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| Knaphill 1 Staines Lammas 3 |
Posted by: BF
Wednesday 23rd April 22:00:23 |
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
Tuesday 22nd April 2008
This game was always going to be a challenge for both teams, Staines Lammas chasing a possible Division 1 title, and Knaphill looking to stop their visitors from inflicting a third defeat in as many meetings this season. Although Knaphill failed to do the latter, they did play some good football on the night, but again slip ups in defence, led to the visitors taking a two goal lead within the first 25 minutes.
The game opened at quite a pace for both sides. Staines had the first effort of the match which glanced off the far post in the opening few minutes. They took the lead in the 15th minute, as the Knaphill defence gave too much space to Johnson who drove the ball into goal from inside the 12yard box. The visitors second goal stemmed from a mistake by Richard Shelley who misjudged the flight of the ball, which went through to Coombs who made it 2-0.
Knaphill were having an equal amount of possession and opportunities in their determination to reduce the deficit, but a goal was elusive. Just on the half hour mark, injury struck Knaphill for the third successive game. This time Joe Springett was stretchered off with what seemed to be a serious ankle injury, but afterwards x-rays revealed it was a badly sprained ankle.
Knaphill’s start to the second half was given a knock when Staines increased their lead after 48 minutes through Chris Baker. A harder task for the home side to get back into the game, and unable to produce that extra cutting edge as the half wore on., despite an improved display.
It was late in the game that Knaphill reduced the arrears and deservedly so. Alex Hutton was the provider with a pin point cross which found Matt Baker, who with a fine header made it 3-1 in the 79th minute, his 23rd goal of the season.
However, it was only to provide a consolation goal on a night that their visitors stay on course for a possible title. Knaphill meanwhile face a blank Saturday this week, and resume the final few games remaining when they play hosts to Tongham at Redding Way next Tuesday kick-off 6.45pm.
Team: Shelley, Barbato(Roissetter), Batchelor, Crozier, J.Pritchard, Fastnedge, Timblick, Taylor, Springett(Hutton), Baker, Hughes
Sub Not Used: Coles
Scorer: Baker 79mins
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| Knaphill 3 Crescent Rovers 3 |
Posted by: BF
Sunday 20th April 14:08:09 |
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
Saturday 19th April 2008
Knaphill battled away in the second half to get something out of their home encounter against Crescent Rovers, pulling back from a 3-1 deficit to earn a point in the 3-3 draw with a late equaliser at Redding Way on Saturday.
But they suffered a major injury for the second successive week, losing the influential midfielder Neil Breslin with damaged knee ligaments in the final minutes, prematurely ending his season. They were already without defender Micky Walters, who could also be out for the last few games, adding to the growing injury list.
The previous meeting between these two teams resulted in a comfortable win for Knaphill, but this one took a different twist as the home side found themselves trailing 2-0 after 25 minutes. It could have a different aspect, had two Knaphill efforts in the opening minutes reaped better fortune. But Neil Breslin’s effort hit the bar, and Matt Baker saw his shot palmed away at the keeper’s near post.
After 21 minutes Luke Gillam with a close range effort and a penalty from Mark Sherwin three minutes later, gave Crescent the two goal lead against the run of play. However, with eight goals scored in their previous two homes games, Knaphill had a bigger task than expected to reduce the arrears.
They took a step towards this when their first goal came after 31 minutes. Neil Breslin threaded a through ball to Matt Baker who picked his spot well to slot home and make it 2-1. Just before the break, Luke Taylor was unlucky with a long range shot veering past the post.
Both sides had further opportunities in the second half, on the hour Jordan Fastnedge and Simon Hughes were both just wide of the target for Knaphill, whilst at the other end Crescent were denied by Andy Coles, making a fine save tipping the shot over the bar. On 75 minutes, a mistake in the Knaphill defence led to James Kershaw sliding the ball past the advancing Knaphill keeper to make it 3-1.
At that stage, it seemed Knaphill could be heading for a rare home defeat, but they began adding more pressure on their visitors which duly paid off with goals in the last ten minutes of the game.
From just inside the 6 yard box, Orando Pike planted a diving header past the Crescent keeper after 82 minutes, and shortly after had another effort blocked and turned away for a corner. But the best goal of the match was left until the 89th minute when Baker let fly with a blistering shot from 25 yards to level the score at 3-3 and gain Knaphill a share of the points.
Team: Coles, Barbato, Sandercombe, Crozier, J.Pritchard(Roissetter), Taylor, Fastnedge, Breslin(Batchelor), Springett, Baker, Hughes
(Pike)
Sub Not Used: Shelley
Scorers: Baker 31mins & 89mins, Pike 82mins
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| Farnham Town 3 Knaphill 1 |
Posted by: BF
Sunday 13th April 15:53:57 |
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
Saturday 12th April 2008
Despite going into this game after seemingly getting back on track in the win over Farleigh Rovers the previous week, Knaphill’s visit to Farnham Town, failed to see the team get anything out of this Division 1 encounter at the Memorial Ground on Saturday.
Although trailing by an early goal against a side playing their last game of the season, Knaphill, apart from two unlucky efforts, failed to benefit from other opportunities in their path, whilst the defence was seen floundering from the home side’s three goals.
Farnham took the lead in the 7th minute when Matt Wheeler had the space to power home a header. But Knaphill were unlucky not to equalise after 18 minutes when Neil Breslin’s effort struck the far post from the edge of the 18 yard box and away to safety. There was an equal amount of possession from the two teams, and both had chances squandered as the half wore on.
Knaphill were forced to make a substitution after 36 minutes when the versatile and reliable defender Micky Walters suffered a bad knee injury. Then shortly before the break, Farnham had chances to increase their lead from a couple of moves which like a few others, looked dangerous in a half, but at the same time, a bit of pressure from Knaphill, showed that the home side could be vunerable across the back.
The second half, like the first, started in the same mode when six minutes into the half Farnham made a quick break, ending with Marcus Cousens firing into the far corner of goal for a two goal lead. Soon after, Knaphill’s Luke Taylor saw his effort scrambled away by the keeper after 53 minutes, and five minutes later Simon Hughes put Taylor through, but his shot was straight at the keeper.
Jordan Fastnedge came agonisingly close in the 64th minute when he fired just past the far post from 25 yards. It was late in the game that Knaphill reduced the arrears when after 86minutes substitute Alex Hutton’s made it 2-1, but in the dying minutes any last ditch effort to grab a point was gone, and it was Farnham who had the last word when, with the last kick of the game, broke through the visitors defence for their third.
Team: Coles, Barbato, Batchelor, Crozier, Walters(Sandercombe), Taylor, Breslin, Fastnedge, Springett(Hutton), Hughes, J.Pritchard
Sub Not Used: Roissetter
Scorer: Hutton 86mins
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| Knaphill 4 Farleigh Rovers 1 |
Posted by: BF
Sunday 6th April 12:57:23 |
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
Saturday 5th April 2008
Knaphill went into this game aiming to bounce back from their previous week’s defeat by Hanworth. This they did with comfortable ease against Farleigh Rovers, who, despite not giving up in trying to pull themselves back into the game, were struck by four well taken goals from a Knaphill side who took their chances better than in then previous week’s defeat at Hanworth.
Taking the lead after just seven minutes, it was a good start for the home side when Luke Taylor who was fouled in the box, for which Neil Breslin duly stepped up to coolly slot the resultant penalty home with aplomb. The lead was short lived, as two minutes later the visitors were on level terms through a volley from 15 yards by Nick Burridge.
Play was evenly matched in a first half which although wasn’t always over stretched with flair, saw Knaphill open and find the gaps in the Farleigh defence with their swift breaks. One of them leading to the home side regaining the lead.
Luke Taylor, who at times can be a quite a live wire down the flanks, had the pace to outwit the defender as he ran onto a through ball from Breslin, to fire into the far corner of goal after 29 minutes.
This began to give Knaphill a bit more of an edge over their opponents, and with perseverance and patience, produced the third goal. With Micky Walters threading through a perfect pass, Simon Hughes took his chance well to steer the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1 shortly before halftime.
Taking their commanding lead into the second half, Knaphill’s aim of adding to their goal tally was periodically charged down by the visitors who themselves could have got back into the game, but for wasted opportunities.
It was in the 80th minute that the game was sealed, Taylor notching his second and Knaphill’s fourth with a neat finish from 10 yards. It could have been five, but Orando Pike just failed to latch onto the ball as it flashed across the goalmouth, in the very last minute.
But with maximum points gained from this game, it could put Knaphill back on track for the visit to Farnham Town this Saturday
Team; Shelley, Barbato, Batchelor, Crozier, Walters, Taylor, Breslin, Fastnedge, Springett(J.Pritchard), Pike, Hughes(Anderson)
Sub Not Used: Roissetter
Scorers: Taylor(2), Breslin(pen), Hughes
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| Hanworth Villa 7 Knaphill 1 |
Posted by: BF
Sunday 30th March 16:06:20 |
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
Saturday 29th March 2008
It was the end of a disappointing week for Knaphill, which produced two heavy defeats as they conceded twelve goals, with the heaviest of the two coming on Saturday away to league leaders Hanworth Villa, preceded by the Easter Monday defeat at Westfield.
Knaphill team boss Bob Pritchard kept his players in the dressing room after the match as he aired his views and opinion following this defeat. But despite fielding a side with no fewer than five players out injured, Knaphill failed to put their chances away, whereas Hanworth did – seven times, as the defence was exploited by the home side.
The first goal scoring opportunity fell early on to Hanworth, but the effort was fired wide. However, danger was not far away, as they opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Matt Grave, who was to be a thorn in Knaphill’s side as he went on to hit a hat-trick.
Apart from a few flashes of hope, Knaphill were unable to pose a real threat or danger up front, whilst the defence were not positive enough to contain the leaders. Although Hanworth held their slender one goal lead for half an hour, a second goal came five minutes before halftime, a cracking 25 yard shot from Grave that flew into the top corner of goal.
Knaphill had an opportunity to pull one back within two minutes of the second half. Latching on to a pass from Baker, Orando Pike’s effort was foiled by the keeper, whilst Baker’s own chances up front, became void of finding the target.
Hanworth then showed their intent for the rest of the half, exploiting the visitors defence to produce five goals. Mark Buss made it 3-0 in the 49th minute, then in the last fifteen minutes, Knaphill were overrun by the league leaders, conceding a further four goals, including Grave’s hat-trick in scoring the fifth.
Although Shelley made a couple of good saves, he was well beaten by the late flurry of goals. For Knaphill, Luke Taylor netted a brilliant effort from 20 yards in the 84th minute, which was a mere consolation goal, on what was a miserable and demoralising afternoon for Knaphill, which just about matched the weather.
Only highlight for Knaphill was their single goal, and a reasonable workrate from a couple of the players. Bob Pritchard will certainly be looking for the team to bounce back with a more positive approach and attitude, with possible changes, for an improved performance against Farleigh Rovers at Redding Way this Saturday.
Team: Shelley, Batchelor, Sandercombe, Crozier, Walters, Springett, Anderson, E.Pritchard(Mawby), Taylor, Baker(Hughes), Pike(Davis)
Scorers; Taylor 84mins
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