Earley Gunners vs Woodley Roofing 2 - 4

Match Report

League leaders Woodley Roofing managed to overcome Earley Gunners with a 4-2 win. Gunners could have made a dream start when Paul Ali raced onto Paul Clark’s through ball but his lob when just wide of the post.

Woodley Roofing then took the lead in the first half through when Gunners were caught asleep and they played a short corner which was drilled into the box and finished from close range shot. Gunners fought back and had plenty of possession. Gareth Akers was looking particularly dominant down the right hand side of midfield and it was his good work which led to Gunners equalising through Bill Maslin.

Gareth Akers also had a great shot which the keeper parried away for a corner. Gunners had a few more chances with Paul Clark pulling the strings in midfield, although the team were on occasions guilty of not playing the easy ball to a free man and trying for goal ourselves which eventually proved costly. Woodley then sucker-punched Gunners with two goals before half time. The first was a looping header over the onrushing keeper and the second was a shot from outside the box. The half time score was 3-1 to Woodley.

The team then decided to revert to a 4-4-2 formation with Neil Rumbold making his first start to the season and he soon made his mark by latching onto a ball from Leon and scoring within two minutes of coming on. Gunners then pressed the opposition for good periods of the second half but couldn't find the net although they came close when Bill and Neil decided to fall try and block each other on the opponents goal line and Woodley cleared the ball. Gunners again squandered possession in dangerous positions and failed to add any further goals.

Woodley were limited to a few chances on the counterattack and this paid off in the dying few minutes when they volleyed in from a cross to kill the game off. The final result was a 4-2 defeat. Paul Ali was Gunners "Man of the Match" for a good performance in the defence.

Match Facts

MOM : Pa Ali

Goals : B Maslin (1), N Rumbold (1)

Team

Earley Gunners vs Good Companions 6 - 5

Match Report

Earley Gunners edged out Good Companions after an 11 goal thriller. Gunners took a 2-0 lead through Bill Maslin (assist Leon) and Gareth Akers (assist Paul Clark) and Gunners looked good at this stage but the team then allowed Good Companions to get back into the game and they did with 2 goals to make it 2-2.

A few minutes before half time Paul Ali crossed the ball and an overhead "flick" from Sean Kearns made it 3-2 to give Gunners a narrow lead at half time. In the second half Gunners extended the lead through Gareth Akers when he picked up a loose ball upfront and scored with a long range effort but then Good Companions came back again and scored goal another to make it 4-3.

Gunners looked to have killed the game off when Bill Maslin scored his second after a great cross from Matt Walker to make it 5-3 to Gunners but Good Companions added another goal. Dave Owen sealed the game for Gunners when he added a sixth although Good Companions did score a penalty after Paul Marten was judged to have fouled the opposing player and they scored with the last kick of the game to make it 6-5 to Gunners.

Paul Clark was Gunners "Man of the Match" for a great display in midfield.

Match Facts

MOM : P Clark

Goals : G Akers (2), B Maslin (2), D Owen (1), S Kearns (1)

Team
Pictures

Arborfield vs Earley Gunners 2 - 3

Match Report

Earley Gunners earned their first points of the season with a close 3-2 victory over Arborfield Res.

It was a fairly even first half with Gunners having more possession but not dominating the game. Unfortunately, the defence looked fragile on a couple of occasions especially when the opposition played the long ball.

Arborfield Res took the lead in the first half but Gunners equalised when Gareth Akers set up Paul Clark for a close range shot.

An even first half saw both teams going into the break a goal a piece.

Gunners had plenty of possession in the second half and were virtually camped in the oppositions half for the first 15-20 minutes of the second half but could not quite create a clear enough opening to score a goal.

The team wasted several opportunities to take the lead until Leon Spyrou scored with a fantastic strike from 30 yards out which flew into the top left hand corner of the goal.

Arborfield Res then caught Gunners cold and immediately hit back with an equaliser but Gunners managed to take the lead again when Sean Kearns rose at the far post from a corner to head the ball home.

Gunners then dug in and held out for the last 10 minutes to earn their first win of the season.
Nick Burrows was Gunners "Man of the Match" for a solid display at right back.

Match Facts

MOM : N Burrows

Goals : S Kearns (1), P Clark (1), L Spyrou (1)

Team

Earley HG Res vs Earley Gunners 3 - 1

Match Report

Earley Gunners made a poor start to their Sunday League career with a disappointing 3-1 defeat against Earley HG Res.

It was the opposition that started the better of the game and had some early pressure before taking the lead. A short while later they added another goal to make it 2-0.

Gunners hit back after some neat interplay freed up Gareth Akers to drill the ball home from close range to leave the half time score 2-1 to the opposition.

In the second half Gunners failed to lift the game and were second best to every loose ball. Few chances were created and Gunners failed to put any pressure on the oppositions goal. Earley HG Res added a third goal when the opposition broke through and lobbed the keeper and this ended up the final result.

Earley HG were limited in terms of skill but battled well for every single ball. In defence they made quick hard tackles to give Gunners no time on the ball and when in doubt they cleared the ball down the other end of the field.

Their midfield won the physical battle over Gunners midfield and their lone forward caused Gunners far too many problems then he should have. The failure to compete when Gunners didn't have the ball and the inability to create scoring chances cost Gunners the game.

Sean Kearns was Gunners "Man of the Match".

Match Facts

MOM : S Kearns

Goal : G Akers (1)

Team