After last weeks well below par performance against Knaphill, we had a chance to put things right this week against M+W, a team which thus far we have only lost twice to in 8 encounters.

Injuries and unavailability meant that there were a number of changes to this week’s line up. Out of the starting 11 were Pod, Tom and Pete H and to replace them were Mike, Joe Spooner and Jarv.

This week’s team; Sam in goal. Baynezy, Mike, Furno and Fraser at the back. Joe Spooner, Ted, Pete and Gravy in midfield. Jim and Jarv up front. The bench consisted of Pete H, Andy and Dan.

This week was technically a home game but our new home ground isn’t yet ready, so we had to play near Kingston on a pitch that was as good as any we have played on.

I think it was us who got proceedings under way, but none the less it was a pretty untidy start to the game with Jarv uprooting the M+W keeper in the first minute with a challenge that arrived about 30 minutes too late and was lucky not to get a booking. Jarv’s luck ran out about a minute later when a high foot was punished with a booking.

The opening 10 minutes were full of grit and determination but sadly there was a bit of a lack of quality from both teams. For us it appeared that with Ted doing the majority of the hassling in the centre of midfield, the key would be getting Butler on the ball and letting him control the game. At the back we remained untroubled and Baynezy, Fraser, Furno and Mike looked very solid. Very often Mike was found mixing it up with Pete and Ted in the centre of midfield.

On the left hand side of midfield we had a debutant in the form of Joe Spooner. Despite lacking in experience and years, Joe made a very solid start to the game. His passing was precise and it was obvious from the start that he didn’t mind mixing it up with a few nice reminding challenges to his opposite number for M+W.

Heading toward the 15th minute of the game the pressure began to grow on the M+W goal and it seemed like an opportunity would soon present itself, we just needed to make sure we made the most of our chances. It was Pete Butler who came closest early on with a shot that just cleared the bar.

Shortly before the 20 minute mark OFC got the breakthrough their efforts deserved. More Oatlands pressure resulted in a corner. Up stepped Butler to take it and yet another superb delivery was well met by Fraser at the near post who flicked it in for his second goal for the club. 1-0 OFC.

The goal spurred Oatlands on and we started to play some great football. Jarv had an opportunity to increase the lead within minutes of the restart. This time a peachy cross from Gravy was just outside the reach of Jarv’s left boot. Fraser had an opportunity to make it 2-0 on 25 minutes, his shin roll volley clattering the underside of the bar and rebounding off the keeper to safety.

Next up in front of goal was Gravy. This was a move that had the potential to be one of the great OFC goals. Pete Butler received the ball near the touch line and his control was instant, his next touch was to knock it over the approaching defender before threading it through for Gravy. Gravy also knocked it over his defender, but his finish just brushed agonisingly past the far post.

It was just before the 40 minute mark that OFC doubled the lead and it was with a move that was started and finished by Baynezy. Baynezy started the move with some good defending and then broke forward from defence, He released the ball in to midfield, where it was in turn shifted to Jim, despite an OFC player lurking in an offside position, Baynezy breaking from deep was not offside and latched on to Jim’s through ball. A near post shot was too powerful for the keeper and our lead was increased. 2-0 Oatlands.

We nearly let M+W back into the game shortly before the break. Despite a crunching Furno tackle, the ball broke loose down the right hand side of the box. The M+W player put in a low cross, but despite a Sam swing and miss there was sufficient pressure on the striker to force a miss from no more than 2 yards.

The goal that broke the M+W back came virtually on the stroke of half time. We again retained possession well in midfield and found Dockers up front. He slipped it out to the left hand side where Joe was eagerly waiting. Joe drove forward and hit one of those cross cum shot type balls that beats the keeper every time. Only Joe would be able to tell you whether or not he meant it. Either way it capped off a good first half. 3-0.

At half time Phil briefed the players on his second half plans. Firstly, move the ball quicker, we were guilty on occasion of taking to many extra touches. Secondly, win the second ball.

The second half started well and we quickly increased our lead to 4-0 in the 47th minute. This time a move down the left hand side culminated in Joe Spooner scything open the M+W defence with a perfectly weighted through ball to Dockers who took one touch and rolled it past the advancing keeper with ease. 4-0.

It really looked as though this would be the point in the game where we would put M+W to the sword and score several more goals, they had lost 2 players to injury and looked a bit demoralised and looked there for the taking. Sadly for us, we didn’t so much as take our foot off the gas; we actually got out of the car as well. Having gone 4-0 up we quickly conceded a very soft goal, fortunately I didn’t see it but it was apparently pretty bad. 4-1

As a team we just seemed to struggle in all areas of the pitch. In defence we were indecisive and often cleared straight to one of their players when a simple sideways pass was on and one or two mistakes began to creep into our game. In midfield we were guilty of holding on to the ball to long and dithering in possession causing possession to turn over too easily. At times we also failed to play the 10 yard pass to the man in space and too often looked for the killer ball which again resulted in a turnover in possession and pressure on a back four that was at times over committed in attacking positions.

Despite not playing, it was 2-Gun who very nearly opened the door for the M+W to score for a second time. One of our defenders went to clear the ball away but it rebounded off an M+W attacker imparting a lot of spin on the ball. Although the ball clearly went over the goal line and should have been a goal kick, 2-Gun failed to raise his flag to the referee. The result was that the entire OFC team stopped, their attacker carried on since no whistle had gone and in inexplicably missed from 6 yards and under no pressure what so ever. A lucky escape

In a defensive capacity we looked very solid and unlikely to concede, but our own actions on the pitch looked like our most likely undoing as we toiled away for long parts of the second half and left the door ajar for the opposition by giving away possession too often and failing to win enough second balls

It must be said that in a pretty gloomy second half, Pete Butler was pretty much the shining light, virtually carrying the team with endless tackles and a cool head which saw him make very few mistakes in possession and driving the team forward.

When the referee bought the game to a close it almost seemed like we had lost, such was our performance in the second half, but despite not being at the top of our game for much of the second period we did get the all important result and were worthy winners. Also on the plus side, it was a great debut for Joe Spooner who played down the left hand side. He was substituted with 15 minutes left but not before scoring one, setting one up and putting in a very solid all round performance. Another plus was that despite a fair bit of unavailability and 3 drop outs prior to the game we were able to still field a strong starting 11 and bench.

Next week we play Emmanuel away in Brookwood. Emmanuel are just behind us in the league and lost to Knaphill by the same score as us on Saturday. Therefore this one should have all the makings of a tight contest.

A big thanks to all those who came to support on Saturday. Those looking to come down next week need to look on the forum where Beater will have posted details.