Old oak progressed through the first round of the Grant & Stone Challenge cup with a 4-2 win over league rivals h-town.
This was a classic case of winning despite playing badly, a good habit to have and the sign of a good team. There were several reasons for this, complacency, tactics and some players not playing to the standard they are capable of.
Starting the game with a 4-2-3-1 formation, gunnell and ebberson holding in midfield allowing the attacking trio of Rodriguez, Shadbolt and Piercey to support loan striker Wilkinson. Within the first few minutes we had several attacks on the H-Town goal, with several final passes going astray and crosses being cut out by the opposition goalie and defenders. The breakthrough arrived after 10 minutes, Rodriguez robbing the opposition right back before calmly firing across the goalie to give us an early lead. For the next 20 minutes we were untroubled playing some decent football at times, ebberson and gunnell combining well with Piercey in the centre of midfield and the excellent carpenter making several breaks forward from left back in support of the attack. Wingers rodgriguez and shadbolt were having a lot of joy beating there men for fun and he second goal arrived after the later beat his full back and cut in from the right had side only to see his cross half cleared to the on rushing piercey who calmly finished into the top corner from just inside the area. This was as good as it got as by half time we had thrown away a 2 goal lead with a mad 2 minute spell when we conceded twice, something that has become a fruastrating habit which we need to get rid of. Firstly a corner was swung in from the right hand side, bypassing several players and was finished well by the H- Town defender who had found a yard of space. Within a minute it was 2-2, although there was some controversy with the equaliser, Carpenter in control of a seemingly harmless through ball was clipped as he was about to clear, allowing the H-town striker to fire home from 8 yards out.
Coming in at half time, manager gunnell and assistant Wilkinson agreed a change of shape was needed, the team reverting to a previously successful 4-4-2 formation with Luke carter replacing Dave Roberts, and Matt Gunnell moving back to his preferred centre back position, the change also saw sub 'carter' partnering a previously isolated Wilkinson upfront. The change seemed to have almost immediate impact with us regaining control of the match, creating several chances and forcing a number of corners. The pressure told as in the 56 minute shadbolt wriggled past two defenders and clipped the ball past the keeper, with the ball seemingly heading for the net carter slid in to make sure to deservedly restore our lead. The one way traffic continued until a rare break from the opposition saw defender beattie put in a crunching tackle which saw him booked and left the opposition player rolling around in agony. With the booking in mind manager Gunnell immediately made a change brining on Barlow for beattie at right back. The game was effectively wrapped up on 68 minutes when rodriguez did well down the left hand side beating his man and pulling the ball back to carter who rolled into the path of Wilkinson who fired past the goalie for 4-2. With the 2 goal lead restored and old oak in control of the game, we had many more chances to add further goals, Carter going close 3 times, and also a flurry of 6 corners in the space of 5 minutes which we failed to capitalize on. Late on piercey and and opposition player both picked up bookings for an altercation on the half way line, the final action of the game saw JP hit the crossbar with a decent strike from the edge of the area.
This was a day when the result was more important than the performance, we have booked ourselves a tie with Division three Ickford and one things for sure we will need a better performance to progress further through the completion.
Man of the match was voted for by all registered players in attendance, this week MATT GUNNELL has won it, special praise to Matt Carpenter who had an excellent game again. Results of the vote are displayed below.
Matt Gunnell - 7 Votes
Matt Carpenter - 4 Votes
Jonny Piercey - 3 Votes
Javi Rodgriguez - 2 Votes
Pete Ebberson - 1 Vote
On to next week, lets hope to keep this good run going with an improved performance & victory
Cheers
steve
