Coming on the back of three wins on the spin, it was a confident Greshams who assembled at a cold and breezy Walton Lane Rec, where they discovered they would be playing on probably the biggest pitch in the league. Hunn and Norfolk were late arrivals, with Hunn’s bedraggled appearance giving little indication of the top notch performance to come.
The three previous games had been won with relative comfort, but as Cooky stressed prior to the game, Rangers would present an altogether sterner challenge. The team that would ultimately rise magnificently to that challenge was: Rob in goals; an unchanged back four of Beardo, Cookie, Hamblin and Cash; a midfield of Froudy Matt Sam and the returning Tom; and Hunn and Norfolk up front with Snelly and Josh representing the Academy on the bench.
Despite Cookie’s pre match warning that everyone would need to raise their game, Greshams got off to a very slow start and fell behind in the opening phase of the game. A soft goal it was as well, with Greshams failing to react to a number of chances to clear the ball before it ended up at the attacker’s feet to the right of the Greshams goal from where it was despatched comfortably across Rob giving him no chance.
After this early shock however, Greshams started to come in to the game. Some great interlinking down the right culminated in Froudy being put through but his shot went agonisingly beyond the far post. The work rate and passing were now falling in to place for Greshams and they continued to press and were desperately unlucky not to go in level when they hit the bar on two separate occasions, much to the loudly expressed frustration of manager Cashen.
Then, just as Greshams were coming back into the game, Rangers grabbed a lucky second when a Hamblin back pass fell fractionally short. Rob just failed to make the ball, but with Cookie and Cashen back on the line and Rob recovering, Rangers still had some work to do. In the end they found the net rather fortuitously when Rob’s despairing fingertips diverted the ball fractionally away from Cashen on the line.
Greshams continued to press through to half time but were just unable to find the breakthrough their play deserved.
Half time Rangers 2 Greshams 0
Despite the scoreline, Greshams went in to half time without any discouragement. They had played some great football but given away a couple of soft goals and all the players knew that they were still in the game. After half time however, they were to produce one of the best halves of football seen by Greshams for many a long season.
In previous weeks Greshams had started the second half slowly but today they simply tore in to Rangers from the very opening minutes of the half and within minutes, pulled a goal back, and what a goal. Tom had been below his best after a few weeks out but he played a full part in the goal. There was a brilliant exchange of short passes on the edge of the Rangers box involving Tom, Froudy and Steve Norfolk and it ended with Tom sidefooting the ball brilliantly into the bottom corner.
2 – 1 and Greshams were right back in it. The foundations were being laid in centre midfield where Matt and in particular Sam were putting in a real shift and disrupting everything Rangers were trying to create. At the back Hamblin responded brilliantly to the setback in the first half with a really determined second half performance.
It was no surprise then when Greshams levelled, with an almost routine goal this time, as Matt knocked the ball through for Richard Hunn to run on to. Richard outpaced the defence, opened up his body and side footed calmly into the bottom corner.
Having levelled, Greshams went into a little lull and allowed Rangers to get a foothold in the game. However for all their possession, Rangers were unable to hurt Greshams, the only scares coming from set plays which were floating dangerously over the defenders heads on the wind. However with great communication along the back line and a good defensive shape, Greshams were not allowing Rangers any real chances.
As the game moved on, Greshams again came into it as an attacking force. They were having a lot of joy with the ball behind the full back from Cashen to Hunn, and this nearly brought success only on one occasion for the shot to flash agonisingly across the goal, and on another, for the Rangers keeper to make a fantastic double save.
The third goal when it came was a real special one. There looked to be nothing on for Tom when he was picked out by a ball from Steve Norfolk. Isolated, and with no support in the box, out of nothing Tom shimmied to unbalance the defender, before curling a brilliant right footed shot over the keeper and in to the top corner, what a finish!!! Little did we know that it was only going to be the second best goal scored on the day!
Greshams again went close when more brilliant passing culminated with Froudy setting the ball up perfectly for Matt who ran on to the ball and caught it an absolute treat, only for it to fly inches past the post. This was unlucky for Matt who deserved a goal for the level of his performance this week. Shortly later however, Greshams scored the goal they needed to give themselves a little breathing space. Rob rolled the ball short to Cashen and once again it was the ball forward from Cashen to Richard Hunn that caused all sorts of problems for the Rangers defence. This time Rick made ground down the left and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Froudy on the edge of the ‘D’. Froudy struck the ball absolutely beautifully – with his right foot this week - and it simply flew into the net, right in the top corner, an absolute screamer of a goal that would have graced any level of football; a fitting goal to deservedly cap a brilliant second half performance by Greshams.
With a little margin of safety Greshams were able to introduce their academy players who also did their bit in a surprisingly long period of injury time, to ensure that Greshams ended with an excellent and well deserved victory.
Full Time Rangers 2 Greshams 4
Man of the Match
It is hard to pick a Man of the after such a great team performance. The dressing room was buzzing at full time as Greshams reflected on a great victory gained through some brilliant football and including three stunning goals. All the outfield players did well and Rob, one late save apart, really didn’t need to make a save worthy of the name. The back four were solid and determined, the work rate from the midfield was incredible, and the wide men made first class contributions with Tom despite being slightly rusty getting two vital goals and Froudy scoring an absolute screamer. Up front, both Hunn and Norfolk had their best games since returning to the Club.
However someone has to win the bubbly and the players vote for Man of the Match went to Sam Martin for an all action display full of energy and running. The platform for the attacking players to show their skills was set in central midfield so Sam is a deserved recipient of the Dom Perignon. Well played mate.
