Man of the Match- Laurence Hind
Goal of the Match- Laurence’s second goal from Matt’s pass across the keeper
Moment of the Match- Olly’s ridiculously good tackle
Mediterranean conditions at the Meridian as Bexley stormed to their second league win over relatively unknown opponents Meridian FC. Two wins from two games take the newly promoted side to joint top with Barca.
Bexley lined up with Adam and Calum filling the voids left by Kev and Mark respectively. Rob would be pushed forward to left midfield and James Brown would regain his place at right back.
Bexley started the better team immediately attacking the Meridian back four. Long balls into the box gave Lee a chance to challenge the keeper; with his second header floating just wide. Rob then had a volley from inside the box sliced high and over. When pressurised, the Meridian keeper was unconvincing and Bexley quickly established he was not a regular between the sticks; an area they would exploit during the game.
Up the other end, the was an early drama for Bexley as almost headed the ball over his own keeper. Catastrophe avoided, Bexley’s defending left their keeper relatively redundant throughout the match as Meridian were reduced to one speculative shot straight at Dan in the early exchanges.
The away side took a deserved lead twenty minutes in. Steve received the ball on the left, travelled past two players with ease to the by-line, centred the ball with his left foot to Olly who on his second touch fired through the goalkeeper to score his first goal for his new team. First blood Bexley but Meridian would bite back immediately. Meridian got in on the left, and a miss hit shot was taken under control by the attacker. Lee didn’t get tight to his man who rolled him and found the far corner.
The game then turned into a scrappy affair with the referee failing to spot several fouls. Bexley would have the better of the opportunities with Adam volleying high and wide. Calum looked threatening on the right slotting Laurence and Matt into several decent positions. The pressure eventually paid off as Adam’s long free kick into the keeper caused mayhem, and Laurence was on scene to calmly slot home.
This time Bexley would stay tight, with Laurie and Rob moving the ball well, and Olly coming from nowhere pouncing like a lion to tackle a surging striker on the edge of his own box. Two would become three just before half time as a splendid pass by Matt fed his hungry strike partner who finished supremely with his left foot across the keeper. At half time, the first half performance was deemed “Magical” by the manager. Calum went to work, MJ entered at right midfield for his first outing.
Second half and Meridian upped the ante making Bexley second best. Olly and Laurie were getting dispossessed more often and Bexley as a team were struggling to hold onto the ball. However, like the game last week when Bexley were pinned back they remained a disciplined defensive unit. However, this was breached mid way through the second half with another preventable goal. A long through found the Meridian captain who turned Laurie and hit a sweet close range volley in at the near post. Both the defender and the goalkeeper will probably feel they could have done more with that goal.
Further injuries would disrupt the second half as the referee allowed the game to continue for 55 minutes. Some poor conduct from the home side led to three bookings, perhaps frustration in themselves at only managing two attempts on goal in the second half, one wide, and a soft attempt easily fielded by the keeper. Bexley had their moments, notably Laurie’s long range effort narrowly wide and Laurence beating the defence to centre the ball but no one managed to follow up for a simple tap in.
After being on the back foot for much of the second half Bexley sealed the game. Steve was the architect and ironically it involved a dodgy pass back. Left back bird hit a rather hopeful ball up the line. The right back’s ution of passing back to his keeper was less than perfect and Laurence clearly still hungry didn’t pass up an opportunity for a hat trick by slotting a right footed controlled shot FIFA style into the far car, sealing a 4-2 win.
Bexley enter the Division 2 leader trophy next week against Sparrows Lane who lost 6-2 to Valley Park Rangers in their last outing. Scouting Officer Hall reported the team to be a good outfit, strong in the air, but lacking pace.
