London Old Boys’ Senior Cup: Old Manorians 1 Old Meadonians 2

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Meads Labour Against Lower League Opposition

London Old Boys' Senior Cup: Old Manorians 1 Old Meadonians 2

Old Meadonians’ manager, Luke Graham’s new moniker ‘Mr Pragmatic’ was endorsed as Meads emerged from a trying London Old Boys’ Senior Cup-tie with a handy win.

Old Manorians, from three divisions below at their Wembley eerie, had shown themselves to be destined for higher things by holding their visitors at bay, albeit by the skin of their teeth and against the odds, taking an early lead and then when under constant attack, continuing to keep the door open a chink, until the end of play.

Having said this, although Meads chewed off a massive 70% of meaningful possessive pressure they still failed to register this huge superiority in the score-book due to a lack of ingenuity in breaking through the hosts’ packed determined defence in the last quarter of the pitch.

The home team had their larger share of pressure early on with the slope in the first half but even their solitary goal on twenty minutes was blessed with a huge slice of luck as a speculative shot from the edge of the area gave Meads’ keeper Gary Robinson no chance by taking a parabolic loop into the top corner of the net after a deflection.

Retribution was inflicted five minutes later when the home keeper spilt Ryan Bright’s centre and John Shea pounced. Almost immediately came a Meads’ classic in speed of execution. Right back Jack Costello put the ball thirty yard through to Simon Richardson coming back off his marker and Richardson’s flick put Nick Wilson in to cut in and score from a narrow angle. From then on, although Meads laid siege continuously and relentlessly throughout the whole of the second half, they failed to put the clear water of a third goal between themselves and pursuit, leaving it distinctly possible that lightning might strike twice, giving their hosts an equaliser.

Fortunately all was well that ended well. The tireless Jake Gowers, purveyor in chief of the work ethic, was named MoM.

Squad: Robinson, Costello, Gerrish (Chapman), Campbell, Gowers, Shea, Bright, Cain, Wilson, Richardson (Harrison).

November 25, 2016