Merton 4s v West Wickham 5s – 29th October 2011

After our first loss of the season last week and a string of home games, we today travelled to West Wickham sitting two points behind them in the league with a game in hand.

There were mixed views on the team selection and everyone had their own views on the way we should attack the game and this was probably the cause of our poor start to the game. We were getting on each others’ backs after mistakes and getting unneccessarily involved in little arguments in the midfield. Going through the motions and none of our passing anywhere near where it should be it wasan argument in thne midfield that saw Tommy sent off. Arguing with a West Wickham player, their forward player ran half the length of the pitch to get involved causing a reaction from Tommy which left the ref with no option but to show the red card.

This didnt look good for us with the way we were performing and the fact that this team were obviously one of the better teams in theleague but suddenly with 10 men, everything changed. Our mentality was that we were not going to lose this game and with Dean W pulling the strings and Dean P slipping into centre midfield we seemed a stronger side and in wasnt too noticeable that we were a player down. Everyone started to put a shift in and work for each other and the passing and movement that we have started getting accustomedto came back to its best.

10 minutes from half time a low cross from the right found Jamie on the left who controlled and converted a smart finish to put us in front against the odds.

1-0 Merton and we were turning the corner.

The defence were keeping tight and West Wickham chances were few and far between. A couple of great challenges from Chappell in the centre and a great goaline tackle to defy the West Wickham striker by Glen Porter saw us maintain the clean sheet until half time and go in with a very well deserved lead.

Half-Time 1-0 to Merton.

Tommy apologised to the team at half time for the red card but was just as effective on the sidelines shouting encouragement and praise for the players left on the pitch. We started the second half pretty much where we left off with everyone putting 110% in. Jamiecame to life on the left and started worrying their right back and with Seyumg, Richard Prospere and Dean W joining in on the attacks it was surprisingly only us who looked more likely to grab another goal.

Big Mo was introduced into the game at the expense of an injured Tommy Savile which meant that the team was shuffled around with Seyumg now dropping in to fill the hole at right back.

More attacking play with the defence looking comfortyable and it wasnt long before a cross came in that Alvin converted into the back of the net raising the team spirits due to the fact that we had gained exactly what we had deserved.

2-0 Merton

With about 35 minutes of the game to go Chappell took a ball to the side of the head with force that left him dazed and unable to continue so Nikko came onto the right side of midfield, Big Mo played centre with Dean W and Dean P dropped into Centre back with Glen. (Trying to keep up with all of the changes)

With 10 minutes to go it only looked like one team was going to win this one but it was with this time left on the clock that the icing was well and truly put on the cake. A corner from Dean W defended by the West Wickham centre half dropped about 40 yards out. With the West Wickham defender trying to latch onto the ball he was beaten to it by the run from Dean P from his own half to strike the ball ferociously into thefar top corner. The crowd went wild and the team came together to celebrate a goal out of the top drawer that really marked the whole team performance.

West Wickham gutted not to take advantage of the extra man for all of that time and Merton 4s keep moving on the up!

3-0 and a fantastic win, performance of the season so far! Well done lads!

Team:

MOM: Dean Wilkinson

Report by: Dean Porter