GEOFF...2-GUN(1)...ELLIOT...PEEWEE...MIKE(1)...FURNO...HAMISH...SAM...HARPS...ROB(1)...JIM...ROSS...STEW

This week OFC faced Shepperton FB at a ground that’s probably closer to our spiritual home than our adopted home at AbbeyLands. Last week it was vital that we got a win going into this one because we knew that FB weren’t just a team with a reputation for being tough, but they had also suffered only one defeat this season. Last weeks hard fought victory also meant that our hopes of promotion were still alive and that nothing less than victory would be sufficient.

Despite the very short journey the usual suspects were last at the ground and it is my understanding that they even have the shortest journey, but if nothing else both Mike and Elliot were looking well groomed.

A couple of changes this week, Tom was away and Jarv was in a fight, meaning that he had clearly had violated the Friday night curfew and was therefore given the flag. Pod was also away this week as he was moving his stuff into his and PC Piss’s new shag pad.

This weeks team; In goal; Geoff, at the back Anthony Nutkins, Ross, Tim Furn and Barry Harps. In midfield; Hamish on the right, PeeWee and Mike in the centre and Dockers out on the left. Up front were the downforce hair cut brothers Gravy and Elliot. On the bench; Rob, Sam and Dom.

This week it was just a short journey from the pub and therefore we bought along about 20 supporters including Dan Sheridan who would spend the early part of the game watching from his car. The pitch was quite small so there was no excuse for not making it through 90 minutes, but it was a bit boggy so conditions would be tough.

Shepperton kicked off with the sun, wind and slope in their favour and almost immediately we were forced into a tactical change as it was clear to Phil that they were playing 3 in the middle. We had to match it and avoid leaving a spare man, so we went immediately to 3-5-2 and pushed Harps out of defence.

FB took the initiative in the first 10 minutes and we struggled to come to terms with playing what was for us, a foreign formation. Subsequently FB forced Geoff into an excellent save when a striker broke free and they also had a shot that just went wide. From the off it was fairly clear that this would be a physical encounter and there were plenty of strong challenges going in all over the pitch. This probably suited us, as the last few matches we have been involved in have all basically seen us fouling our way through ninety minutes and giving away countless free kicks. This week was no exception as the likes of Hamish, PeeWee, Mike and Elliot relentlessly chopped down and fouled the opposition, and there were some fairly amusing moments early on when Elliot ended up on the shoulders of a midfielder and Djimi threw in a very theatrical dive which failed to impress the referee.

The smiles soon wiped off our faces 15 minutes in. Shepperton were like men possessed going forward and broke both quickly and in great numbers and while we still looked to be struggling with a 3-5-2, we were overrun at the back and an FB striker finished well from a fairly tight angle after there was just Geoff left to beat.

Going a goal down has been a common theme for Oatlands this season and it seemed to make us all the more determined. From the restart it immediately settled down into a much more even affair and with Harps picking up their spare man in midfield and our back 3 looking much more at ease with the situation, we began to properly press for an equaliser. It was Elliot who gave the FB keeper his first real test, as his glorious curling left footed free kick was well saved when it looked destined for the top corner.

Although we did look more threatening, it has to be said that the majority of the game was bogged down in the midfield area of the pitch and Hamish, Harps, PeeWee, Mike and Jim all had their work cut out. A common feature of our last few games has been our constant whining at the referees that we have been given, but this week we were joined and maybe even out moaned by Shepperton, as this weeks referee seemed to be very inconsistent with some of his decision making and often let play go when a blatant foul was committed and stopped the play for relatively minor infringements.

With Mike and PeeWee in the centre and the Elliot and Gravy up front Shepperton were winning the aerial battle nearly every time, so anything long or in the air was effectively a waste of time and effort, what we needed to do was get the ball out wide to Jim and Hamish and try to expose the gaps left when Shepperton attacked in numbers, but with the soft pitch passing was difficult and it looked like we might need some sort of break from a long shot, free kick or corner to get back on terms.

I’d like to think that I contributed to our equaliser. The ball was running out of play after one of our counter attacks broke down and Ross was chasing it into touch in order to take a quick throw. I skilfully flicked the ball up into my hands in one fluid motion, passed the ball to Ross who threw the ball straight back in to PeeWee who had in turn made a run in to the box unmarked. He was then bought down by a defender in the box and before the referee had put his whistle to his mouth, 2-Gun was sprinting faster than at any point this season to take the penalty.

After the referee had decided that the penalty spot was incorrectly marked out and had moved the ball six inches right, 2-Gun stepped up and roofed it from the spot for his third of the season, he also kept up his 100% success rate from the spot.

Heading towards half time it was a proper battle, there was lots at stake, FB fought to maintain their title challenge and we matched them in all departments in order to try and push for promotion. As a result there no quarter given anywhere on the pitch and both teams left nothing unchallenged. As the half drew to a close FB had a couple of half chances but more often than not it resulted in a long chase for Geoff to go and collect the ball.

At half time our spirits were high and we looked as though we were relishing the physical challenge of the game. The only person not really enjoying it was Elliot who had been pretty much man marked out of the first half. Phil stated some obvious changes we needed to make, mainly less fouls and less long balls.

We probably started the second half in a slightly more sluggish fashion than we would have hoped for and it was FB who were quickest out of the blocks.
Subsequently the opening 5-10 minutes were played mainly in our half and our back three had to soak up quite a bit of pressure. Although Shepperton didn’t create any clear cut chances, the narrow nature of the pitch meant that we were forced to defend a number of long throws that went deep into our box and towards the tall Shepperton danger men.

A real feature of our performance in this game was our communication and organisation, the only moaning that occurred throughout the majority of the match had been at the referee who continued to frustrate us and there were very few situations where OFC players got in each others way trying to clear the ball and subsequently we looked very solid in defence.

Across the pitch everyone looked on good form. Across the back Ross, 2-Gun and Furno all looked very solid, winning the challenges that mattered and generally distributing the ball well. There were a few scary moments when Furno was on the ball and seemed to lose control of his feet, but generally he got away with it. In midfield Barry was tasked with picking up the spare man, a thankless task, but one which he grimly got on with and was very effective in. PeeWee and Mike were effectively the worker ants of the team, doing the dirty work of breaking up possession and trying to retain possession. Out wide Jim and Hamish were asked to work the length of the pitch out wide in both an attacking and defensive capacity. Up front Elliot and Gravy worked tirelessly to make runs and hold up the ball to allow us to attack in numbers. In goal we knew that we could rely on Geoff.

It was a tense first half an hour of the second half and really there was little of note to comment on, but for the numerous supporters of both sides it was certainly an entertaining match to watch and very difficult to pick the potential winner.

It was in the last 15 minutes that this game really came alive. Shepperton looked extremely effective down their left hand side and they forced an outstanding save at full stretch out of Geoff which resulted in a corner.
From the corner they capitalised on their height advantage and headed toward the net. Despite the best effort of the player on the line, the ball was clearly over and it was 2-1 to Shepperton.

With 15 minutes to go we had it all to do. To keep our chances of promotion alive we needed to at least salvage a draw, but more than anything we needed a win. Shepperton took their foot off the peddle slightly, slowing things down from throw ins and goal kicks. FB also looked as though they might be trying to consolidate what they had, and for the first time in the game we began to look a serious threat going forward.

The pivotal and most controversial point of the game came with 10 minutes left. Djimi had gone down pretty much unnoticed in the opposition area after twisting his knee and Shepperton had gone on to attack our goal. While in the process of attacking our goal, their attack broke down. We broke quickly and cleared it out to Mike who appeared to be offside and in the opposition half. The linesman put up his flag to indicate offside but the referee overruled. For about the first time in our history, we didn’t stop to see if he blow the whistle and Rob Hunter ran like a man possessed to get into space for a pass. At this point there keeper had wandered over to see if Jim, who was still stricken just outside the 6 yard box was ok. Mike released the perfect ball to Rob Hunter, who struck first time from 25 yards while under pressure. A combination of the keeper trying desperately to get back to cover his right post and Robs shot curling away from him made the effort pretty much unstoppable and Oatlands were level. 2-2 and Robs fourth goal of the season.

At this point Shepperton were understandably furious with the referee, 9 times out of 10 the play would have been stopped when the linesman raised his flag and the goal would not have stood. But on this occasion, it looked like it might just be our day and it was nice to be receive a favourable decision from a referee for once this season.

Shepperton then went all out to get back in the lead and committed numbers forward in doing so. This meant that they left some gaps for the first time at the back and the last five minutes looked like they would be end to end stuff.

With four minutes left we finally got into a position where we got round the back of the FB back 3. Gravy had Rob Hunter in the box in a great position but totally scuffed his attempted cross. Fortunately Mike who had busted a gut all game, arrived late in the box and was in the perfect position to strike the cross first time. He too scuffed his shot but it somehow evaded the keeper and dribbled in to the far corner and a huge cheer from the Oatlands supporters indicated that OFC were in the lead and that Mike had scored his 4th goal of the season. A marvellous way to round off a man of the match performance.

It took all our concentration and effort to hold out for the final moments, but we did and it was a superb victory for OFC.

Overall it was a fighting OFC team performance and 3 more valuable points when perhaps a draw looked like the probable result and would have been a fair reflection of the game. At times this season we have played some very attractive passing football, but in the face of such tough opposition we scrapped superbly well and pulled together as a team when it really mattered and showed great character to comeback from behind twice and then win.
Shepperton came with a reputation for being one of the leagues toughest teams but there was hardly a bad challenge all game and despite the fact that they will feel robbed by the referee, they were extremely sporting in defeat.
For us, we are now 9 points ahead of 4th but we have played quite a few more games and we need to keep winning in order to be in the hat for promotion.
Our next game against FB is at home on the 24th. This result will have inevitably stirred up a bit of a Hornets nest and I have no doubt that they will have exactly the same mentality that we went into the game against Weysiders with. That game will therefore probably be even tougher than this one.
The 24th also marks our last home game of the season and it would be great to get as many supporters down as possible to cheers us on so please make every effort to get as many people as possible down to cheer us on.

A massive thanks to all the supporters that came down to Shepperton on Saturday, see you all on the 24th.