Friday, May 30, 2003

Season Review 2002 - 2003

Season Review

Gunners did not start the season too well going 3-0 down at half time to Stevie B’s. "Man of the Match" Peter Ali led a fight back with a goal but Gunners eventually lost the game 3-2.
Gunners earned their first points of the season with a 3-2 win over RAS Rovers in a fiery encounter.


Next up was an away tie against Ruscombe Res which Gunners won 3-0 with Matt Rees the pick of Gunners players.

Gunners reached a 100 competitive games with a 3-0 home win against Good Companions. It was fitting that Paul Ali scored on his 100th appearance for the club. Richard Alderton was Gunners star man on the day.

Gunners then hit a poor run of form losing 1-0 to a distinctly average Forest side and then lost the next game 1-0 to RBC with Matt Rees was Gunners "Man of the Match".

The next game saw Gunners play West End in the Berks & Bucks Cup. The game did not go to well for Gunners who found themselves 3-1 down in the second half. However, a fightback led by Paul Clark who scored 2 goals saw them take the game to extra time and then penalties.

However, Gunners were very poor in the shoot out losing 3-1 to go out of the Cup.

Stuart Bye then single handedly demolished Purple Turtle scoring 5 goals in a 7-0 win and picking up the "Man of the Match" award.

Gunners then progressed through to the next round of the John Lusted Cup with a 5-2 win against the Black Boy with Lee Bonnici Gunners star man.

Gunners faced another cup tie in their next game and Paul Ali inspired the team to a 6-2 win against Tilehurst Utd.

Gunners then missed 3 weeks of games due to poor weather or pitch conditions but returned to action in the league with a 5-2 win over Loxwood Res with Dave Owen Gunners "Man of the Match". Gunners were proving to be a jinx over Loxwood who had yet to beat them in a competitive game.

Despite a good effort from Carl Littlechild, Gunners lost the return fixture to RBC 2-1 although Gunners did struggle to raise a team on the day and were forced to rely on a couple of "guest" players.

Purple Turtle then avenged their earlier defeat with a narrow 2-1 win despite a good performance from Gunners keeper Julian Willis.

The poor run of form continued with a 5-2 defeat against Palmer FC with Dave Owen the pick of Gunners players. Gunners were then knocked out of the John Lusted Cup losing 5-0 to Southbank Reserves who the team had not played in a competitive fixture since the first season.
Gunners could then only muster a 1-1 draw against Arborfield Reserves in their last game of the 2002 year.


The start of 2003 saw Gunners beat RAS Rovers 2-0 and then Gunners dropped two points against Forest FC with a 3-3 draw. Matt Rees was Gunners best performer on the day.
Gunners lost out 9-4 to Palmer FC but were forced to play the majority (about 80 minutes) of the game with 10 men due to the harsh dismissal of Adie Smith. Gunners batlled well in the first half and had levelled the score at 4-4 before Palmer used the extra men in the second half to run out clear winners.


A Dave Owen hat trick helped Gunners to a 5-3 win against Woodley Thatchers. Gunners then faced top of the table Stevie B’s and were drawing 2-2 until injuries forced Gunners to play the last 30 minutes with 10 men. Gunners looked like they were going to hold out but two late goals from Stev’e B’s gave them the win. Marcus Randles was Gunners "Man of the Match".