SAM A ...PETE H...SONNY...FRASER...ANDY B...PETE B(1) ...ROSS...TED,,,STEVE C...TOM...OLLIE...JARV...STEW...JIM(1)

Oatlands were back in action this week for the first time since a terrific extra time cup win against Staines Lammas prior to Christmas. We should have been in action last week but Staines were unable to raise a team and we got the points.

Preparation for this week's game was almost farcical. We turned up to training only to find that the floodlights on the grass weren't working and after some dossing around we decided that we would go and train on the floodlit Astroturf pitch. Unfortunately the nice people from Chelsea FC decided that they needed the whole pitch to hold a 5-a-side match and we were reduced to a shooting drill and penalty shoot out in the dark.

Earlier in the week numbers were looking a bit bleak for Saturday, but come Friday after the squad was picked, a number of additional people declared themselves available but the team had already been picked, meaning that a number of very experienced OFC players didn't even make the bench.

Last time out against Chobham we got an absolute hiding, but there were wholesale changes across the team (8 changes to the starting 11 from the away game) and with very few changes from our victory against Staines we had every right to feel confident going into this one.

The team: Sam A, Pete H, Fraser, Sonny, Bainsy, Pete B, Ted, Ross, Steve C, Tom and Olly. On the bench: Andy, Jarv, Sam C, Dockers and Gravy.

We started the game much better than Chobham and from the start we were industrious, hungry and enjoyed the lion's share of possession. The first 5 minutes of the game were played almost entirely in the Chobham half as we sought to take an early lead in the game.

Ross Elliot who made a name for himself with a long range free kick prior to Christmas was clearly brimming with confidence and it was his superbly struck half volley from distance that provided Chobham with their first scare of the game. Fortunately for Chobham the ball just cleared the cross bar and the score remained at 0-0.

As the game progressed we continued to press Chobham hard. They struggled at times to clear their own half with Ross winning a lot of the aerial balls being cleared from the back and with Ted, Clarky and Pete winning many of their individual duels Chobham found themselves pinned in their own half for most of the opening 10 minutes of the game.

It seemed to be against the run of play but a break down our left hand side left Pete Hallam one on one with their pacey number 5 and despite his best efforts their number 5 broke free and was left with just Sam to beat. Sam closed him down quickly but their right midfielder was clinical and finished well with a roofed shot from just inside the 18 yard box.

From the restart we didn't let the goal get us down and we continued with the same pattern of play that had served us well in the first 10 minutes of the game. From the side it certainly looked as if our pressure would eventually pay off with a golden chance to score.

Attacking down the left hand side seemed to be our main weapon and despite only being 16 Pete Butler was a constant menace, especially when he combined well with Ross, Tom and Olly to try and open up the opposition defence. Our attacks were resulting in shots on goal, but far too often they were from the sort of range where luck would have to play its part. Fortunately for us, their keeper spilled much of what was sent his way and if we could get someone close enough to follow in effectively, we would have a very good chance of equalling the scores.

Unfortunately for us and even more unfortunately for the opposition number five, our momentum was broken up by a horrible looking injury. Pete and the number 5 went in for a 50/50 ball and Pete got there fractionally late and caught the player on the shin, sending him writhing in agony and subsequently to A+E at St Peters . Hopefully the injury wasn't as bad as it looks, but I am sure everyone at OFC wishes him a speedy recovery.

Following a 10 minute break, the game restarted and the wind seemed to have gone out of our sails. We still retained a lot of possession and our back four looked relatively untroubled, but the attacking impetus we had in the first 25 minutes of the game was lost.

As we progressed toward half time, the majority of the game was fought out in the middle of the pitch where Ted and Ross continued to get through a lot of hard work and they were provided with good outlets by both Steve and Pete out wide. Up front Olly and Tom worked extremely hard but more often than not, it was to close down a Chobham defenders rather than threatening the goal.

We were hit by another cruel blow shortly before half time when we were again caught on the break by Chobham. The goal was very similar to the first we conceded apart from the fact that it was down the other flank. Sam had no chance. 0-2.

Almost an hour after kick off, the game eventually reached half time. During the break there was no real need to panic about the score and despite the score and lack lustre last 20 minutes of the first half we all seemed very much upbeat.

The second half kicked off and pretty much immediately settled into the same pattern of play with which the first had ended. It was great to see a return to the team for Gravy who came on for Steve Clarke and it didn't take long for the man from Grimsby to get back into his old ways as the ball constantly got trapped under his feet for the first 10 minutes of the half.

The early stages of the second half brought little in the way of attempts on goal for either side. Sam made a great save to deny Chobham a third, but apart from that the first 15 minutes of the second half were locked down in midfield.

At the back we looked extremely solid. Sonny was everywhere providing cover for the full backs and Fraser, another 16 year old, was excellent in the air, fending off anything that came long from the Chobham defence. At right back new signing Bainsy was having another excellent game and was rarely troubled by his opposite number, his ability to bring the ball out of defence looks like he will certainly be an asset for the rest of the season. Pete Hallam playing his fourth game of the season also looks like another excellent addition to the side, bringing a cool head and a game that seems to be very much based on simplicity.

With 20 minutes left on the clock we got a foothold in the game. An OFC attack resulted in the ball being swung into the box and it looked like Ollie possibly had the easiest opportunity all season to score, as he was unmarked and just had the keeper to beat. Somehow he managed to crash his header against the bar but Pete Butler who had been outstanding all game was in the right place at the right time to follow up and put us back in the game. 1-2.

Phil Barr seeing the prospect of at least a point and possibly all three decided to gamble on 3 up front and put Jarv and Jim Beckram on the pitch.

The last 15 minutes were frantic and it was end to end stuff. We were pressing forward in a big push to get that all important second and possibly third goal and Chobham were counter attacking as we committed numbers forward. At the back Sonny, Fraser and Bainsy were excellent at breaking up these attacks and Chobham had to endure some severe pressure in the closing stages.

With less than ten minutes left we drew level with a goal that was nothing short of textbook stuff. We attacked down the left and got round the back so to speak, I think it was Pete Butler who supplied the perfect cross and with 2 attackers against just one defender Jim Beckram did the unthinkable and scored with a quality finish, allowing the ball to come across his body and directing it goalward with a sweet looking side footed volley. Great goal! 2-2

With just mere seconds left on the clock we should have won the game. The perfect through ball was delivered from midfield to Jarv. Jarv had just the keeper to beat but instead of going for the “power is everything” shot that he is more renowned for, he went for the placement option and the keeper bailed Chobham out of a certain match winning opportunity.

When the final whistle went, it felt more like a defeat than a hard earned and much deserved point, but when you think back to November when Chobham brushed us aside with six or seven goals it wasn't a bad result.

Overall it was a good performance but it could have been better. We definitely enjoyed the majority of the possession and the chances and we could well have won the game. In the end we conceded two goals against the run of play and had to show a great character to come back against a good team. Everyone on the team worked hard and it was the sort of performance that was much more characteristic of last season than this.

With the small Christmas break, we now seem to have got over the injury crisis and should be able to kick on from here. This weeks team was picked on pretty much a first come, first served basis but when you consider that players such as a Pod, Furno, Jordy and Mike didn't even make the bench and were all regular starters in last years team that finished just outside promotion, it looks like there will be tough choices for Phil to make in the back end of the season.