A bright and breezy day at the Clapham Common Arena welcomed the beginning of the Central London Sunday Super League Premier Division for 2011/12, and a meeting between two sides hotly tipped to challenge for honours.
The statistic that Clapham Alexandra have yet, in 3 preceding seasons, been able to deprive a combative Rio Kaiserslauten team of any points could surely be ignored going into the fixture given the fresh new look the Alexandra side had gained pre-season - with chairman Tom Riley opening the cheque book on several occasions throughout the summer to bring in quality and depth to the squad.
Starting with a typical 4-4-2 formation, Clapham soon settled and were able to, despite the swirling winds, get the ball down and play some neat and intricate football during the early exchanges. Notable contributions in the air and in the tackle coming from Tom Stroud in the centre of the park, and new boy James Ashford, deputising for the absent Rupert Templeman at the back. Clapham established a type of dominance early on that should bode well for the season ahead.
In a half short of clear-cut chances, it was only the Rio 'keeper that was anywhere near tested, first from a close range strike from Griffiths after a low near post corner from White, where he produced a smart reflex stop, before being worried by a classy lob from a dynamic looking Joe Cheeseman, marauding in from left-back.
The Alex couldn't find a way through despite playing much the better football, and became victims of their own fluency in the 37th minute when against the run of play, and caught on the hop with numbers streaming forward, they lost possession and the ball was spread out left to Rio's pacey number 7. He hit the channels, with Rio boasting 4 vs 3, and produced a fine outside of the right boot centre for the ever dangerous Rio captain Max (insert Irish surname here) to emphatically head home past a despairing Gandy.
Not much can be learned from the concession of this goal, but on the whole, the Alex must become more clinical if they are to challenge for silverware this season.
The start of the second half saw Clapham instantly regroup, and play some lovely football across the park, and the Alex were unlucky not to find a leveller after White played through Wood with a beautifully weighted pass, only for the most unlikely of outcomes when the Rio keeper saved well with his feet from Wood's low drive one-on-one.
The long off-season break started to take its toll however, and the influential Matt Wood was forced to withdraw to be replaced by Wardle shortly after the break. Impact was almost immediately achieved when, combining well with Miller, Wardle produced a rare left-foot cross that caused havoc in the box and resulted in first a Miller strike, then one for Wardle himself being heroically charged down around 6 yards out.
Another Clapham break from Wardle down the left saw him cut inside to be felled by the Rio right back. Stepping up to take the resultant free kick, the left midfielder whipped a devilishly curling and dipping strike in which came crashing back off the crossbar. Rio were on the rack, but the Alex just couldn;t seem to find a way though - and the hatches of the oppositions defence were gradually being battened down.
As the game progressed Clapham continued to dominate proceedings, pushing forward, and showing competency across the park. Gandy produced a great stop against the run of play from point blank range, and in attack the side showed fluidity and robustness belying the fact that there were several new faces in the side.
Ultimately, there was no way through for the Alex lads, and the referee blew the whistle to bring the curtain down on an entertaining and closely fought encounter. Clapham can be encouraged by their peformance, and will eye the corresponding fixture later on this season with a hope of coming away with three points.
