Gandy
Will, Rupert Beef, Safa, Dave
Woody Allcott Stroudy Miller
Goodman
Mantell
Clapham Alexandra extended their winning run to six games against bottom of the league Rio Kaiserslauten, Alex are now with a run of form only equalled by the top sides in Europe at the time of writing (Barcelona and Norwich City)
Off the back of last weeks superb 5-0 Super Sunday victory, the Alex were hoping to put on a show for the Battersea Park faithful, but were met with a pitch so boggy that it would require top attitudes from one to eleven for the conditions not to become a leveller for the bottom side.
The Alex began with a strong back five of, the ever commanding Gandy the Great in goal, a centre back partnership of real composure in Beef and the returning Rupert and assured, positive fullbacks in Will Sanders and Dave Moore.
With Jon 'Daisy' Dey on route to the ground from a night in Leeds, the ever adaptable Tom Stroud slotted in alongside James Allcott in the centre of midfield. Positioned within the lush green flanks were last weeks hat trick hero Matt Wood, on the left and Oli Miller on the right. Rob Goodman took on the task of operating in the bog behind lone striker and all round battering ram….Iain Mantell.
The Alex struggled to get going offensively in the first twenty minutes as they found themselves unable to get the ball down and pass through the centre of the field, two early shocks did come in the first half with Tom ‘the Glamour’ Stroud getting himself muddy with a second minute slide tackle and James ‘The Marble’ Allcott winning a few headers!
Mid way through the half and Clapham made a tactical switch, with Rob Goodman moving out to wide right and Oli Miller joining Mantell to give the away side two out and out strikers up top.
And it was Goodman and Miller who finished off a great counter attacking move to give the Alex the lead after 40 Minutes.
From their own area, Allcott read a pass from the right side of the box towards a midfielder, to intercept on the edge of the box and began a sweeping move towards the Rio goal. Allcott passed the ball onto Stroud who drive deeper into the opposition half before playing a ball to Mantell. Mantel from the edge of the box played in Goodman, who unselfishly/ accidentally assisted Oli Miller who finished beautifully from a tight angle on the right hand side of the penalty area.
Half Time 1-0
Half time saw the arrival of John Dey to the bench and he was soon in the thick of the acton rejoining usual midfield partner Allcott 10 minutes into the second half
The swamp like conditions were always going to be a leveller making it hard to play the football Clapham Alex are now famous for. But the unpaying punters were still treated to samba style second goal from Clapham.
Dave Moore who had moved up into left midfield by this point, played a one two down the line with Allcott. Then with some great one touch passing Moore found Goodman in the box, who found Allcott, who immediately returned the ball to back to Goodman inside the box. Goodman, surrounded by defenders then showed great quick feet to shimmy past two before passing the ball into the far corner with a cheeky finish. GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!
Alex continued to be dominant, but still on occasion allowed themselves exposed at the back as they searched for more goals. But the back four of Templeman, Thompson, Knighty and Sanders could always be trusted, even if they did nearly get out paced by a 16st stone centre forward, only to be saved by the great wall of Gandy!
It was right back Sanders, who began the Alex’s third and final goal of both the game and 2012.
'The Colonel' as he is affectionately known, darted up the right wing with a vigour that belied his smoking habit and played the ball inside to Allcott. With space to run and the Rio mifielders running on empty, Allcott drove at the heart of the opponents defence, and with the help of some great movement from the tireless Mantell to create space, was able to slot in the on rushing Tom Stroud. Stroud did what he has time and again in 2012 and cooly finished from just inside the right corner of the box into the bottom right corner of the net.
This was a goal Stroud richly deserved after showing versatility, work rate and real quality at both centre midfield and out wide during the game.
A few minutes more and it was all over in what has become a side that has the desire, togetherness and quality to achieve a lot this season.
FULL TIME 3-0 TO CLAPHAM ALEXANDRA
COME ON THE ALEX!!
