There was a sense of excitement as Greshams gathered for the fixture against Falcons. Buoyed by an opening day victory, the long promised new kit was finally making an appearance and the weather was perfect for a game. Resplendent in the stylish new blue outfit with gold flashes, the players lined up for a series of team and individual photos, and what a good looking bunch of specimens were on display. Certainly Greshams cannot be accused of discrimination with the players ranging in age from 17 to 48 and every conceivable size and shape of the male form being represented!!!!!!
With most of the back four from the previous match unavailable, Greshams were forced to shuffle the pack and bring in another new face in the form of Tommo, who lined up alongside the veteran Justin Wythe, making yet another comeback in the heart of the Greshams defence. Beeson and Steve Adams were at full back while the returning Jonny partnered Cashjunior in the heart of midfield with the decrepit form of Cashsenior on the left and the rather younger Froudy on the right. Steve Burton, rendered immobile by a trapped nerve in his back, was up front with Ryan, and Anthony Snell was on the bench. Tony Newton, awaiting official clearance to play after his deadline day transfer ran into some technical hitches, ran the line.
In an even first half, it was Greshams who looked the livelier. With Tommo and Justin solid in defence, Tom was pulling the strings in midfield and Froudy was looking sharp and dangerous down the right. Falcons' chances were mostly of Greshams making, the most bizarre happened when Steve Adams unaccountably decided to hook the ball across his own goal into the path of the Falcons forward. Luckily the striker, perhaps as a result of astonishment at being presented with such a gilt edged chance, blazed horribly over. Greshams were also getting half chances, mostly as a result of Froudy's pace down the right. Froudy broke clear on one occasion and lashed in a shot but it screamed lamentably into the side netting.
Greshams best chance of the half fell to Justin. The veteran ghosted into the box to meet a perfect corner from Froudy, unmarked, but just made the wrong contact and the ball bounced agonisingly wide.
Half Time Greshams 0 Falcons 0
Greshams carried on where they left off in the second half and took a deserved lead through the unlikely form of Phil 'The Beast' Beeson. Phil found himself unmarked at another perfect Froudy corner and made no mistake, bursting the net with a bullet header from point blank range.
Greshams seemed quite comfortable at this point but were disrupted by an injury to their right back Steve Adams. Steve, perhaps unaware of the presence of the Falcons player, was dealing comfortably with a bouncing ball when a flailing Falcons boot collided with his head. After trying valiantly to continue, Steve had to leave the field and with no defenders on the bench Greshams were forced to reorganise. Snelly came on to partner Burts up front with Ryan, who had worked hard and done well up front, dropped to left midfield with Cashen to left back and Phil switching to the right.
Within a few minutes of his introduction, Anthony, getting into good positions up front, linked well with Ryan and found himself through on goal with a great chance for 2-0. However at the critical moment the ball ran away from him and he ended up bizarrely falling over the ball and the chance went begging.
However the changes in formation had seemed to disrupt Greshams who rather fell to pieces in the final quarter of the match and conceded four goals in quick succession to see the game taken away from them. A disappointing free header from a corner gave Falcons the equaliser while minutes later, a long range shot was well saved by Josh but the attacker reacted first and stuck the ball into the open net. The last two goals saw Greshams caught square at the back and with the commendably honest (????!!!!!!!) Tony Newton running the line, there was no flag to rescue them as the attacker broke clear and lobbed Josh for the third and slotted home a decent finish for the fourth. It would have been five but for a finger tip save by Josh from a well struck shot.
As the game meandered to its conclusion with the result decided, out of nowhere came the worst challenge of the game by a mile. Ultra veteran Cashen was the victim of a horribly over the ball 'tackle' that could have broken his leg but was not deemed worthy of a card by the referee. Some players would have reacted angrily with a volley of foul mouthed abuse and a tirade of childish insults. Mindful of the respect agenda, and of showing a good example to his son - Cashen nevertheless reacted with his customary volley of foul mouthed abuse and tirade of childish insults.
So the season starts won one lost one, but in truth, this was another decent performance particularly in the first half and once the blend of youth and experience settles down, the season holds plenty of promise.
Man of the match goes to Froudy for an excellent first half display but there were good performances all over the pitch. It is good to see the early season excitement pulling in the crowds with almost double figures in attendance on Sunday. Mike Potter's octogenarian cheerleader mother waving her pom poms and being joined by Mrs Tommo and Tommo junior (who seemed to find the game boring and slept through most of it) and Josh's parents on the sidelines. Sadly, Tom Cashen's sister has now gone to university to learn how to drink properly, and it will be a few weeks before she can take her seat in the Greshams utive box.
Next up, another home game and a chance to return to winning ways.
