Earley Gunners vs Abbey Res 3 - 3

Match Report

Earley Gunners battled their way to a 3-3 draw against high flying Abbey Rangers Res.

Gunners made the worst possible start when the opposition were awarded a penalty in the first minute. A long ball was throw into the Gunners box which Paul Ali headed away, the ball went straight in the air and fell back onto Pauls arm which was by his side, nobody appealed for the penalty yet it was awarded by the referee. Abbey duly converted this.

However, this bad luck made Gunners more determined to battle harder and they soon were back in the match when Dave Owen flicked the ball onto Danny who slotted home from the edge of the box.

Gunners also had a further chance to score when Danny flicked the ball onto Paul Ali who chested the ball past the opponent but shot too close to the keeper who saved from close range.
Gunners then took the lead when Mark Firmager sent a long goal kick downfield which Dave Owen chased and flicked over the keeper. The half time score was 2-1.

In the second half, Gunners continued to work hard but Abbey pulled a goal back when a cross was not cleared from the box and Abbey scored from close range.

Abbey then put Gunners under some pressure although Paul Marten played well to clearaway some loose balls played over the top.

The Gunners midfield battled on especially through debutant Paul Stout and Gunners did create a couple of opportunities.

Gunners then took the lead when Matt Rees set up Dave Owen for the score. Gunners could have finished the game off when Dave Owen hit the cross bar.

Gunners began to play some neat football especially along the right hand side and they created some crosses into the box from this area.

Abbey pushed more men forward in search of an equaliser and got their reward when they headed in from a corner with about five minutes to go.

Despite only gaining one point, this was a good battling performance from Gunners where every player gave a good level of effort and played the game in a positive manner.

"Man of the Match" went to Paul Stout for a great game in the heart of midfield with Paul Marten coming a close second.

Match Facts:

MOM : P Stout

Goals : D Owen (2), D Deeks (1)

Team

Earley Gunners vs Loxwood Res 3 - 0

Match Report

Earley Gunners battled their way through to the next round of the John Lusted Cup against a strong looking Loxwood side.

Loxwood were slightly the better of the two sides in the first half although chances were limited at both ends.

Stuart Bye had a good chance to open the scoring when he received the ball at the edge of the box from a cross and brought it down well but then put his shot over the bar. Gareth also had a chance when he made a good run into the box but put the ball wide from close range.

However ten minutes from the end of the first half Gunners began to get more into the game.
In the second half Gunners began to assert themselves more and took the lead when Nick Burrows played the ball to Iain Peer who scored.

Gunners then added a second when Iain Peer received the ball inside the box and bustled his way past a couple of players before finishing from close range.

Loxwood failed to create many clear cut opportunities and when they had half chances, their shooting was quite poor on the day.

Iain had a good chance for a hat-trick when the ball was squared back to him from a cross but he put the ball over.

In the last few minutes Gunners sealed the victory with virtually the last kick of the game when substitute keeper Mark Firmager send a long kick upfield which Dave Owen raced onto and put past the keeper.Gunners were eventual 3-0 winners.

There were some good performances from Dave Owen and Matt Rees but Iain Peer edged them out for MOM.

Match Facts:

MOM : I Peer

Goals : I Peer (2), D Owen (1)

Team

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Earley Gunners vs Saints 2 - 1

Match Report

Earley Gunners earned three points in the league with a close win again Saints.

Gunners did not have a particularly good first half and the team did not control the ball or pass this around enough to worry the opposition.

Saints opened the scoring when they played the ball back to a free player from a throw on, who stroked the ball home from 20 yards.

However, Gunners managed to equalise when a free kick was nodded down by Matt Rees to Stuart Bye who controlled the ball and placed it home from close range.

Gunners did possess an aerial threat with long throws and corners but could not quite convert this into clear opportunities.

The half time score was 1-1 and whilst the team had made an effort to play they lacked some control and coordination.

In the second half, the team still looked a little lethargic and again found it difficult to play much football. However as the half progressed Richard found himself with more space on the right hand side and he gave Gunners a lead when Dave Owen played him through to score.
Saints then pushed forward in search of an equaliser and the defence played very well to keep the opposition at bay.

However, this also gave Gunners extra space up front and Richard had a couple of great chances to score when he found himself free on the right but his left foot shots were just a little wide of the post.

Jim Roberts also had a good chance to score from close range when he sent the ball wide.
The final score was a close 2-1 win but Gunners should have added a couple more to give them a greater lead.

Match Facts:

MOM : F McNaughton

Goals : S Bye (1), R Taylor (1)

Team

Woodley Saints vs Earley Gunners 2 - 2 (3 - 4 Pens)

Match Report

Earley Gunners secured their place in the next round of the cup after a very close match against Woodley Saints.

Gunners started the stronger of the teams and went a goal up through Gareth Akers before Woodley Saints started to play some neat football and then scored a deserved equaliser from a close range shot inside the box. Matt Rees had a good chance to extend the lead when his twenty yard shot flew wide of the post. Gunners also had a goal disallowed in the first half.

In the second half Woodley looked the stronger of the teams and had a few close chances to score. However, no further goals were added and the game went into extra time. There was an unfortunate incident when a Woodley player was accidentally got a nasty cut around the eye after going for a header and he had to leave the field of play.

Woodley then scored a goal when the broke from the right back position and run the ball through the Gunners midfield and into the defence when the ball was layed off and they scored from close range. Gunners used the last of their substitutes and pushed men forward and were rewarded when Stuart Bye scrambled home a debut goal after some good build up play from Gareth.

The final score after extra time was 2-2 and a penalty shoot-out was required to decide the tie. Paul Ali stepped up to take the first penalty but placed the ball a shade wide of the post and Woodley scored to give them a 0 - 1 lead. Dave Owen scored a goal and Woodley equalised to make it 1-2. Gareth scored Gunners second and Woodley Saints missed with a weak shot at Julian who easily saved the ball to leave it at 2-2. Stuart then scored a goal and Woodley scored to make it 3-3. Finally Chris Wrey scored Gunners fourth and with their last kick Woodley blasted the ball wide to give Gunners the win.

Match Facts

Goals : S Bye (1), G Akers (1)

Team

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Shinfield vs Earley Gunners 1 - 2

Match Report

Earley Gunners secured their first league win of the season after winning a scrappy game against Shinfield Lions Res.

Dave Owen had a good first half playing as the lone frontman and held the ball up well. Kenny Bunce also looked lively breaking down the left.

The first half saw few real opportunities for either side and the teams went in 0-0 at half time and the first goal was going to be vital in the second half.

In the second half Gunners took the lead after Paul Marten played the ball back to Kenny Bunce whose flighted shot from the edge of the box came in off the post.

Nick Burrows was involved in the action when he took exception to one of the Shinfield players who made yet another late flick at someones heels and tempers flared for a moment before things were calmed down as quickly as they had started.

Shinfield had a great chance to level the scores when they were through on goal but Paul Ali made a saving challenge in the box to prevent a shot although he managed to injure himself in the process and had to come off.

Kenny was then involved at the other end of the field when he gave away a penalty and Shinfield levelled the scores.

However with twenty minutes to go, Leigh Holdway set up Gareth who scored the winner.
Gunners had a few late chances to make the game comfortable but the Shinfield keeper made a couple of good close range in succession.

Shinfield had some late pressure but Gunners held out for the win.

Match Facts:

Goals : K Bunce (1), G Akers (1)

Team

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Good Companions vs Earley Gunners 5 - 2

Match Report

Earley Gunners faced Good Companions in their first league game of the season.
Gunners were given a scare early on when Goodies had two attempts cleared off the Gunners line by Paul Marten and Nick Burrows.

However it was Gunners who took the lead when a long ball by Kenny Bunce was flicked on by Iain Peer and Richard Taylor volleyed the ball home from close range.

Good Companions equalised before Dave Owen scored when he received a pass from Richard Taylor and managed to score from the edge of the box.

Good Companions fought back and equalised again with a header from a corner.

The half time score was 2-2.

Gunners went 3-2 down in the first few minutes when Dave Owen was adjudged to have handled in the box and Goodies scored the penalty.

Gunners did rally for a few minutes but really failed to create any decent chances.

Good Companions then added a further goal when they scored a header from a cross and then Gunners suffered a further blow when Neil was injured after the Gunners subs had been used and had to come off leaving the team with 10 men.

Good Companions then played some neat football against a ragged looking Gunners midfield and defence and eventually added a fifth goal.

The final result was a 5-2 defeat and a comfortable second half for Good Companions.

Match Facts:

Goals: D Owen (1), R Taylor (1)

Team

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Wokingham CC vs Earley Gunners 1 - 7

Match Report

Earley Gunners strolled to a comfortable win with a 7-1victory over Bracknell League side Wokingham CC. Nick had an early chance to score when he had a free header on goal but he couldn't quite connect with the ball!

Gunners started well and took a two goal lead through Iain Peer. The first was set up by Nick Burrows who played a through ball to Iain who finished well from inside the box.

Neil Rumbold then set up Iains second goal when he played him through on goal and Iain finished with a delicate chip over the keeper. The Gunners defence was only really troubled in the last ten minutes of the first half when Julian Willis was required to make a good save.

In the second half, Gunners added several more goals. Dave Owen was influential in setting these up with Iain Peer grabbing another 3 and the other goals coming from Leigh Holdway and Neil Rumbold.

The worst miss of the game when Iain played a lovely ball to Neil who had an open goal but he side footed his shot onto the post but luckily this fell into Iain's path who finished from close range.

Nick also had a good chance to score when he had a clear shot from inside the box but this went over the bar. Wokingham pulled back a late consolation goal but Gunners had already put the game beyond their reach.

"Men of the Match" went to Iain Peer for a great 5 goal haul and Leigh Holdway for a good game in midfield.

Match Facts:

MOM : I Peer/L Holdway

Goals: I Peer (5), N Rumbold (1), L Holdway (1)

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