

Farnborough continued to press forward and soon restored their 2 goal lead; again the problems were caused down the left hand side which was now apparent to be Lloyds' achilles heel and the neat delivery into the box led to a rather fortuitous own goal – a deft header from the centre back which left the goalkeeper absolutely no chance 1-3 OBG. Farnborough were clearly enjoying themselves today and Jim St John was having an excellent game in the middle of the park and he was unlucky not to get on the score sheet as his header went over the bar after he had outjumped the Lloyds goalkeeper with ease. Pete Harvey then saw his free kick cannon off the upright to leave Lloyds with a slight glimmer of hope.

Lloyds then changed their system which saw their smaller centre forward dropping a lot deeper and feeding off of Jerry Dolke who was holding up the ball excellent all game. His neat touch on the edge of the box enabled his Scottish strike partner to smash the ball home past the despairing dive of Rosslee to reduce the score line to 2-3. Farnborough were then left chasing shadows once more and conceded a 3rd goal as Lloyds' quality showed again as they got in behind the full back position and pulled the ball across the goal and their version of Ally McCoist slotted the ball neatly through the crowd of players which also consisted of a nasty collision between Rosslee and Lipscomb. 3-3. Half time.

Farnborough started the brighter team in the second half which saw the introduction of Daragh Nott to the fray and they soon scored their 4th of the game this time Richard Cooke keeping his composure when played through one on one 3-4 OBG. Lloyds came straight back on the offensive and twice in succession Rosslee was forced into making a couple of decent saves, and none more important than the one that denied the Lloyds Glaswegian striker a hat-trick which meant he didn’t have to buy the customary hat-trick jug of beer……….phew close one!!

Lloyds inevitably netted a 4th from a very scrappy goal defence wise, a corner from the right hand side sailed over Rosslee and hit Dolke in the face and somehow eluded the plethora red shirts on the line and trickled over the line 4-4. Jim St John down the other end was unlucky not to net a 5th for Farnborough after his effort again sailed the wrong side of the bar with the goalkeeper beaten all ends up.

Lloyds forward Jerry Dolke then smashed home a superb second goal which was likened to that a Kenny Dalglish effort from yesteryear. Tony Simpson failed to deal with a routine throw-in from the left hand side and Dolke found himself in enough room to spin and unleashed a first time shot that flew into the opposite corner off of the post. 5-4 Lloyds. The ref than blew for full time and Farnborough again were left to rue their missed chances.

Moan of the match ‘We started off like Juventus and ended up like Fray Bentos’.

Man of the Match Jim (Jumbo) St. John