League Match - 26th September 2009

Cars entertained BB Eagles in their 3^rd fixture of the 09/10 season in the glorious Beddington Park sunshine. After making a good start to the season, we were looking to push on and extend our run against a team we drew twice with last season. Once again the squad was stretched to its maximum with several players missing and we kicked off with midfield featuring all left footers.

The match got under way and both teams seem reluctant to fully attack, with chances in the 1^st quarter of an hour few and far between. We then had a couple of half chances from corners but nothing clear cut. At the other end, Eagles strikers were covering large areas, with their movement causing a little uncertainty between the Central defensive pairing of Dan McCulloch and Tom Ritchie, but with Full Backs James Horton and Richard Webb providing good cover, Eagles attacks were coming to nothing. However, it was eagles who took the lead midway through the first half when a corner wasn’t fully cleared and their Centre Half smashed in a volley from the edge of the box. We were behind for the 1^st time this season. The goal knocked the wind out of Cars and it took us a while to get back into our stride. We hit back about 5 minutes before half time. It was Eagles this time who failed to clear their lines and Bill Tilley, who was playing central Midfield, rifled into the bottom corner to bring the scores level.

1-1 at half time and on balance we were probably the better side, but the game was finely balanced. From the fist kick of the second half Cars seized the initiative, Dave Tilley in the centre being a link through which everything was coming. With Webbo and Horton also getting a bit more space, assisted by wide men Kev McLeod and Alex Corner, Cars surged forward hoping to make the possession count. We took the lead early in the second half. Again eagles failed to deal with a Dave Tilley corner and Simon Clare neatly finished at the near post. 2-1 Cars and we were looking to put the game beyond doubt. A brilliant Reflex save from an Andy Taylor header kept the lead down, but it was only a momentary reprieve as Taylor was on hand to finish from a Claire long throw. 3-1 and we were looking for more, a Superb Horton Cross saw Al Corners header Inches wide and Bill narrowly missed another good chance.

With 15 Min’s left we let Eagles back into the game, with Cars controlling possession and knocking the ball around confidently, a slip in midfield let their winger carry the ball into our half, before cleverly cutting it back for the onrushing midfielder to stoke home. To say 3-2 was an unfair score line would be a massive understatement, we should have been out of sight. Eagles were back in the game though and Cars had to weather some late pressure, including several corners. But keeper Martin Bruce and the back 4 of Horton, Webb, McCulloch and Ritchie remained calm to the end and we saw the game out to record our second home win on the spin.

A really good second half performance, probably the best of the season so far, if we play like this every week not many teams in the league will be able to live with us. The only negatives from the performance being the disappointment of conceding 2 and hopefully the injury to Corner sustained near the end will not be too serious. EBOG away next week will certainly test our promotion credentials.