Bulmershe OB vs Earley Gunners 2 - 2

Match Report

Gunners made some amends for last weeks poor display and upset the form book with a 2-2 draw against league leaders Bulmershe Old Boys. Gunners were even unlucky not to claim all 3 points.

Gunners played uphill in the first half and Bulmershe had some early pressure before Gunners began to put a few attacks together. Steve Tranter gave Gunners the lead with a great strike from distance midway through the first half.

Bulmershe had more of the pressure, but the Gunners defence stood firm and the midfield battled well to stop Bulmershe from getting into any sort of rhythm. Bulmershe started to become frustrated and two of their players were booked for dissent.

Unfortunately, Bulmershe did manage to scramble an equaliser mere moments before half time to make the score 1-1.

In the second half Bulmershe started off the better of the teams and forced a number of corners which Gunners managed to defend. However, Gunners started to counter-attack well and Bill Maslin then gave Gunners a 2-1 lead when he was played through by Iain Peer. Both forwards worked well with the limited possession they had with Iain in particular holding the ball up well and earning a couple of free kicks.

Gunners had a couple of great chances to put the game away when Bill had a one on one with the keeper and his shot went wide and Paul Stout screwed his shot wide from inside the box.
Bulmershe's frustation was evident and this led to one of their players being sent off after another yellow card for dissent.

Bulmershe forced a series of corners and Gunners were lucky not to concede when a shot hit the bar and Carl Littlechild cleared the ball off the line.

However, in the final few minutes Bulmershe scored a late equaliser when their cross was not held and fell into their forwards path who tapped the ball home from close range.

Overall, the team were pleased with a point and it was massive improvement from last weeks game. It was great to see every player giving 110% and it shows that on a good day Gunners can match any team in the league.

Despite a number of good performances all round, Richard Alderton was Gunners "Man of the Match".

Match Facts

MOM : R Alderton

Goals : S Tranter (1), B Maslin (1)

Team
Pictures

Reading Pirhanas vs Earley Gunners 2 - 1

Match Report

Gunners were humiliated when they lost 2 - 1 to bottom of the league Reading Piranhas.
Gunners started the game poorly and never got any rhythm going in the first half. Despite having a few attacks down the right hand side Gunners could only create a couple of chances of note when Neil squared the Dave who shot wide and Gunners went close from a corner.

At the other end of the field, the Gunners defence were particularly poor allowing Reading Piranhas to put them under pressure and Piranhas eventually took advantage when they opened the scoring.

The half time score was 1-0 to Piranhas.

In the second half Gunners were a bit more positive and responded by equalising within two minutes when Carl Littlechild played the ball to Paul Stout who shot from outside the box and this went in under the keeper.

Gunners had much the better of the play in the second half but still looked vulnerable to the odd Piranhas counter attack.

Gunners created numerous chances the best of which fell to Jon Hall who had a shot saved from a 1 on 1 with the keeper. Jon also came close when he turned a defender in the box and his shot went over from close range.

In the dying minutes, Piranhas punished Gunners were a low corner was driven into the box and Gunners failed to clear allowing Piranhas to score from close range. Gunners had little time to respond and lost the game 2-1 in another poor display.

Match Facts

Goal : P Stout (1)

Team
Pictures

Earley Gunners vs Ruscombe 5 - 1

Match Report

Gunners started 2005 with a 5 - 1 win against Ruscombe.

Gunners started the game well and immediately put Ruscombe under some pressure but could not convert their chances into goal. Ruscombe then came back into the game and took the lead midway through the first half.

However, Richard Alderton equalised for Gunners at the second attempt when his shot rebounded of the post and he finished from close range.

Bill Maslin then gave Gunners the lead when Marcus Randles high cross was superbly volleyed home.

The half time score was 2-1 to Gunners.

In the second half Gunners controlled the game well and had the advantage of the wind. Paul Stout added a goal early on when he was played through by Bill Maslin and sent his shot looping over the keeper.

Gunners then made the game safe after a neat move saw Matt Rees play Bill Maslin in for this second of the game.

Ruscombe had little to offer in the second half and stand in keeper Iain Peer had little to do.
Gunners last goal came late on when Dave Owen volleyed the ball home superbly from just outside the box to wrap up a comfortable win.

The final score was 5-1 and a performance where Gunners finishing was first class (we don't say that too often!)

Match Facts

Goals : B Maslin (2), P Stout (1), R Alderton (1), D Owen (1)

Team

Pictures

Earley Gunners vs West End 1 - 6

Match Report

Gunners poor run of form continued with a home defeat to West End.

Gunners started the game slowly and West End took the initiative. A number of individual errors from Neil Old Corn, Paul Marten and Paul Ali in the first half gave West End a 3 - 0 half time lead.

In the second half Gunners pulled goal back through a Dave Owen penalty but again more individual errors cost Gunners another two goals including an own goal from Gareth Stout who neatly lobbed Andy from inside his own penalty box.

West End then earned a penalty when Matt Rees fouled an opponent in the box but the penalty was missed but West End did score a final goal to earn a 6 - 1 win.

Match Facts

Goal : D Owen (1)

Team