GEOFF...2-GUN...ROSS...TOM...JARV...ELLIOT...PEEWEE...MIKE...FURNO...JORDIE...ROB...POD...STEW...JIM

OFC were back in league action this week against mid table University of Surrey A. Last week despite a much improved showing in the second half we lost against a well organised Hersham team and this week given the squad available we had a very good chance to get back to winning ways.

This week we had virtually a full squad available with only Harps, Dom and Jack who were the only regulars not available.

The team; Geoff, 2-Gun, Ross, Furno, Jarv, Mike, Tom PeeWee, Elliot, Jim and Rob. On the bench, Pod, Sam, Hamish, Gravy and Jordy.

This week we were away at the Varsity Centre and despite the recent weather, conditions were very good and it was a nice flat pitch that looked great for a passing.

Surrey kicked off, but it was us who were out of the blocks first and we all over them like a rash when they had the ball and with a little over 5 minutes on the clock we carved out a beautiful move down the left which culminated a superb ball across the box from Jim to PeeWee. Despite a great shot the keeper saved superbly to keep the score at 0-0.

The opening 10 minutes were excellent to watch. Both sides were extremely competitive in all areas and the both sides stroked the ball around with purpose and confidence. From our perspective it was probably one of the brightest starts we have made all season. In the centre of midfield, PeeWee was like a man possessed and never gave the Surrey midfield a moments respite and Tom, playing the central midfield role for the first time looked calm, controlled and confident when on the ball and rarely lost possession or misplaced a pass.

Just like in last weeks game, this weeks official was extremely keen to halt play for anything over physical. But while this was the case he was extremely consistent. We didn’t agree with this and although there were no bad fouls to speak of we were quick to complain every time the referee gave a foul away. It wasn’t long before our frustration boiled over into pathetic childish and sarcastic remarks that made us look like a we were a cocky arrogant outfit and I am sure the referee was already beginning to lean toward the Uni for any 50/50 decisions.

We suffered a blow early on in the game when Ross had to come off the pitch, he was replaced by Jordy and Tom went into the back four, Mike went into the centre and Jordy went to wide right. Although it was definitely a blow we didn’t look as though we had been affected and we continued to just about edge the game in terms of possession and use of the ball.

While we seemed to be in control of the game, the Uni had some serious pace going forward and any sort of slackness at the back from our perspective looked as though it had the potential to get seriously punished and with 30 minutes gone we suffered our first proper scare of the game. On this occasion the Uni played it well across the midfield and then found a gaping hole between our centre and full back, the ball was played nicely into the gap but Geoff’s alertness to the danger punished a poor first touch by the striker and he was on top of the striker before he could get a proper shot away.

10 minutes from half time was the games comedy moment, an unfortunate Uni midfielder took a blow directly to the crotch, on the sideline there was a bit of mickey taking but because the player was buckled over with pain he was in too much agony too give anything back and further more while his team put together a nice little triangle of passes he was left in the middle bent over clutching himself with tears in his eyes.

Going into half time it was only our relentless fouling that caused any real danger as free kicks reigned in to the box from a succession of free kicks.
Geoff was at full stretch to stop a direct free kick a few minutes before half time but had the ball gone in it would have been discounted as the referee halted play for a very minor infringement within the box.

It was high spirits at half time, we’d played well and apart from our
(Mike’s) insistence on bumming the opposition we looked more than capable of opening them up. With the way the first half was played there was no need for any changes and we went back out full of confidence.

The second half got off to the worst possible start, a mere 5 minutes in the Uni won a corner on our left, the subsequent outswinging ball was deep and dropped at the back post, unfortunately we had gone to sleep and a completely unchallenged header nestled in the back of the net. A bitter blow and 1-0 to the Uni.

At 1-0 we were quick to rally and immediately from kick off the Uni found themselves under pressure as we desperately sought the equaliser.
Unfortunately for us we found the equaliser hard to come by as the Uni defended well and their keeper made some excellent saves, especially from some of Elliot’s free kicks.

As we sought an equaliser our full backs and midfield moved further and further up the pitch, meaning that a loss of possession or counter attacks left us particularly vulnerable to the counter, as such we were punished twice more in quick succession by the lightning fast Uni attack and despite the lions share of possession and an evenly balanced match we were quickly 3-0 down.

Even at 3-0 down we still continued to enjoy a great deal of possession and with the inclusion of Pod to make it a 5 man midfield our build up lacked the penetration to really get behind the Uni back line. Because our build up play was too ponderous, the Uni defended the edge of the 18 yard box and we found it difficult to send either Rob, Jim or subsequently Stew clean through as anything that did go through the Uni back four went straight to the keeper and I’m sure that our strikers will be the first to admit that headers from crosses have been very rare indeed this season, meaning that crosses were easily dealt with.

That said we did have some great opportunities to score but it wasn’t a good day in front of goal. Furno had a glorious opportunity to score from a corner but that northern head that is so crisp in clearing the ball, just failed to hit the target and Jim Beckram might have grabbed one after a deflection of a rasping Jordy shot but the keeper again saved well.

We were reduced to ten men for the last 10 minutes, again it made little difference as we continued to press but conceded twice more on the counter attack before the final whistle.

Overall the score line probably wasn’t a fair reflection on the game, Surrey scored four times because of individual errors but they were clinical when their chances arose. Defensive errors aside we were not good enough in going forward our best move in the entire game came as a result of a full throttle attack out wide and to often our build up was too slow, allowing Surrey to put numbers behind the ball. While much of our passing was accurate, we were at times too busy admiring the pass we just made rather than playing it and busting a gut to make an angle for a return pass. Personally it was a bit of a shame not to see Tom do 90 minutes in midfield as that looked like it might have a lot of potential but we certainly had the resources to overcome the withdrawal of Ross early on.

Next week we play Guildford City Weysiders again and it is critical that we get back to winning ways. While results have been poor recently we’re still playing with exactly the same team that has won so many games early on this season, its not that we cant do it, we just aren’t doing it at the moment and the only way that will change is if we all continue to stick together.

A big thanks to all those that came to watch this week and a special mention to Dione, who despite being racked with pain after a fall, still made it to pitch side despite it being the coldest and wettest game of the year