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ASB v H & R
| Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Competition |
Season |
Result |
Goals For |
Goals Against |
| Sat 10th Nov 2007 |
H & R |
Met Police Sry |
IFA Cup |
07/08 |
drew |
3 |
3 |
| Match Report |
Ah, the IFA Cup. ASB's recent Cup performances had been on a par with
that of QPR's, and in fact the only we time we hadn't been knocked
out of the Cup in the 1st round, we went on to win it. Drawing
Hampton this year looked like a great opportunity to finally get a
Cup win under our belts after 5 years, and after an easy win against
them a few weeks ago we were feeling confident.
Unfortunately, for various reasons Inga had yet another small squad
to choose from, and without any recognised keepers and a lack of
defenders, we lined up in a 3-4-3 formation:
Frange
Orv
Tina
Weeman
Nick
Brian
Camilla
Slouch
Rocky
Jamie
Sharkey
Subs: Immy, Yoni
Hampton had arranged for a relatively young ref to take charge of the
match, and in his pre-match talk to both teams you could sense he was
nervous, although who was to guess what kind of decisions he would be
making as the game unfolded!
ASB started very strongly and spent the first 15 minutes or so camped
in the Hampton half. We were using the flanks well and moving the
ball around smartly, as they got men behind the ball to try and
frustrate us and deny us space. Nick received the ball wide on the
right and delivered a wicked cross which flashed across the goal and
hit the bottom of the far post, Slouch was quick to react to the
rebound and the keeper made a fingertip save to deny us the opening
goal. Frustratingly it was Hampton who scored first with their very
first attack of the game. A long throw from the left was flicked on,
it looked like the ball was going to creep over the bar but instead
bounced straight back into the goal mouth for an easy tap-in for one
of their players.
We'd barely had time to react before it was 2-0 to them, following a
controversial penalty decision. Tina went up to challenge for a
header in the area, the ball hit his arm and the ref pointed to the
spot. Frange was sent the wrong way as the ball went to his right.
Somewhat aggrieved at finding ourselves two goals down in a game we
had so far dominated, we reacted strongly and got straight back down
the other end in search of a goal. Tina had a free kick just go over
the bar and then put a header wide from a Rocky corner. Brian made a
strong run down the left to the edge of the box where he was hacked
down, after what seemed an eternity the ref did then award us a pen,
although he booked Brian for overreacting to the foul (amazing!!).
Nick picked up the ball and smacked it into the net to make it 2-1.
Unfortunately for Brian, he'd hurt his shoulder in the penalty
incident, and although he carried on for a few minutes he eventually
had to go off to be replaced by Yoni (Jamie's mate), making his debut
in central midfield. We definitely had another goal in us before the
half was up, and again it was Nick who scored it. We got a free kick
close to the edge of the area and Nick placed the ball over the wall
into the far right corner, the keeper didn't stand a chance.
Not long after the half time whistle went, with the game still all
square. We knew it was important to get ahead early in the second
half and keep playing the ball to feet as we had done. One change was
made with Immy coming on for Rocky. And so after about five minutes
of the second half we took the lead, as Tina won the ball near the
halfway line and made a strong run, laying on a great through ball
for Sharkey who dinked it over the advancing keeper for a tidy finish.
At this point we looked well set but to be fair to Hampton they kept
working hard to close us down, showing a lot more tenacity than in
the previous game. Tina and Orv were keeping things tight at the
back, Yoni and Cam were also working together well given it was the
first time they had played together. We were still stretching them on
the flanks, but the final ball was never quite there and any shots we
did get away seemed to go straight to the keeper. As time went on
there was always a threat that they might equalise, and with about 20
minutes to go they made it 3-3. We didn't quite do enough to get the
ball back off them in the middle and the ball broke to the right side
just outside the box, where their striker took an early shot which
bounced under Frange's diving body and in.
But it wasn't over, and we were still confident we could win it in
normal time. Weeman had taken a knock so Rocky came back on and Nick
moved to right back as we changed to a 4-4-2 formation. With time
running out Nick took a speculative shot from just inside their half,
the keeper got a hand to it but under pressure from Jamie (I think?)
he couldn't hold on and the ball was in the net. Jubilation though
was short lived as the ref decided there had been a foul! With time
running out Immy made another of his jinking runs and his shot looked
destined to go in until it hit a Hampton hand - this time the ref
decided not to award anything.
Not long after the final whistle was blown and so it went to
penalties. Every single one was quite accurately taken and the
keepers barely stood a chance of making a save. Immy stepped up for
the 5th penalty and cheekily did a `rabona' which bounced in off the
post! It was only by the time that we got to the 8th penalty that
Camilla blasted his straight down the middle and the keeper palmed it
over the bar. Game over.
Hampton were suitably jubilant at the end, they'd worked hard all
game but nevertheless we felt that we should have won given the
chances and possession we had. Hampton had had three shots on goal
and scored three times - sometimes football is like that. At least it
wasn't a double header!
Frange
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