Earley Gunners vs Arborfield 4 - 1

Match Report

Gunners beat Arborfield in the return fixture thanks to a very good first half performance.
Gunners started the better of the teams and took an early lead through Dave Owen who was making his first start for several weeks after an injury. Dave then made it two a short while later.

Gunners were playing some neat football in midfield and up front and had the beating of the Arborfield when the ball was played quickly through the midfield.

Arborfield did pull a goal back slightly against the run of play, when the ball get held up in midfield and they played the ball onto the Arborfield forward who scored from twenty yards out.
However, Gunners enterprising play soon earned them a further goal when Dave Owen scored his third goal of the game.

Iain Peer was also unlucky not to score when his well struck shot cannoned off the post.
The half time score was 3 - 1 to Gunners.

In the second half, Gunners did not pass the ball around as well as the first although the team did dominate possession.

Arborfield had only one really good chance to score when Julian Willis saved well from close range and some resolute defending prevented Arborfield from having any further good opportunities.

Julian Willis managed to sustain an injury when the ball cannoned into his face from his own player at a corner and he got a bloody nose for his reward, but he was able to continue the game shortly afterwards.

Gunners needed a fourth goal just to put the game beyond the oppositions reach and this game a few minutes from the end when Phil Byrne came off the bench and scored from close range for his first goal of the season.

The final score was a comfortable 4 - 1 win. Gunners "Man of the Match" went to Dave Owen for a good game up front.

Match Facts

MOM : D Owen

Goals : D Owen (3), P Byrne (1)

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Earley Gunners vs Hagbourne Oak 1 - 1 (1 - 4 Pens)

Match Report

Gunners went out of the John Lusted Cup after falling to Hagbourne Oak in extra time.

Hagbourne made the better start of the teams in the first half and had more of the possession and Julian Willis was called into action early on.

However, against the run of play Gunners took the lead through Dave Owen when he latched onto a through ball, beat a player and slipped the ball past the oncoming keeper. There was a nervous moment when Matt Rees was required to clear the ball of his line. At half time, Gunners had battled well and were ahead by one goal to nil.

In the second half Gunners had more possession and created a few more chances, Matt Rees was unlucky when he nearly scored from a close range header and Richard Alderton also had a shot blocked on the line.

However, Hagbourne also had a few chances and they especially dangerous down the left wing. Hagbourne did equalise in the second half to take the game into extra time. In the first half of extra time, Hagbourne took the lead after five minutes to give them a slender lead. Gunners thought they were back in the game when they were nearly awarded a penalty for handball but the referee amended his decision after consulting the linesman.

Hagbourne seemed to get better and better as the game went on and Gunners were looking a lot more ragged. In the second half of extra time, Hagbourne scored two further goals as Gunners were trying to commit more men forward and this sealed the victory. Gunners seemed to run out of steam towards the end and failed to make a fight of the game in extra time.

Gunners "Men of the Match" was Julian Willis for some fine keeping and Matt Rees for a good game at centre-half.

Match Facts

MOM : J Willis / M Rees

Goal : D Owen (1)

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Earley Gunners vs GWRSA 8 - 0

Match Report

Earley Gunners cruised to a comfortable victory over bottom of the league GWRSA.

Gunners made a very good start to the game and were four goals up in the first 15 minutes, thanks to two goals from Iain Peer and a goal each from Neil Rumbold and Paul Ali.

Gunners were awarded a penalty when Paul Ali was fouled in the box, Julian Willis then stepped up and rifled the ball home to score his first ever goal for the club.

Gunners were the more dominant side but after making a good start became a little complacent and failed to add any further goals in the first half which was also the result of some poor finishing all round.

In the second half, Gunners cruised through the game in second gear and whilst they created a few more chances early on they had difficulty hitting the target.

With about twenty minutes to go, Neil Rumbold retired through injury and Peter Ali was brought on to play his first game for nearly two years. He made an immediate impact by volleying in a goal from a corner and was then unlucky when he had a second goal disallowed for offside.

Iain Peer added two further goals to take his tally to four for the game.

Gunners had a few late chances but could not add to the scoreline whilst GWRSA were limited to the odd counter attack but the Gunners defence was reasonably resolute and GWRSA did not pose any real threat.

There were some good performances from Paul Stout and Iain Peer but Man of the Match was awarded to Phil Byrne.

MOM : P Byrne

Goals : I Peer (4), Pa Ali (1), J Willis (1), Pe Ali (1), N Rumbold (1)

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Woodley Thatchers vs Earley Gunners 8 - 1

Match Report

Earley Gunners suffered their heaviest defeat ever after capitulating to a rampant Woodley Thatchers side.

Gunners had made a decent start to the game and had an early goal disallowed from Iain Peer for offside and had kept a clean sheet for the first 30 minutes of the game.

However, Woodley then struck three times before half time. The first came from a free header from a corner, the second was a close range finish from a good move down the Gunners left and the third was a good individual goal from outside the box.

In the second half, Gunners pulled a goal back to after Iain Peer scrambled the ball home from close range.

However, Woodley upped a gear and they dominated the rest of the game.

Paul Marten was introduced at centre-back but could not stem the tide of attacking forwards and Gunners capitulated at the end when Woodley scored 5 goals in the second half.

The final score was a miserable 8-1 defeat and not the best start to 2002.

"Man of the Match" was Matt Walker with Paul Stout also having a good game despite the scoreline.

Match Facts:

MOM : M Walker

Goal : I Peer (1)

Team