Camberley International 5-6 AS Camboli
AS Camboli continued their recent run of good form with a narrow victory over their 'International' rivals in a pulsating 11 goal thriller at The Frogmore Campus.
A reshuffled back line was needed with Andrew Bradshaw covering in goal for the injured James Price. Jack Burgess came in at right back alongside first time pairing of Dave Aird and Justin Green with Alex Williams at left back. Samuel John Welburn and skipper Jonny Gosnell resumed their midfield partnership with Richard 'Pique' Putman and Rob O'Flaherty on the flanks and Ed O'Flaherty and Gary Smith providing the fire power.
Despite winning the match, Camboli inexplicably let International take a three goal lead in the first half as they struggled to find anything like the form they'd shown in recent weeks. A headed goal in stoppage time at the end of the first period by new signing Dave Aird merely papered over what was a truly dreadful half.
Camboli needed to change things dramatically if they were to have any chance of beating a buoyant International side and so they introduced Jim Welburn and Anthony Clapham in the hope of adding some much needed cutting edge. The reshuffle saw Richard Putman slot back in his more familiar role of left back, with Clapham replacing Ed O'Flaherty up front and Welburn just behind. Gary Smith was moved to right midfield with Rob O'Flaherty once again back on the left.
Their plans took an early blow, however, as the home side added a fourth shortly after the restart. In previous matches this would have been the final nail in the coffin but Camboli seemed to galvanise themselves and finally began to play some good football and take the game to their opponents.
Hopes of a comeback may have been thin when skipper Gosnell pulled a goal back from a smartly taken free kick on 58 minutes but when Gary Smith scored his first goal of the match five minutes later, the away fans began to sense something special might be on the cards.
Camboli began to attack in waves with every member playing their part. Tom Welburn decided on a change of formation to continue to take the fight to the home side as he introduced Ben Fowler for the final 25 minutes and Camboli went 3-4-3 in a big push. International were rocking as Camboli drew level with a Gary Smith header from a Dave Aird throw on 72 minutes and were truly stunned when the visitors edged 5-4 ahead with 10 minutes remaining. Another monster throw and the Aird-Smith combination resulted in Smith's first hat-trick for the club.
Camboli kept their 3-4-3 formation despite taking the lead as they tried to maintain their momentum, however inevitably they began to drop deeper and deeper and eventually conceded a corner in the final minute. Having only half cleared the corner and with plenty of bodies rooted in the penalty area, a hopeful cross was bundled in by the home side to equalise with the help of an unfortunate deflection off Aird.
Whilst many of the away support were almost physically sick with despair, Camboli pressed forward in stoppage time and forced a corner. With only a few seconds of stoppage time remaining, a goal line scramble ensued from the the corner and Gary Smith fired into the net through a crowd of players for an unbelievable fourth goal (doubling his lifetime tally of goals in a flash) and securing a victory that their heroic efforts deserved. Next up. Crab & Dragon.
