Match Report

Our second game of the season and already our second visit to Beckenham in as many weeks, although today’s venue was not as swish as the previous week I hasten to add. Our opposition today were Orpington Vets whose claret and blue kit was not too dissimilar to that of West Ham so the likes of Mark Friend and Paul Tanton knew this was a win at any cost type of game before the whistle had even been blown!

Today saw the return of some familiar faces including one Richard Davies which added to the humour on route to the ground in Paul Tanton’s car, the main subject being 2012 Paralympics!

For some reason Gary Rosslee has been named captain for the season and his first job was to try to win the toss, alas he came second which meant the Young Vets were faced with the uphill task literally as well as the glaring September sun in their eyes.

And after being given what seemed like the entire set of UEFA rules by today’s official Farnborough lined up as follows.

GK, Gary Rosslee
LB, Neil Connelly
CB, Andy Cobham
CB, Matt Wright
RB, Paul Bailey
LM, Jerry Cogotti
CM, Daragh Nott
CM, Jim St John
RM, Jason Miller
CF, Dean McCarthy
CF, Danny Clark

Subs

Mark Friend
Chris Rawley
Paul Brett
Danny Baines
Paul Tanton

Farnborough started the brighter of the 2 teams and were soon one goal to the good when Jason Miller fired home a direct free kick from outside the box. Now as good as the strike was you couldn’t help feeling that the goalkeeper could have prepared his wall a lot better, perhaps he should speak to Farnborough’s very own Bob the Builder Simon Davies who is a master in the art of concreting apparently! 0-1 OBG’s.

Farnborough carved out a number of half chances including a chip from Dean McCarthy that went wide, however they got caught out with a huge kick down field from the Orpington keeper and although Matt Wright appeared to head the ball out for a corner the referee decided to give a penalty for handball and much to the bemused Paul Tanton who was running the line as he almost registered his first dismissal for Farnborough! The resulting spot kick was duly converted and the game was levelled.

With the referee feeling bad for his “inappropriate decision” he immediately awarded Farnborough a penalty up the other end almost instantly for what looked like an OK challenge from where yours truly was standing. However Jason Miller placed the ball on the spot and smashed the ball home, and very fortunately had given the visitors the lead once again although the keeper will feel a tad aggrieved as he got quite a good hand to hit, 1-2 OBG’s.

Jason Miller then turned provider as his excellent cross was met with a diving header from Dean McCarthy to score his second goal in as many games for Farnborough to put further daylight between the teams, 1-3 OBG’s. Farnborough should have added a fourth when Jim St John found himself free in the area but his downward header went agonisingly wide of the post with the keeper routed to the spot; however he would not have to wait long to add his name to the score sheet as Dean McCarthy spotted the run of St John and delivered a deft chip into the penalty area and St John’s bullet header found the top corner, 1-4 OBG’s.

With half time approaching Farnborough found time to add a 5th to the score line with St John helping himself to his second of the game and 3rd goal in 2 games with another towering header this time at the back post from yet another Jason Miller corner, the ref blew for half time and the Orpington players looked deflated.

Farnborough made numerous changes in the second half and at one point were playing with an entire new back four; this was for most of them their first game in at least 4 months and ultimately this led to one of the funniest things ever witnessed on a football pitch in years and probably for years to come! Paul Brett somehow miss controlled a pass back to him and appeared to stand on the ball only to then hit the ground after bouncing off the ball and it squirmed under his body to the Orpington centre forward who collected the ball on the edge of the box and raced forward before firing a low shot that beat Rosslee at his near post, although he was still in stitches at what had just happened so perhaps he could be forgiven? 2-5 OBG’s.

Further clarity was restored when an Orpington defender put into his own net under pressure from Danny Clark to make the scores 2-6 and then Danny Clark added a 7th from close range to cap an impressive display after great work by Paul Tanton out wide, and there was even time to send the Middle Eastern betting syndicates crazy when Paul Tanton found the net, albeit from a cross that flew in over the Orpington keeper to make the scores 2-8.

The referee decided he still had one more penalty in him as he awarded a last kick of the game spot kick after debutant Chris Rawley was adjudged to have fouled inside the box and again the Orpington player found the net this time opting for pure power high and straight down the middle to take a smidge of gloss off of the performance, 3-8 final result.

All in all another good performance in difficult conditions (one of the hottest days of the year and the amount of changes made) so 2 wins from 2 games but surely our sternest test so far will be next week away to Cudham Vets, who “obviously” play in Chislehurst, roll on Sunday!

Shot of the match: Dean McCarthy’s first half diving header.

Save of the match: Orpington keeper punching over a Jason Miller long range effort.

Man of the match: Jason Miller, 2 goals and numerous assists.

Moan of the match: Not catching Paul Brett’s comedy moment on camera and potentially losing out on £250 from you’ve been framed!!!