Colliers Wood United 2 - Croydon 2
Monday 31 August 2009
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League
Colliers Wood United FC (0) 2 (Ryan Hughes 81, Daniel Reeves 90+6)
Croydon FC (0) 2 (Sam Groombridge 66, Daniel Akpoueta 71)
Croydon’s shambolic start to the season continued when they surrendered a 2 goal lead that should have been enough to see them get off the mark with their 1st win.
As it turned out their 96th minute capitulation saw their hosts Colliers Wood United glean their 1st point of the campaign.
Despite the bitter way in which 2 points were dropped a draw was a fair result as neither side were capable of rudimentary defence, although they both attacked with some flair at times.
The Trams sported the usual array of new signings, most significantly Michael Holder took over between the sticks, the experienced ex-Greenwich Borough keeper has faced Croydon several times and will be a good acquisition, although he had a curates egg of debut, some excellent saves and 1 catastrophic blunder.
Also starting were Kevin Sefaah and Michah Banton with Louis Hollingworth coming of the bench.
Both sides could have scored in the 1st half but failed. Jamie Marriott had Croydon’s best 2 chances, firstly he found himself in good space in front of goal but with the ball on his wrong foot he could only hit the ball towards the keeper, all the same Chris Nelson in the Colliers Wood goal was made to stretch.
The second attempt was all Marriott’s own work as he turned gracefully about 25 yards out and pinged a shot against the crossbar with Nelson grounded.
The easiest chance was missed by the home side, Danny Elgar skipped past Steve McNamara on the right flank and delivered a cross that Paul Boele should have converted with his eyes shut, somehow he missed fro 2 yards out and his effort bounced off the post, it was a let off.
Tim Murdoch nearly got things off to a flyer in the 2nd half when he ran deep into the Colliers Wood half and hit a shot that again rattled the home sides crossbar but then it was Croydon’s turn to be rattled as Colliers Wood had to great chances that only heroics by Holder denied. He made a great flying stop to deny Steve Lang and then somehow managed to fly kick the ball away when Adam Fisk appeared certain to score.
After the home pressure, Croydon went up the other end and scored. Murdoch’s free kick found Sam Groombridge, who, after appearing to control the ball with his hand somehow managed to lob Nelson who was standing on his goal line. He should have done better.
The Trams so nearly scored again a couple of minutes later when Marriott caused chaos in the box when he was allowed to turn, with Croydon players queuing up to score it was Jimmy Beauchamp who got the shot in but his effort was cleared off the line.
The visitors scored again in the 71st minute and should have closed things out for the win from there on in. A pinpoint cross field pass from Groombridge set substitute Daniel Akpoueta away and he made no mistake, sliding the ball under the advancing Nelson.
Colliers Wood pulled one back out of nothing, Ryan Hughes had a tame shot from some distance, it could have been easily stopped with an outstretched boot, it was a gather rather than a save but unfathomably Holder misjudged it and allowed the ball under his body and into the goal. He did enough to redeem himself in this match alone but when a teams luck’s out this kind of thing has a habit of happening.
In fact Holder denied an equaliser when he made a great flying save to tip Lang’s effort round the post.
Croydon couldn’t hold out and conceded a cruddy goal deep into justified stoppage time. The referee incorrectly adjudged a foul against Murdoch and Colliers Wood humped the ball into the Croydon box, Thomas Costelloe was offside and clearly interfering as he challenged for the high bouncing ball but the linesman thought otherwise and Daniel Reeves struck home to deny the Trams victory. Offside or not the position was definitely defendable.
The Trams are on their travels (or is that travails) again next Saturday when the visit North Greenford United in the league, lets hope they can go one better and get that vital win.
Croydon: Michael Holder; Jimmy Beauchamp; Steve McNamara; Aaron Smith; Rob Bartley (Louis Hollingworth 64); Sam Groombridge; Kevin Sefaah; Tim Murdoch; Jamie Marriott (Darren Delgrado 75); Rhod Davis (Daniel Akpoueta 40); Michah Banton.
Subs not used: James Brown; Jamie Williams (gk)
Simon Hawkins