Warwick Arms vs Earley Gunners 0 - 1 (Cup Final)

Match Report

Earley Gunners completed the league and cup double when they won the Jack Taylor trophy with a tight 1-0 win over Warwick Arms.

A fully committed Warwick Arms side battled well in the first half and with few chances being created at each end, the half time score was 0-0.

Gunners improved slightly in the second half and made the breakthrough when Ian Thornhill finished off a good move involving several players.

Warwick tried to equalise but were reduced to long range efforts although there was a late scare when they had a penalty appeal turned down.

A Warwick player made a break down the left wing and then took a tumble in the box, it clearly wasn't a penalty in Gunners view as the opposing player looked to take a dive but the referee initially awarded a penalty. However, the linesman had flagged earlier to say the ball had gone out of play on the wing and a throw on was awarded to Gunners.

Gunners held out the last few minutes to clinch the win and the cup!

Match Facts

MOM : D Owen

Goals : I Thornhill (1)

Team : (GK) J Willis, (RB) F McNaughton, (CB) Pa Ali, (CB) S Kearns, (LB) T Poacher, (RM) N Burrows, (CM) D Owen, (CM) P Clark, (LM) L Holdway, (F) K Rapley, (F) I Thornhill, (Subs) J Weller, R Keyse (dnp), P Byrne (dnp)

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Earley Gunners vs Chequers Res 2 - 1

Match Report

Gunners secured the league title with a 2-1 win over a strong Chequers Res side.

A close first half left the score at 0-0 but Paul Clark gave Gunners the lead early in the second half.

Substitute Ian Thornhill then came off the bench to add a second goal.

Chequers did manage to pull a goal back with a long range shot which went in over the keeper.
However Gunners were in control of the game and would have added more goals had it not been for the Chequers Res keeper who had an excellent game.

There was a late scare when a Gunners back pass nearly set up the Chequers substitute but Julian Willis made a good clearance.

The final few minutes ran out and Gunners finished 2-1 winners which meant the league title was theirs! Nick Burrows was Gunners "Man of the Match".

Match Facts

MOM : Nick Burrows

Goals : P Clark (1), I Thornhill (1)

Team : (GK) J Willis, (RB) F McNaughton, (CB) Pa Ali, (CB) S Kearns, (LB) T Poacher, (RM) N Burrows, (CM) D Owen, (CM) P Clark, (LM) D Fry, (F) K Rapley, (F) P Byrne, (Subs) J Weller, I Thornhill

Pictures

Southbank Res vs Earley Gunners 1 - 3

Match Report

Gunners won the top of the table clash against Southbank Res with a 3-1 win. There was a bonus for Gunners in the first five minutes when Southbank only started with 9 men but their late arrivals soon turned up.

Gunners had more possession in the first half but the quality of passing let them down badly and this was not aided by the hard surface. Ian Thornhill had a great opportunity to score when he was one on one with the keeper but his low shot crept round the wrong side of the post.

At the other end of the field, Gunners had a couple of nervous moments when the defence were slow to clear the ball.

Kevin Rapley scored his 50th goal of the season to give Gunners the lead. He then added another goal when Dave Owens long punt upfield was headed over the keeper. The half time score was 2-0 to Gunners.

In the second half Gunners had an early chance to increase the lead when Dave Owens shot was just wide. The game then settled down into a pattern of Gunners having more play but failing to create a good scoring chance.

Southbank Res main weapon was a long ball to their forwards which was easily cut out although they did look more dangerous when they tried to run the ball through midfield.

Southbank Res pulled a goal back when Paul Ali fouled an opponent in the box and they converted the penalty. Fraser McNaughton made his own bid for glory when he made a surging run for the box but he couldn't get his shot off.

Things then got a bit sticky for Gunners coping with the continuous long balls which were played upfield against them. However, during the last ten minutes Gunners played some better football and Dave Owen gave the team some breathing space when he scored Gunners third.

Southbank Res tried to force their way back into the game and had a couple of late chances but Gunners held out for the win. "Man of the Match" went to Darren Fry.

Match Facts

MOM : D Fry

Goals : K Rapley (2), D Owen (1)

Team : (GK) J Willis, (RB) F McNaughton, (CB) Pa Ali, (CB) S Kearns, (LB) T Poacher, (RM) J Weller, (CM) P Clark, (CM) D Owen, (LM) D Fry, (F) K Rapley, (F) I Thornhill, (Subs) N Burrows, P Byrne

Pictures