It was clear in the week preceding this AFA Junior Novets Cup Semi-Final fixture that the 7s were up for the game. Midweek pitch inspections, emails detailing tactics and how we should be spending Friday evening and an inspiring Churchillesque speech from Adam Lemon, all suggested that Carshalton meant business.

The game itself brought a real clash of styles. A youthful Winchmore Hill side came into the fixture having previously lost only once all season and with eleven confident footballers they were happy to patiently play the ball around their back four, retaining possession. Carshalton on the other hand favoured a more direct approach, looking to hit danger-men Adam Lemon and Jay Breen at every opportunity. As such, Winchmore Hill enjoyed prolonged spells of possession as the 7’s worked hard to prevent their opponents from playing through them.

It wasn’t until the half hour mark that the home side forced a meaningful opportunity. A Steven Hayes header from a Matt Boyman corner was blocked on the line and in the ensuing scramble, Jim Armstrong, Jon Hill and Jay Breen all squandered golden chances to score. However, Carshalton didn’t have to wait as long for their next opportunity, as Winchmore Hill failed to clear a Matt Boyman throw in and Jon Hill was on hand to smash home from eight yards.

The remainder of the half was played out without further incident as the 7s continued to close down their opponents all over the pitch, eventually forcing them to play long diagonal balls which Tony Barrett and Jon Hill were able to cope with comfortably. 1-0 at half time and talk was of keeping things tight for the next ten minutes.

Unfortunately, Winchmore Hill pulled level shortly after the restart and the goal was a real heartbreaker. Having dominated the aerial exchanges all over the pitch, Carshalton went to sleep from a corner and allowed the opposition forward a free header from three yards. This goal changed the whole shape of the game, as the visitors, perhaps sensing blood, committed more men forward, causing the game to swing rapidly from end to end. Adam Lemon wasted three gilt edged chances for the 7s, whilst at the other end; the Winchmore Hill forwards were equally wasteful.

They say that the mark of a good striker is that missed chances won’t affect him getting into the position again for the next one. Adam Lemon illustrated this point perfectly on the hour mark, when he raced onto a Jay Breen through ball and slotted home past the advancing keeper to restore Carshalton’s slender advantage. Minutes later, Jay Breen looked to have sealed their passage into the next round as he out muscled one Winchmore Hill centre half, rounded the other and sat the keeper down before rolling the ball into the empty net.

At this point, with twenty or so minutes remaining, Rick Morris attempted to shore up the defence, bringing on the fresh legs of Chris Clark and Razza on the right side. Unfortunately, this ploy worked for only a few minutes before Razza, attempting to make a routine clearance, somehow sliced the ball over Mark from fully 30 yards for one of the most bizarre own goals ever.

So it was backs to the wall again for the next five minutes as Winchmore Hill pressed forward in search of an equaliser. Whilst this led to some nervous moments in the Carshalton defence, it also left the visitors vulnerable to a swift counter attack and when Jay Breen headed Adam Lemon clear with ten minutes remaining, the hotshot made no mistake and fired the 7s into the final.

The victory was witnessed by our largest crowd of the season as fans – two or three deep in places – lined the side of the pitch. Hopefully a similar number of spectators will make their way up to Walthamstow on 17^th March for the final.