SAM A ..SONNY...TED...FRASER...DOM...STEVE C...POD...JORDIE...STEW(1)...JACK...OLLIE(1)...ELLIOT...JARV ...PAUL A

This week OFC faced Shottermill, a team who beat us at home last year with a last gasp winner and whom we beat at their place courtesy of great strikes from Mike and Elliot. Another great turnout at training and high availability meant that Phil was again spoiled for choice in terms of squad selection and subsequently there were 3 players making their first starts for the club in the form of Ted Jnr, Steve Clarke and Olly Wilson.

This week's team; Sam in goal. Dom, Ted, Fraser and Sonny at the back. Jordy, Pod, Gravy and Steve C in midfield. Olly and Jack up front. A very strong bench consisted of Jarv, Rob, Ian, Els and Paul Adams.

This week we weren't on our usual pitch and had to resort to the slopey one at the far end of the field. The change in pitch was no excuse for our horrendous start to the game. Virtually from the kick off we lost possession and immediately conceded a free kick just outside the edge of the box. A decent right footed ball was whipped in to the penalty spot and it was a Shottermill head that got to it first and with Sam in an advanced position the ball nestled into the unprotected net. 0-1.

We restarted the game but again we looked unsettled all across the pitch and on far to many occasions there were 2 OFC players going for the same header and the ball subsequently fell kindly for the oppositions attack. We weren't helped by the fact that most of the Shottermill attacks came via the long ball from the back causing havoc at the back for us.

After 5 minutes we conceded a corner and from the side we looked a little disorganised. The subsequent ball in found an unmarked player at the back who headed it back across goal, where another Shottermill player headed in from 6 yards. Another relatively soft goal conceded and we were 2-0 down and potentially fire fighting for the rest of the game.

Upon the restart it was critical to become more organised and settle in order to get a foothold in the game. The opposition continued to hurl long balls at us from the back and the more practise we had at fending these off, the better we seemed to get at it. After 10 minutes we were looking much more settled in all areas. In the centre of the midfield both Pod and Gravy got hold of the ball and began to use their ability to move possession on wisely and this subsequently bought Steve Clarke and Jordy more into the game.

In about the 15 th minute of the game we had another major scare. This time a relatively safe looking situation nearly turned to disaster. Sonny chasing back for the ball in the left back position passed it back to Sam. Sam was obviously after a bit of goal keeping glory, because he side footed straight to an opposing attacker, but made a mends with a great save which resulted in a corner.

In the next 10 minutes of the game we finally looked completely settled across the pitch. We were competitive in all areas, passed it well and allowed our full backs to contribute to the game in more of an attacking sense with Dom and Sonny both moving forward and trying to help their respective wide players. Up front it certainly looked like if we could get Jack in behind their centre backs, his pace would create chances. With 20 minutes gone we were yet to create our first real chance of the match but out wide Steve and Jordy were constantly being found by our centre midfield and it looked like that would be our best opportunity to score, all we needed to do was connect to some of the great crosses that were coming in.

It was Olly, playing his first game for the club that created our first chance of the game. Having held the ball up well on several occasions and shown some great touches and skill early on in the game, he finally got his first real sight on goal after superbly turning a defender. He unleashed a superb low and curling right footed shot that looked destined for the bottom corner of the net. However the keeper made a magnificent save at full stretch to deny Oatlands a goal.

The final 15 minutes of the first half were all Oatlands. At the back Fraser and Ted looked to have got the upper hand on the Shottermill attack and with the oppositions attacking threat nullified, we were free to venture forward as a team.

Steve and Jordy provided us with plenty of width and whipped some superb crosses in to the box, but too often the ball skimmed the forehead of an OFC player or we failed to work the keeper. Olly also went on some mazy dribbles in the opposition box but for the time being, luck just didn't seem to be on our side. As the half drew to a close it was all OFC and you sensed that a goal was inevitable.

At half time, there wasn't all that much for Phil to say. We had conceded 2 early goals and in the second half we needed to ensure that we cancelled these out and scored one more as win certainly looked achievable.

We should have scored from the restart. Olly went clean through the Shottermill team like a hot knife through butter and had only the keeper to beat. How he missed we will never know. None the less it was a very promising start to the second half.

10 minutes in to the second half Oatlands looked as though they were back in the game, 2 of our strikers broke free of the opposing defence and were left with just the keeper to beat the ball was passed to Jack from just outside the box and he finished cooly. While we were off celebrating, Phil's attention was drawn to the linesman who had his flag up to signal offside. We felt hard done by, but it was the correct decision from the linesman who volunteered to take the flag moments before kick off and had an extremely consistent afternoon.

That decision had the desired effect on our team and we looked extremely fired up as a result. Fifteen minutes in to the second half Phil swapped Jordy for Elliot and switched Steve C to the right hand side. With Elliot on the left and Steve on the right we looked very well balanced and both players went on to create no end of problems for the Shottermill full backs.

We had another scare 20 minutes into the second half. This time a very nicely weighted shot from distance looked destined for the top corner, but Sam got a great hand to it and pushed it on to the post. Having tipped the ball onto the post Sam then span round and cleared the ball out beautifully and very nearly sent Elliot clean through as a result.

Oatlands finally got back into the game with 25 minutes left. Again the ball came from the centre of midfield where Pod and Gravy looked in full control and it was placed into the space behind the full back. Steve C who had been brilliant all afternoon got there first, beat a player and wrapped his foot round the ball and put in a magnificent cross. This time we had 3 players in the box and it was Olly who hit it first time finally beating the keeper with a nice finish. A great team goal and we were back in the game 1-2.

With a foothold in the game it was all OFC. Dom, despite being 37 and dragging the average age of the team up by about 10 years was at times like a grey Cafu bombing down the right hand side from the right back position and at one stage he was even in the six yard box as Steve whipped in another great cross from the right. Down the left Sonny and Elliot worked well and Els also put in some cracking deliveries. However despite all of our excellent build up play we were desperately missing an end product. Similar to the back end of the first half we were creating great chances for ourselves but just failing to work the keeper enough.

Gravy was proving a bit of a revelation in midfield and along with Pod, he showed some great touches and vision and was unlucky not to score after a great run at the defence and shot that just missed the target. He also hit the post late on.

Oatlands drew level with about 15 minutes left on the clock. This time we broke down the left and Elliot put a cross in from near the goal line and with 3 OFC players in the box again, the ball fell to Gravy who took a touch and finished with a low shot to the keepers left. 2-2.

With 10 minutes left on the clock we put one of the clubs founders Paul Adams on the pitch, who had come all the way over from the US . He replaced Jack up front. Jack worked tirelessly again throughout the game and after soiling himself at training and possibly during Saturday's game he deserved a rest.

With Paul Adams bringing his enthusiasm to the game OFC went in search of a winner. The Shottermill defence was now beginning to look quite tired and we subsequently continued to create chances, but in line with much of the season so far we continued to find that the goal was elusive and just about everybody had a crack and missed.

For the dying minutes of the game we bought on Jarv. Jarv went straight up front and replaced Olly who had a great club debut in which he scored and had great all round game.

With a minute left in the fourth quarter the OFC Braves, substitute point goal man Paul “the bear” Adams found himself perfectly positioned in the point zone to latch on a ball that came from downtown. His headball looked as though it would nestle in the onion bag after it looped over the point bag guard. Unfortunately the ball was just too high and took a rebound of the point bag bar and the defensive guard for the Shottermill Shotguns was able to punt the ball out of bounds for a Braves touchline hand play.

Shortly after, Phil who was largely anonymous and had a very good game in charge bought the game to a close and Oatlands had gained their first point of the season.

Overall today's game was a mixed bag. Most people will look at this one as 2 points lost rather than 1 point gained. We had multiple chances to score but composure in front of goal was sometimes lacking. Our start to the game was again poor and to be 2-0 inside of 5 minutes is not good enough. So far we have won the second half of every game we have played this season; GCW 2-1, Abbey Rangers 3-1 and this one 2-0. If it wasn't for our poor starts we might be sitting on 7 points rather than 1.

On the plus side there were some excellent performances on Saturday. 16 year old Steve C was superb on both wings and deserved the man of the match. Olly, another player making his first start was excellent up front and one another day might have had a hatrick. Ted also did well at the back winning countless headers and showing an excellent turn of pace when required. No-one really had a bad game and as such there was no donkey awarded this week.

A big thanks to those players who were in the squad but did not play. Another big thank you to all those that came down to watch and show there support and thanks to Paul Adams who put on food at the pub and made sure that everyone left the pub somewhat worse for wear