O&G United recorded their seventh straight league victory by beating a depleted CCK team 2-0 in a hard fought match at Aldrington Recreation Ground. Rob Woodward’s incredible display of goalkeeping couldn’t quite earn a result for CCK.
Several absences caused a slight re-shuffle in the CCK ranks. Doug Reid partnered Jacob Fortescue at centre half, while Mike Preston and Ben Tucker played as full backs. In the midfield Tim Rose returned to the side in central midfield alongside Dave Sewell, while Dan Harnden and Tim Virgo were deployed on the wings. Dave Jones and Pete Coggan looked to create a good attacking partnership. The game got off to a slow start with both sides taking time to settle into the game. The passing from both sides was lacking as the ball spent most of the time on the middle third of the pitch. The first chance fell to CCK when Dan Harnden’s cross from the right was met by the head of Tim Virgo who flicked the ball on. Dave Jones managed to poke the ball goal wards but the keeper had closed down on the attacking midfielder and made the block. Several set pieces from CCK threatened as they had a brief spell of pressure. Then O&G began to show why they had risen to second in the league after a great run of form. The black and whites were unrelenting in their long balls and physical pressure. Rob Woodward was called into action with some outstanding saves saving the blushes of his non-cohesive defenders who were struggling to communicate efficiently. A United goal was on the cards and it came in a rather scrappy fashion when an un-tracked run from the right midfielder reaped havoc in the Badgers penalty area. The squared header came out to another unmarked player who’s shot was miss-hit, only for the ball to fall kindly to the striker who was able to tap the ball in at the far post. The yellows struggled to respond as positive passing moves were spoiled by individual errors or a rushed ball over the top. CCK had Rob Woodward to thank for keeping them in the game. More fine saves followed by the save of the day, tipping a point blank shot onto the post and away.
CCK seemed a different side in the opening stages of the second half. Passes were neat and crisp as Dave Jones and Pete Coggan showed neat touches in attacking positions, linking the play well, allowing Dan Harnden and Tim Virgo to supply some threatening crosses into the box. Dave Sewell and Tim Rose started dominating the midfield battle. It was Sewell who set Pete Coggan through on goal during this good spell of pressure. Coggan raced through and attempted to lob the advancing keeper. Unfortunately for Coggan and CCK, the effort lacked the sufficient height to clear the keeper who was able to save CCK’s best chance of the game. They were made to pay just moments later when O&G doubled their lead. A poor decision by the referee to over-rule his assistant and award a throw in to United cost CCK as the ball clearly came off a player in black and white last. The ball was subsequently hooked forward allowing their right winger to unleash a powerful shot towards goal. Rob Woodward made a superb save diving to his right, only for the ball to fall kindly again for an O&G player to hammer the ball into the net. This took the stuffing out of CCK who continued to battle hard but with no end product. Mike Preston was replaced by Galen Abraham soon after the goal. CCK’s final ball was lacking and the build up play regressed to that more familiar of their first half performance. Instead O&G looked far more likely to rack up an impressive result. This was prevented by one man in particular. Rob Woodward made more awesome saves to keep the score respectable. His finest of the second half came when a ferocious strike looked destined for the back of the net. Woodward not only managed to prevent the goal, he also caught the effort low down to his right. The game had fizzled out as a contest and when the whistle blew, both sides were put out of their misery. CCK due to their lack-lustre performance. O&G United due to the frustration caused by the succession of chances thwarted by the Badgers’ keeper.
CCK Manager Tim Rose spoke with BBC Radio 5 Live after the match, and was keen for his side to forget this result and concentrate on the crunch double header with Portslade Athletic, “Both sides came into the game today in great form, on the back of impressive winning runs, something had to give, and unfortunately it was our run that came to an end. I feel sorry for Rob today as he was fantastic and didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. As a team we can’t have many complaints as they performed well and we didn’t. We had a number of key absentee’s which didn’t help. What we need to do now is move on, forget this result, and focus on two massive matches coming up next week.” Tim Virgo was also keen to praise his goalkeeper after the game, when he spoke with the media, “Rob was great today, and we could have lost by a much greater margin if not for him. As a team we didn’t play well today. We’d string together four or five neat passes and then a pass would go stray, and so we never really got any momentum going forward. To be fair they are a good side and it’s not this game which will determine our season, it’s the upcoming matches against those around us in the league that will be crucial.” Virgo presented the bubbly to Rob Woodward who had mixed emotions about the game, “It’s nice to be acknowledged for my individual performance, but having lost the game I’m naturally disappointed. I hope I won’t be kept as busy in the coming matches, which we really have to win.” Victoria Recreation Ground is the venue for the Badgers first relegation dog-fight with Portslade Athletic on the 27th March.
