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Second Team Manager: Simon White Captain: Mike Reed 2nd TEAM FIXTURES 2009 - 2010
Match Reports 2009 - 2010 20th February 13th February Merton 2 - 2 Old Salesians (League) (Home) Scorers: Eruero, Pearce P Report: 30th January Merton 3 - 2 Carshalton (League) (Home) Scorers: Thomas, Pearce P, Murphy Report: 23rd January Merton 0 - 4 Old Owens (League) (Away) Report: 12th December Merton 2 - 3 Winchmore Hill (League) (Away) Scorers: Pearce P, Own Goal Report: 21st November Merton 0 - 2 Nottsborough (Cup) (Away) Report: 7th November Merton 0 - 0 Carshalton (League) (Away) Report: Merton travelled away to face Carshalton in a match that pitched 2nd vs 3rd and a close game was expected and this is certainly what was delivered. We didn’t start the game particularly well and our defence were forced to make a number of blocks but as the new midfield partnership of Simon White and Ali Karia started to get more of a foothold in the game, we started to get more of the ball – the second half of the first half was where we were able to exert some pressure with Mike Reed running on to a through ball from Lofty that was chipped over the keeper but also the bar. A sense of injustice was felt after Barry Hughes had a perfectly good goal disallowed – he picked the ball up wide on the right, cut in and fired a shot in off the near post, but due to a Merton player returning from an offside position on the other side of the goal, the ref (who later admitted he was wrong), blew his whistle and the score stayed at 0-0. We came in at half time feeling we’d got on top and could get something out of the game. The second half featured fewer chances and was a bit more on the physical side, this was a result of the ref’s tendency to allow play to continue with increasing frequency. Our play was better than the previous few weeks with good link up play shown from our midfielders, although we didn’t create any clear cut chance. Paul Cardazzone was called upon to make a couple of good saves towards the end and kept the scores level – conceding at this point would have been an unfair reflection of the game in which Carshalton were well organised and a draw was probably a fair result but given the goal we had disallowed, we felt unlucky not to win it. At the end of the day, we’ve kept our unbeaten away league record going at a place where Merton reserves have tended to struggle which is all positive and next week we are back in cup action with a tough away game in the land of Ali G... Aiiii hope we get a win.... Line up – P. Cardazzone, C. Hailstone, D. Pearce, A. Morrison, L. Cosgrove, E. Eurero, A. Karia, S. White, B. Hughes, Y. Alalade (J. Bundy 70 mins), M. Reed (capt) 31st October Merton 2 - 1 AET Old Kingsburians (Cup) (Home) Scorers: Eruero, Hughes Report: An eventful game void of fluidity saw Merton sneak through to the next round of the AFA Cup with a goal in the second half of extra time. Merton changed to a wing-back formation in order to create more of an attacking impetus, in particular down the wings and on the balance of the first half we had most the possession which resulted in a number of attacks but we were unable to test the goalkeeper until about 30 minutes. We scored just after this time, with a Simon White set piece being met by Ede Eruero who headed home to notch his first goal of the season. With getting one goal and the play we had, we thought that we could then go and win the game but we were hit with a sucker punch by conceding a goal within 90 seconds. We lost the ball in midfield and Old King’s broke but danger didn’t look too apparent but their striker managed to work himself a bit of space and hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner. After this, we couldn’t really repeat our play of earlier in the game and the game become a bit niggly with countless fouls being awarded to both sides. The breakthrough came when Paul Pearce was played through and rounded the keeper who promptly brought him down, despite lengthy and vociferous protests from the opposition a penalty was awarded which Barry cooly despatched. After this Paul had another chance to score but his shot from distance, with the keeper stranded was cleared off the line. We withstood some pressure throughout the game which tended to centre around their rather large number 8 who liked using a hand off or two, and a fair result probably would have been a draw, but we took more chances and that is what counts... Still need to improve our play in particular, with getting the ball wide. Next up, back to league action away at Carshalton. Line up – P. Cardazzone, L. Cosgrove (C. Hailstone 65mins), J. Thomas, S. Carpenter, D. Pearce, B. Hughes (1 goal), M. Reed (capt), S. White (F. Haswell 80mins), P. Pearce, E. Eruero (1 goal) (D. Warren 70mins), Y. Alalade. 24th October Merton 0 - 2 Civil Service (League) (Home) Report: 17th October Merton 3 - 2 East Barnet Old Grammerians (League) (Home) Scorers: D Pearce, Reed, Hall Report: Late cry offs from Scott Carpenter and Chris Hailstone meant a reshuffle at the back with Fraser Haswell coming in at left back, Alex Morrison moving across to right back and Jason Thomas coming in at centre back, alongside Darren Pearce, for his Merton debut. The remainder of the team remained the same as the previous week and the changes initially appeared to have little impact on our play as we started very well and had a lot of possession in the opposition’s half and forced a couple of corners, but after 10 minutes EBOG started to come back into it and against the run of play took the lead with a far post header from one of their midfielders after a good cross from their striker on the right wing. This spurred us back into action and minutes later we thought we’d scored after Barry Hughes corner was headed onto the underside of the bar by Paul Pearce but it was adjudged not to have crossed the line and we were unable to force home the rebound. Moments later a cross from the left just missed the giant that is Simon White and another opportunity passed us by. The next incident was pretty significant not only in the match but also for the rest of our season, in that a run down the right wing from Warren Burton resulted in him getting his studs caught in the turf and subsequently he twisted his knee and is expected to be out of action for a long time which will be a big loss for us (post match note – Warren is having an operation this Wednesday and we all wish him a speedy recovery – we hope to be able to find a pair of shorts big enough for him by the time he returns). An ambulance was called as this delayed resumption of play for approximately half an hour. Dan Hall came on for Warren and the delay had no impact on our play as within 5 minutes we’d not only equalised but taken the lead too. The first came from a Barry corner which was back heeled across the face of goal by Lofty to Darren who finished from close range. The second was from a bit further out – their keeper’s attempted clearance only reached the halfway line and Mike Reed initially told Barry to shoot, but after Barry felt Mustard was better placed to do so, Mustard obliged and hit a shot on the half volley into the top corner from inside the centre circle. That has never happened before and will never happen again. We held them out for another 15 minutes or so but they were coming more and more into the game and it wasn’t much of a surprise that they equalised. It was a well worked goal where we were caught out down our left hand side and a cross was put in which their number 11 (who had a very good game by floating in between midfield and attack) dispatched and gave Angus no chance. We went in at half time even and although we’d scored two our play at times was sloppy as we’d rushed a lot of balls first time where with a bit more thought, could have kept possession. The second half was a lot less incident packed and on the balance of play, EBOG had the better half but we were able to take our chance with Dan Hall nodding home ahead of the keeper after a pinpoint free kick from Lofty. We survived a couple of late penalty scares and Angus, like last week, did very well coming to punch a number of high balls to help clear our lines. Also, Jason Thomas had a very solid debut in defence. This was a hard fought victory where we didn’t play as well as we know we can but that’s now 10 points from 12 and puts us 2nd on goal difference but we’ve got to keep this hard work going all season..... Line up – A. Lees, A. Morrison, J. Thomas, D. Pearce (1 goal), F. Haswell, L. Cosgrove, M. Reed (capt) (1 goal), S. White (C. Callus 80mins), B. Hughes, W. Burton (D. Hall 15mins (1 goal)) (Y. Alalade 75mins), P. Pearce. 10th October Merton 1 - 0 Winchmore Hill (League) (Home) Scorer: Hughes Report: Back to league action for Merton Reserves following last week’s friendly win, again we were expecting another tough game and we put out the same outfield 10 that secured the win against West Wickham, the only change being Angus Lees coming into goal for his debut to replace the injured Joe Tomkins. We started the game well and were able to exert pressure on their defence a number of times within the first 5 minutes, but as time progressed, Winchmore Hill came into the game more. The game become very bitty with a number of stoppages for niggley fouls and dissent and from a free kick from outside the box, Angus made a very good low save that was destined for the bottom corner. Shortly after this, we took the lead from a free kick that we almost didn’t get, Lewis Cosgrove made a great run and broke beyond the left back who pulled him back on the edge of the box, to everyone’s confusion the ref started to take Lewis’ name despite being fouled but then realising his mistake, he awarded the kick to Merton, Barry Hughes stepped up and hit a low shot hard towards the near post which the wrong footed keeper got a hand to but could only tip it onto the post and it trickled over the line. With the slight wind behind us we weren’t always able to keep the ball on the pitch, but in the second half we were able to use this to our advantage and had the better of the game. We started the second half very well and forced a number of corners which enabled Lewis and Warren Burton to both go very close to scoring with the keeper making good saves. The game was very competitive and again Merton’s formation kept their shape very well, there were good performances all round, Darren Pearce won everything in the air against a physical centre forward and he was very ably supported by Scott Carpenter. Warren had a couple of chances to extend the lead but was unable to get the correct connection on his shots. With us not taking all of our chances, there was always the risk that Winchmore would get an opportunity and punish us for not scoring, but thankfully Angus was solid at the back and made 2 crucial saves and a number of brave punches to ensure our lines were cleared. We now have 7 points from our first 3 games which is an excellent start but as shown against Kew, we can afford to have no complacency at all as all of the games we play in the league this season will be as competitive as this and we must perform at this level in each game. This was probably our best performance of the season and on balance the 3 points were just deserved. Next up, 3 home games in a row starting with East Barnet Old Grammarians this Saturday. Line up – A. Lees, C. Hailstone, S. Carpenter, D. Pearce, A. Morrison, L. Cosgrove, M. Reed (capt), S. White (F. Haswell 80mins), B. Hughes (1 goal), W. Burton, P. Pearce (E. Eruero 70mins). 26th September Merton 0 - 3 Kew Association (Cup) (Away) Report: After two encouraging results against good sides from division 1, we came crashing back to earth with a defeat against lower league opposition Kew. The way we started the game, it really looked like a question of how many we would score with Mike Reed, Warren Burton and Craig Cosgrove all having good opportunities within the first 15 minutes, but as often happens our failure to convert our chances resulted in Kew going ahead with their first real opportunity. Something clicked in the game and we seemed to lose our confidence and decision making and within a few minutes we’d gone behind. We had possession in their half but chose to play the wrong ball which gave them the ball, they broke quickly, won a free kick and their striker escaped his marker, got on the end of a cross and managed to steer a well hit shot past Joe Tomkins and into the corner. Soon after, a moment of indecision in defence enabled their winger to play a ball into the 6 yard box and the striker looked certain to score but Joe pulled off a great save. Just before half time, Kew got their second from a corner with their striker coming off the goal line to head in unchallenged at the near post. We went in at half time, fully aware that we’d not been in the majority of the first half but confident that we could still pull the game back. We started the second half well and forced a corner straightaway but were unable to make it count for anything. The second half was a bit better in terms of performance and we were able to exert pressure that ultimately counted for nothing, the closest we came to scoring was a low shot from Mike after playing a one two with Paul Pearce, but the keeper did well to save the shot. Ricardo Inglesias and Barry Hughes also had opportunities but failed to hit the target. Kew scored a third right at the end and to be fair it was a good finish but it came at a time when positionally we were playing a 3-3-4, in our efforts to score and were probably a bit exposed at the back. As this was a cup game, it thankfully has no impact on our league position but one thing is clear that if we play like that in the league we will really struggle – the key things to take from this game are 1) the importance of making the correct decisions – too often we played the wrong ball, didn’t go for the ball and didn’t mark and 2) wanting to win – they wanted it more than us and it showed, it wasn’t a case of physicality it was desire – to win, we have to be prepared to put ourselves into areas where we might get hurt, we didn’t do enough of that in this game. The positive is that we know we are a lot better than this as the West Wickham game showed, but that was now 3 games ago and we are only as good as our last game. Let’s make sure that we but this down to experience and get a big improvement from everyone for our next game. Line up – J. Tomkins, L. Cosgrove, D. Pearce, A. Morrison, B. Hughes, C. Cosgrove (R. Inglesias 70 mins), M. Reed (capt), S. White, F. Haswell (S. Head 80 mins), W. Burton, P. Pearce. 19th September Merton 2 - 2 Polytechnic (League) (Away) Scorers: Pearce D, Hughes Report: After last week’s away win against last season’s 4th placed team, this week it was away to last season’s 3rd placed team, this was accentuated by the fact that Polytechnic’s 1s weren’t playing so we certainly expected another tough test on the road. On a long pitch, we struggled to get into the rhythm of the game as Polytechnic kept possession well, but were unable to break our back line down. As the game progressed, we came into the match more and created opportunties for Warren Burton and Paul Pearce but they were unable to convert. Polytechnic took the lead after about 30 minutes and it came down to lack of communication from our part on 2 occasions in the same move, where twice 2 Merton players went for the same ball and it eventually broke to their striker who scored from close range. Shortly after this, a long ball over the top saw their striker outpace our defence but Joe Tomkins made a very good close range stop. In the second half, we got back into the game by virtue of Darren Pearce receiving a slap to the head during a corner and as a result their player was sent off and a penalty was awarded. Barry Hughes, who had a very good game at left back, cooly converted the penalty by sending the keeper the wrong way. With an extra man, we hoped to be able to push on and get a winner but in reality we were not able to make our numerical advantage count and it was Polytechnic who took the lead again after about 75 minutes – the goal came from a corner that we couldn’t clear and the ball was played back in, one of their players dummied the ball which enabled Polytechnic to score with a very good finish in the far bottom corner. Barry was unlucky with a shot that he fizzed across the goal and it looked to be heading into the far corner but their keeper was able to divert it wide. Also, Warren got on the end of a good cross from Cameron Clark and connected too well which meant it was driven right down the throat of the keeper. Our second goal came with less than 10 minutes to go and was a typical Darren goal with a far post header from a Simon White corner. Joe made another good save at the end and the game finished as a draw. This was a different type of performance compared to last week and our quality was not as high, but saying that, before the season started we would have been happy with 4 points from our first 2 games away from home. This was more a show of resilience but we need to do more to up the quality of our play and play closer together as a unit to ensure that the midfield can support the front two. Next week, a break from leage action as we are away to Kew in the Surrey / Kent cup. Line up – J. Tomkins, C. Hailstone, D. Pearce (1 goal), A. Morrison, B. Hughes (1 goal), C. Callus (R. Inglesias 70 mins), M. Reed (capt), S. White, C. Clark, W. Burton, P. Pearce. 12th September Merton 1 - 0 West Wickham (League) (Home) Scorer: Pearce P Report: We faced a bit of a step into the unknown by being the first Merton team to compete in the top division of their section since the early 80s and as West Wickham finished 4th last year, we knew this game would be a good illustration of what it will take to be successful in this league. The victory we gained was due to a combination of improved preparation, keeping our shape throughout the whole team, a good finish, brave defending & goalkeeping and all round hard work. West Wickham started the game well but it wasn’t long before the balance of play had evened out – their defence really struggled to play against Warren Burton and they couldn’t get the ball of him either in the air or on the floor, without resorting to unlawful challenges (football laws not The Law!). In the first half both Warren and Paul Pearce had opportunities that were blocked on the line and we were unfortunate not to go ahead, at the other end, Joe Tomkins, making his competitive debut for the reserves, showed great command of his goal and the box by dealing with some difficult crosses, one in particular, under a lot of pressure from their attacker. Due to organised defending, led by Darren Pearce at the back, they were restricted to very few chances and the structure of our team meant they were also unable to break through. As the half ended we were positive about the way we were playing but knew that to get something out of the game, we needed to do the at least the same and possibly more. Within the first 10 minutes of the second half, Simon White hit the bar with a headed / shouldered effort, then Warren lobbed the keeper when through one on one but put it just past the post, Warren also had a well hit free kick tipped over. Then the goal came, Mike Reed drew a foul just inside the Merton half and Warren took a quick free kick which released Paul who was able to get ahead of his defender, hold off the challenge, take the ball past the keeper and slot home from a tight angle. We kept playing the same way after the goal and kept ourselves solid at the back, with Chris Hailstone and Lewis Cosgrove proving to be an impenetrable wall down our right hand side. Additionally Scott Carpenter and Alex Morrison’s performances at the back were very encouraging. Chris Callus and Fraser Haswell were brought on for their debuts late at the end to provide fresh legs and we survived a late scare at the end with Darren blocking a shot from close range. We need to perform at this level every week and can not afford to take anything for granted as this is only 1 game out of 20 – next week, away to Polytechnic whom finished 3rd last year and will provide another strong test for us. Well done all – That’s the Merton Way! Line up – J. Tomkins, C. Hailstone, S. Carpenter, D. Pearce, A. Morrison, L. Cosgrove, M. Reed (capt), S. White (F. Haswell 85mins), B. Hughes, W. Burton, P. Pearce (1 goal) (C. Callus 80mins). |
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