On a day that saw many twists and turns in the FA Cup, perhaps the most noticeable result came in the prestigious Camberley & District League where AS Camboli handed a 5-0 drubbing to Rushmoor Sunday to send them top of the league.
Other results needed to go their way at the start of play and as the final whistles sounded around the grounds, it was their fierce local rivals "the Crab & Dragon' who beat previous leaders Thorpe that helped Camboli top the charts for the first time since February 2009.
Being top of the table was fitting reward for a display that demonstrated Camboli's growing emergence as serious title challengers. Admittedly their opponents were missing some players through injury but Camboli weren't without their own list of absentees as transfer window signings Charlie Fisher and Dean Penfold were handed their full league debuts in place of Andrew Bradshaw and Jim Welburn respectively. With Rob O'Flaherty (ankle), Mike Hannaway (back), Johnny Hannaway (work) Justin Green (ankle) Alex Williams (babysitting) and James Price (ankle) amongst others all missing it is a measure of how far Camboli's squad has come that they are able to cope with the demands upon them this year.
Chief among the current list of crocks is of course the unknown length of abscence that Camboli face for talismanic goalkeeper Price who anxiously awaits news of the recovery time to his ankle injury. It was with some suprise though that, instead of plunging into the transfer market, Camboli look set to gamble on the previously (semi)retired and sometimes unpredictable stopping skills of their manager Tom Welburn to see them through what are some crucial fixtures ahead.
Also protecting the homeside's goal were Dave Aird alongside debutant Fisher with Putman and Tom Harris the fullbacks. Gary Smith, Sam Welburn and skipper Jonny Gosnell filled the central midfield berths with Ryan Adger and new signing Dean Penfold supporting John Stanborough up front. Camboli started the match reasonably well and could have scored early on with chances falling to Adger, Penfold and Stanborough and were only denied the lead by a combination of some good goalkeeping, suspect finishing and perhaps an even more suspect penalty appeal or two. Rushmoor gradually fought their way back into the match and the game started to become more balanced. Some good defensive marshalling by Aird and debuant Fisher in particular, limited the Rushmoor threat to little more than the odd breakaway but at the same time the home fans began to get a little restless as Camboli struggled to find a breakthrough of their own.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute. The home side earned themselves a corner that was delivered with expert precision by skipper Gosnell to the head of Stanborough who sent a bullet header into the Rushmoor net from 8 yards. The visitors continued to battle but Camboli doubled their advantage moments before the interval with yet another setpiece delivered from the boot of Gosnell, this time eluding nearly everyone in a crowded penalty area except the shrewd goalscoring instincts of Adger who nodded home his 8th goal of the season at the far post.
Despite their advantage it was clear that Camboli could not afford to relax, bearing in mind their narrow 5-4 victory against their opponents earlier in the season after leading 2-0. From the restart though it was immediately apparent that the home side would not let that happen again as they started brightly playing the ball from one flank to the other and keeping possession with a swagger that had the atmosphere now buzzing. Veteran defensive stalwart Stuart Dymond had replaced young Harris at the interval and as always helped to raise the atmosphere. Chances began to come thick and fast as Camboli began to attack on all fronts. Sam Welburn, Gary Smith and Dean Penfold began to see more of the ball as the hosts pulled their bedraggled opponents all over the pitch as they probed and searched for openings. Gosnell and Adger also benefitted from the free flowing football on show as the left flank became less congested than it had in the first period.
A third goal was just reward for the home side's efforts and it came from yet another set piece. This time it came from a left sided corner delivered by Adger for topscorer Gary Smith to volley home his 10th goal in 11 games at the near post. Adger himself may have claimed the privilege of topping the scoring charts, indeed on another day he could have notched six or seven as he was denied by good goalkeeping and a couple of squandered chances. Camboli soon introduced guile of the young Irish international Ed O'Flaherty for the tiring but effective Jon Stanborough who had roughed up the Rushmoor defence in much the same way Conor Sammon does for Wigan. However, it was the turn of the fullbacks to show the forward line how to take their chances as Stuart Dymond drilled a superb ball from the righthand side that was met by the head of a charging Putman who had burst into the box like a steamtrain to head home with aplomb.
The lodge was now bouncing as the away fans began to leave. There was still time for Ben Fowler to make an appearance in place of Penfold who had impressed on his full debut with an unselfish display on the right linking well with his team mates and nearly providing goals on numerous occasions. Indeed Sam Welburn almost crowned a solid display with a goal as he exchanged passes with Penfold only to be denied by a flying save. In the final 10 minutes there were chances for both sides as Jonny Gosnell fired just over and Adger continued to be denied his elusive second. Rushmoor may even have grabbed a consolation goal as Gary Smith tested the reflexes of a surprised Tom Welburn with a near post header towards his own net that was smartly dealt with. The visitors also hit the bar with a mishit cross that almost crept in but bounced harmlessly away. Had it gone in it would have been rough justice on a back line that had limited Rushmoor efforts with very little fuss.
In the end, the last laugh came from the wily old fox Adger, who latched onto an O'Flaherty flick on, to dance around the flailing legs of the tired Rushmoor defence before eluding the despairing dive of the defiant keeper with a crafty drop of the shoulder and slipping the ball into an empty net.
Camboli now face three of their main rivals in the coming weeks that will provide the real clues as to where the title might head. Undoubtledly on this showing their nearest rivals, including the watching Camberley International manager, will be very aware that the Camboli charge is on.
"We were outclassed by Camboli today. It'll take a lot to lift the lads after that but we'll dust ourselves down and bounce back. We owe it to the fans." Dan, Rushmoor manager
"It was a very good team performance today. Just good, unselfish passing football combined with a good work ethic which is the standard the club expects. Everyone performed well and we controlled the game. I thought we were especially good in the second half and we kept going til the end which was good to see." Tom Welburn, AS Camboli manager
