Reports 4th February 2006

Men's 1st XI grind out a 2-0 win over Cambridge Nomads III

Men's 2nd XI are beaten 6-1 by Market Deeping II

Men's 3rd XI lose by a solitary goal, 1-0 against Peterborough Town VI

Men's Veteran XI gain a 2-1 victory against Bishop's Stortford

Ladies' 1st XI suffer a 5-2 reverse against Huntingdon I

Mixed XI lose 3-2 against St Ives

 

Cambridge Nomads Men's III 0 - 2 Cambridge South Men's I

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Chris Baker, Kevin Rowland

A strong crowd didn't turn up for this fiercely contested local derby. The pitch at The Abbey was bumpy and sandy, but this didn’t put off the South players as they strode as giants onto the pitch. And then waited around for half an hour as the previous game was running late. Still, this gave Cheggers the opportunity to fully prep the team with such memorable lines as "The breakfast of champions is not cereal, it's the opposition."

The Cambridge South team are a well-oiled machine now and really beginning to click. Today they had the rookie sensation Eliot Read making his first start, playing at left wing. And it soon became clear that playing him alongside the impact player Tom Moy was a highly combustible combination that struck fear into the heart of the Nomads defence. With the help of Forrest, a player with speed to burn, it only looked like a matter of time before the Nomads net would be bulging.

Unfortunately, Nomads defended like champions, with their backs to the walls, which made life difficult for the visiting team. Once again Cheggers, a proven winner, was dictating things in the middle of the park – linking up play effortlessly. The first few opportunities nearly fell to Keith, a player that has a real passion for the game, but the quick Nomads defence sprang into action to intercept the crosses.

Eventually, South did manage to break the deadlock and it was courtesy of their in-form midfield playmaker, Cheggers, who was in the right place at the right time to sweep in a cross from Forrest. At right-midfield Creed was making a real nuisance of himself and was always looking to add a new dimension to the South offense. It stayed 1-0 in the first half, though, and the game was far from over.

The second half was a cagey affair, with South dominating long periods without managing to create any clear-cut opportunities. Carey was on in the second half, a tough, hard-nosed player that plays with reckless abandon. With such a combative streak it was a little surprising to find that someone else ended up being green carded for aggressive play – Tom Moy battering an opposition player into the ground before delicately coming away with the ball. It did set the tone for the game as things turned more scrappy.

Nomads felt there was a chance for an equaliser but the predictable South back line was as miserly as ever. Asbo, Thorpe, Graveling and Benedikz absorbed all that Nomads could throw at them. This season Thorpe is silencing the nay-sayers that doubted his skills after the disappointment of last season. He's really proving his mettle with his performances. And alongside him at left back, Benedikz is truly blossoming, and his excellent nose for the ball and ability to sniff out danger proves a real asset at the back. Nomads managed to find space in the centre of the pitch and put together some good attacks down South's right flank, but they foundered on the tackling of Chris Graveling, a player that's always giving 110% for the team. On any occasions that Nomads did manage to break through the back three or get a short corner, Asbo was poetry in motion; supremely demolishing the attack at once.

After the match all were agreed that the most skillful moment of the game was a complete and accidental fluke, namely that Keith scored at the near post. Cheggers had used the first few short corners to fire balls at the near post, but decided to vary the fourth and pass it square to Forrest. His slide rule pass to Keith was easily slotted away to make it 2-0 and effectively seal the win for South.

"We drew closer together in the face of adversity. Our team has shown a lot of heart and guts. This team has won a lot of close games and it has a lot to do with their mental toughness", said Cheggers afterwards.

 

Cambridge South Men's II 1 - 6 Market Deeping Men's II

H/T: 0 - 5

Scorers: Tristen Knight
MoM: Finn Johnson

After the first five goals, Cambridge South, sponsored by PwC, knew they were up against it.

Deeping were better in all departments, and were able to boss the first half through their experienced midfield general. Four of the goals came from well positioned unmarked forwards, and the fifth from a cleanly struck shot from a short corner. All this in spite of a battling South effort, particularly Andy Lewis and Man of the Match, Finn Johnson, in both defence and attack. Unfortunately, South gave the ball away too easily and were punished.

The second half was much more even, with the home team having much of the ball and numerous quality moments including patient round the back crossfield moves and some neat triangles. New midfield holding player Mike Thorogood and winger Samin Ishtiaq were at the heart of things and the pressure led to a scrambled Tristen Knight consolation goal near the end from close range.

South seconds have rediscovered their spirit, and the positive attitude of the second half bodes well for the remaining games.

 

Cambridge South Men's III 0 - 1 Peterborough Town Men's VI

H/T: 0 - 0

Scorers:

Cambridge South 3rds, sponsored by PwC, found themselves up against a very young and skilful side for the second consecutive week.

Both teams worked hard throughout the match for openings but found the defences in solid form, giving little away. Once again, due to injures and work commitments, South had stand-in keeper Ian Evans between the sticks.

Ian had a fine game and there are few keepers around who could have done anything about Peterborough's winning goal scored midway through the second half; a well worked short corner routine found the centre-forward with space and time in the D, and his strike was so perfectly placed that it flicked the post on its way in.

 

Cambridge South Men's Veterans 2 - 1 Bishop's Stortford Men's Veterans

H/T: 2 - 1

Scorers: Richard Bettison, Steve Fleck
MoM: Jim Sutcliffe

The new team spirit got us through this one.

Bishop’s Stortford inflicted one of our worst, if not the very worst, defeats in recent years; 1 – 11 earlier in the season, and are currently near the top of the league.

The match started at a fast pace and Cambridge South should have made more of their early chances, as it was likely that they would be few and far between. However, the forwards didn’t manage it until just after fifteen minutes when a break down the right by Stephen Fleck saw a perfect cross-field pass to Richard Bettison, who swept the ball past the keeper for his first goal of the season.

Stortford were awarded a flick shortly after this, which Jim Sutcliffe saved diving down to his right. Not long after they were awarded another when Steve Riches stopped the ball on the line with his foot, or should I rephrase that and say the ball hit his foot on the line! Stortford made no mistakes with this flick and equalised.

CS battled back and shortly before halftime were awarded a free-hit well inside the Stortford half. This was taken quickly by Phil Smith to Roger Craigen, who then found Stephen Fleck and his hit from the top of the D made the keeper dive to his right. The ball however hit the post and flew across the goal behind the keeper, hit the other post and rolled into the goal. A lesson in taking free-hits quickly before a defence regroups.

So a satisfying halftime lead. The second half saw Stortford apply enormous pressure as they sought the two goals that their league position required. However, the newly rediscovered team spirit saw South dig in deep and end the match the winners. An excellent performance with the MotM being Jim Sutcliffe, who kept South in the match with several superb saves, even acknowledged by Stortford afterwards in the pub.

Team played: Jim Sutcliffe, Karl Konradt, Kevin Pride, Colin Worboys (yes, dragged out of retirement), Steve Riches, Keith Davidson, Stephen Fleck, Phil Smith, Ricky Williams, Richard Bettison, Roger Craigen

 

Huntingdon Ladies' I 5 - 2 Cambridge South Ladies' I

H/T: 2 - 1

Scorers: Gemma Thomas, Tash Cox

On Saturday South traveled to Hitchingbrooke to play Huntingdon 1sts, who were doing well in the league near the top.

South started great with some new tactics in defence working well. Throughout the game Becca did some great long-range passes through midfield. It was in one of these that she picked out Gemma making a run down the centre, who dribbled the ball to the left of the D, almost going too far left, then pulling it back and scoring.

Huntington then managed to score two goals; one was seconds from half time through a penalty corner.

The second half did not start well for South who conceded three goals in quite a short space of time. In the final fifteen minutes South switched on again and Gemma's shot at goal was neatly deflected in by Tash Cox at the far post.

Unfortunately South ran out of time and was unable to score any more, losing 5-2.

Team played: Cassie Woodfin, Rachel Moyes (c), Jodee Davis, Becca Lumb, Ellie Raffan, Gemma Thomas, Liles Dee, Sarah Martin, Liz Tattersall, Jo Read, Emma Clarke, Tash Cox

 

Southerners (Mixed Team) 2 - 3 St Ives (Sunday 5th February)

H/T: 1 - 1

Scorers: Gemma Thomas, Kevin Rowland

The Southerners welcomed St Ives's mixed team to the Leys, with a strong squad at the maximum allowable size of sixteen meaning legs burning from Saturday’s efforts could be spared. St Ives had beaten South quite comfortably in their meeting at the Ivo before Christmas and the home side were after revenge, or at least a more equal game.

The opening exchanges were cagey and suggested a more challenging game. South had more of the ball in the early stages, with the midfield interlinking well and prompting the attack into spaces deep in visiting territory.

St Ives were hanging deep, but looking to use the pace of their male wingers for quick counters, and it was with this tactic that they took the lead against the run of play. A South attack broke down, and the ball was quickly shipped out. With defenders diving in to try and stop the attack at source, the St Ives winger used these desperate lunges to draw a couple of players and round them, and was therefore away. An interchange of passes with a support player did for Ellie Raffan, sweeping around at the back, and Lou Tonkin in goal didn't have an earthly.

However, South didn't let this setback get them down and continued to fashion chances. To show it wasn't just the away side who were quick, Rob Garrett's running and skill were causing the away defences continuous problems. A succession of short corners were forced, and these produced an equaliser when Louise Guttridge fought and got a rebound, knocked the ball across the face of goal with her reverse stick giving Kevin Rowland the chance to pounce from his preferred range of three inches.

The teams turned around level and the match pattern didn’t alter much in the initial stages of the second half. South kept probing, St Ives were lauching players for quick counters. The next goal was a visiting one, from a short corner. An initial rising strike deflected off a defending body and down onto the backboard. Despite home side protests that the shot wasn't legal as it would have been too high without the deflection, the goal stood (erm, sorry guys, on reflection I got that one wrong).

South shrugged off this disappointment and were back on terms soon after. A right sided raid was pulled back to Matt Readman arriving on the top of the D. His drag flick was well saved by the visitors keeper, but Gemma Thomas was first to the rebound and cracked home.

The final fifteen minutes of the game saw a change in the pattern, with St Ives beginning to run the game. Their pacy wingers were creating numerous chances and between the sticks Lou really had to earn her corn with a number of fine kick saves. At times it seemed a personal battle between her and the St Ives #7, who could easily have had five in one fifteen minute spell but couldn't force it home. Particularly impressive was Lou's rush forward, urged to do so against her better judgement by Cassie, coaching beside her post, to narrow his angle when clean through forcing him to shoot wide.

But then when an honourable draw seemed on the cards, St Ives got a late winner, and it had to be from the #7. A free hit on the right of the South circle saw him dawdling near the left touchline, thirty yards from goal. The South defence picked up their players, but as he didn’t seem involved, everyone ignored him, as was his plan. As his teammate wound up to take the hit, he made a scorching run down to the penalty spot, and then square to the front post, added a flick to the driven in ball, which looped over Lou into the top corner. An excellently worked move to be sure, but one that switched on defending would have killed at source.

With time nearly up, that was it for the scoring, and South had lost a game that they could have won.

Team played: Lou Tonkin, Margot Overbeek, Ellie Raffan, Jodee Davis, Louise Guttridge, Emma Clarke, Gemma Thomas, Andy Bleach, Jan Brynjolffssen, Matt Readman, Rob Garrett, Tom Moy, Kevin Rowland, Eliot Read, Rupert Webb