Saturday 3rd February

Alexandra Park 3rd XI 5, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 2.

Scorers Baddely, Roome.

Team - Duffy, White, Marlon, Beavis, Toher, Roome, Carr,  Mackay, Manu, Baddely, Astridge. Sub- Adam.

Never the most inviting of fixtures this and sure enough Park gave us a fair thumping in a game that was all over by half time. The 3's are certainly missing the strength previously supplied by Eoin and Dozie and we were brushed aside in a first half of up the hill, give it away, don't panic mister mainwairing nonsense.

First was shinned into the top corner giving pat no chance and neither could he be blamed for any of the goals as ben first sold him short on a backpass and then got outpaced by their new recruit. Two nice finishes and the game was all over. We had our chances, manu missed a free header and andy shot at the keeper when he might have scored and my low cross missed everyone when a touch would have done but in truth we were roasted.

Hard to know what to say at half time but i'm now just repeating the same stuff every week, can we come back, bit pf pride, jumpers for goalposts  etc etc. Still yet again we showed second half that with the conditions switched around we could match the home side. Chris' lob just missed and then he was succesful with a shot which just squeezed in and minutes later we had two as andy harried the defence into an error and crossed for yours truly to slide in from a yard.

Park regrouped after that and it was a pretty even half with the best chance theirs after frank fell on the ball and huggged it lovingly claiming he hadn't seen it all match, but a weak pen was held by pat who completed a faultless afternoon.

So beaten fair and square but a note to anyone from AP who reads this. As you showed earlier in the season your 3's are a capable side who had the better of things at ours (though the one sided nature of your report suggest we barely turned up). Why then you felt the need to include your first team leading goalscorer (who i believe is second overall in the league!) is a bit of a mystery and a touch disappointing. I'm not suggesting that there were other first teamers playing or that the outcome would have been any different, just that with your second team also playing at home, perhaps his talents would have been better employed there? Hardly a unique occurrence in SAL football but lats are a struggling club yet it is not our policy to bolster our lower teams when the 1's aren't playing. I hope our younger lads learnt a thing or two from playing against Jay who by the way is a thoroughly nice guy and has already put our firsts on his hit list in 2007. Lets just say he was recovering from injury eh chaps?

Anyway no sour grapes, no letters of complaint, we were rubbish , Park much better, see you next week.

Mom - Pat again, not much protection from us and two or three great saves to keep the score marginally respectable.

Saturday 27th January

BB Eagles 3rd XI 1, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 0.

Team - Duffy, White, Beavis, Watson, Toher, Astridge, Milligan, Carr, Manu, Ball, Adam. - Subs - Roome, Mckay

Not much to say about this really. The day started badly with ourselves joing merton and broomfield in a 'who can get the most players in a dressing room' competition. A ptetty good effort all round but not sure Norris Mcwhirter was called in the end.

A lengthy trek to the pitch ended in a pretty good surface for football but neither side seemed particularly able to conjure any. Lats had a goal disallowed for offside after the best piece of play in the half but didn't create much else. Eagles played what little remaining football there was and went in front through a scrappy goal which fortunately i didn't see as I was returning the ball from another pitch.

The highlight of my half was being asked to rub deep heat into pat's ancient buttocks. As i stood staring at the offending carpet ridden area, wondering whether to take over the jersey myself I asked the question the haunts all player managers. 'Why did you make yourself sub again?'. Anyhow pat survived and eventually performed the operation on his own.

Haf time and we moved andy up front and brought Ian on for Adam who'd done well on debut but we were missing chris's ability leading the line. It was time for the experienced players to show a lead and we started to create a few openings and i brought myself on for a litttle stability if not a lot of action.

Pete brought a good save out of their keeper and pat made a couple of great saves at the other end from their lively sub to complement the tidy one in the first half. Jase stopped trying to fight everyone and we kept the ball much better. Eagles looked dangerous on the break but we were the more likely side and just couldn't break through.

All in all a poor game and one to forget but congrats to eagles on their win as they probably deserved it.

MOM - This week little competition and Pat, fresh from a stint in the Cro - Magnon exhibit at the Natural History Museum gets the award for some tidy goalkeeping.

Saturday 20th January

Old Latymerians 3rd XI 2, Old Lyonians 3rd XI 2.

Old Lyonians - H 2-2 Scorers - Manu, Ball

Well, another Houdini act as we repeated our performance of last week and gave ourselves it all to do against an uncompromising Lyons side who belied their bottom spot standing with a great physical performance.

We should have led through Chris as he rounded the keeper only for the ball to get stuck under his feet and despite a lot of possession Lyons were more assured and gave us no space to play. Atrocious marking led to the first as we had a cup of tea and watched an unmarked Lyon chest down a cross and blaze home. The second was a nailed on pen as banksy tripped their forward to prevent an easy goal. Our best chance was a fierce shot from Pete which was superbly tipped round by the skipper in goal who also dealt well with Dan's high cross which almost nipped under the bar.

Seemingly we had learned nothing from the merton game but again we came out guns blazing. Despite missing the calming influence of Andy C we slowly took over and another good save  was followed up by Manu to bury our first into the roof of the net as he's now perfected this type of finish. Lots of posession follwed but Lyons were determined not to let us though. Twice we got through on goal but the ball would not sit for Andy and chris and it seemed Lyons hard graft would be rewarded until the keeper dropped my speculative cross and the ageing predator pete was on hand to squeeze home the equalizer. Chances follwed to nick it but it would have been tough on Lyons who were well worth something from the game. Good performance from the ref aswell.

So a point is better than nothing but we are not defending as a team at the moment and we need to work on it.

MOM- Chris today, always lively and losing him to a dead leg might have cost us the win. Jason also worked his socks off in midfield

BB Eagles H 1-1 Match Abandoned Scorer -  Carr

Pretty good effort by both sides in increasingly worsening conditions until the Californian ref who'd not brought the weather with him decided to call a halt to proceedings with about 25 minutes left. No complaints by either side. Lats perhaps looked the more likely winners despite eagles starting much the brighter and it look a gem of a lob from Andy to level up their opener. Hopefully better weather next week!
 

Saturday 13th January

Merton 3rd XI 4, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 3.

Merton A Lost 3-4 Scorers - Manu, Ball, Astridge

The proverbial game of two halves and a great confidence booster for Lats despite the result. A boggy but perfectly playable pitch and two attack minded sides produced a stirling game with the home side just about deserving to hold on to the points despite a thrilling come back which almost secured unlikely points for us.

The ref was about half an hour late and with no real apology started in a fussy fashion which mostly seem to work against us and despite ben going close Merton ran riot for much of the half with us moaning at the official and not getting close to the yellow peril. First goal was a pen from johns lunge which looked fair enough though he claimed to have got a touch on the ball. A second was disallowed for offside but they were soon seemingly out of sight after poor old john misjudged a speculative shot and then whist we failed to clear on the edge of our box a horrible mix up allowed the same guy in for his hattrick. A well worked fourth seemed to seal our fate but we weren't dead yet. A pen shout of our own for a push on chris was turned down with ref seemingly on the verge of giving it but he didn't and offered no explanation for the change of heart.

Half time brought an honest discussion about ourselves and we decided it was shit or bust. We switched things around with Andy going to right back and jason joining me in the middle and we started to gain some control, aided perhaps by the loss of mertons antipodean influence and the introduction of the much missed andy astridge who along with chris proceeded to give the merton defence kittens.

We nicked one back as manu follwed up andys shot with his now trademark finish. I dummied ( i think) andy c's pass and peter (happily described on the merton match report as a 'young' forward!) bent the ball round the keeper for two and an almost identical move led to a perfect cross from chris being turned in by Andy A for 4-3.

Unfortunately this was all we could muster goal wise but chances were still created with the most straightforward being missed by me as i blazed over from close range from Andy A's great work and then wriggled through in the last minute only again to spoon the bastard over.

Still a great advert for div 3 football and we can take great heart from outplaying one of the leagues top sides for the second half here but have to start quicker if we're to put results together. Congrats to Merton who are a good bunch of lads who look set to battle for promotion with Kew, Old Wilsons and possibly South Bank so good luck to them. Saw a few old faces in the bar aswell so an enjoyable day despite the scoreline.

MOM- Despite only being on for half an hour had to be Andy A who really galvanised the come back. Great work from Chris up front and John at the back as well.

Saturday 9th December

Old Latymerians 3rd XI 4, Lloyds TSB 3rd XI 2.  S.A.L.

Lloyds Bank H Won 4-2 Scorers Baddely, Ian, White, Toher F

Team- Banks, White, Toher E, Watson, Toher F, Manu, Ian, Carr, Roome, Milligan, Baddely - Subs - Heffernan, Edwards

Another close game with the bank and a nice 3 points to end the year for the mighty 3's. The usual organised stuff as andy and i put the nets up and poor old pete had to ref the game until sarah turned up a little late. Both however did excellent jobs.

Thirty minute in and honestly we were bobbins. Playing into the low sun we couldn't or wouldn't keep it and Lloyds were better and sharper all over the pitch. They took the lead with a beauty curled into the top corner and things looked ominous for us and my sven like brainwave of playing jason off chris up front to link up with me and andy looked doomed as none of us saw any of the ball.

Slowly however we got into our stride. Chris headed manus cross wide and jason also went close in similar fashion, andy screamed a 30 yarder just over with some of the older players secretly please it didn't go in! Finally pressure told as chris escaped his marker to put Ian away on the right and he showed to coolest of finishes to level us up.

Halfers chat was about not repeating the comedy errors of last week and sure enough we started well. Manu missed his header from my cross with the goal at his mercy but we went ahead with a lovely move which saw jasons slide rule pass finished by chris like a veteran. Jase then mised one from 6 yards as the keeper fumbled my cross and then i hit one from hounslow which just went over. Even i was glad i missed otherwise i'd have had to retire on the spot.

Dan White curled in a gem of a free kick for the third but for some reason we relaxed and Lloyds piled it on, hitting the bar and then getting one back as the scorer of the first shot under john for 3-2. This could have led to mass panic for the last 10 but we stretched out again as neil who'd come on for manu held the ball up for me and i teed up frank to smash a 25 yarder past the keeper. Stirring stuff!

So a good close fought game and the bank who'd got the train down had a few shandys and some of the more seasoned of us discussed days gone by when we used to lock horns in the higher sides and tried to convince ourselves that we can still 'do a bit'. Perhaps we can after all!

So happy xmas all, hope to see you fighting fat, or fit in the new year.

Mom- More Norman Hunter stuff from eoin with a couple of peep through the fingers tackles, john and frank very solid and all the kids played probably their best games but the tireless running of milligan, clearly conscious of his last chance for exercise before his holiday in dubai gets the gong this week.

Saturday 2nd December

Old Wilsonians 3rd XI 5, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 3.  S.A.L.

Saturday 11th November

Nottsborough3rd XI 4, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 0.  A.F.A. Cup

Team- Roome, Redfern, Toher, Beavis, White, Milligan, Carr, Manu, Toher (F), Astridge, Chris.

Just the bare eleven this week to take on division 1 high flyers Nottsborough and the goalkeeping crisis continued with the lemon replacing the grapefruit in nets and a couple of cry offs meant we had the bare eleven. Not ideal against such worthy opponents.

As it was the lads did me proud. At times we played some nice stuff and certainly matched Notts in the central midfield battle but ultimately we couldn't create a great deal and test their stand in keeper. At the other end I picked the ball out of the net 4 times yet didn't have to make another save as our defence held pretty firm. Ultimately in was the home sides clinical finishing and stronger second half performance which proved crucial and in the end they were comfortable winners.

Much cut and thrust at the start until we failed to clear a corner and i was statuesque (like a goalkeeping rubens) as the shot zipped through a mass of sweating bodies for the first.

Owen went close with a header and we should have done better with Dans pinpoint free kick but..note to self..never ask andy to get the time remaining off the ref lest you let one in. Sure enough in injury time a deflected cross was headed in by the unmarked Notts player. I think a proper keeper would have perhaps got it but we'll never know.

Notts had more possession second half but were quite wayward (thankfully) with their shooting until we gave it away and i was chipped from 20 yards, if I wasn't such a shortarse i might have got it but hey ho. They had another great chance which was blazed over but the scoring was completed as I hared out like a loon just as jim forced the lad wide. He finished coolly as i scrambled back in vain...bugger.

Well tried lads, good luck to Nottsborough who were a pleasure to play against in all respects. Congrats to our ref young Ms Hobbs who had a splendid game.

Mom - some cracking challanges from Owen but Andy and Jason were top notch in midfield. Andy just nicks it for a vintage, triumph herald like performance.

Saturday 4th November

Old Lyonians 3rd XI 1, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 3.  S.A.L.

Scorers: Armour (2) Manu.

Team - Carr, White, Toher, Beavis, Milligan, Sampson, Kamara, Armour, Manu, Astridge.

Yep, just the 10. A slight oversight on my part plus an inability to find a fit keeper meant that I went away for a 40th bash and left 10 good persons and true to take on botton club Lyons.

One of their guys apparently remarked, when we started with 9 as sam went to the wrong ground, that it was all about goal difference,well chaps, -2 not too bad in the end?

Can't report much on the match as i wasn't there but evidently they were heroes all, especially andy in goal and graham who basically played left back and left midfield. Lyons went one up with a rasping free kick but by all accounts lats dominated therein and took the points with two goals from sam and one from manu and a couple of crucial saves from the grapefruit in goal. Well done lads, proud of you.

Mom - big shouts for andy in goal and sam for his brace but i hear nik kamara was 'the general' in midfield, shame he's not available more.

 

Saturday 28th October

Old Parkonians 3rd XI 2, Old Latymerians 3rd XI 1.  S.A.L.

Scorer Toher O.

Team - Duffy, White, Hogan, Toher, Redfern, Roome, Carr, Toher F, Manu, Beavis, Dozie - Subs Abbi, Sam Armour

Lets be clear, parks is always an enjoyable fixture, great facilities, lovely pitch, friendly oppo in the traditions of the likes of eddie bow but the buggers always seem to find a way of snatching the points from us.

No controversy to report and on the balance of the 90  minutes parks were the better side but it was cruel that the makeshift 3rds missing many regulars should have come away with nothing after being 5 minutes from victory. Not the greatest of days for Pat as he got lost going the wrong way round the north circular and arrived 15 miutes late. Apparently the last time he'd taken that route the romans were still building it so a lot had changed.

So we started with 10 and me in goal resembling a lemon in shorts but parks didn't worry us and a corner tipped over was all i had to do utilising the leg spring of a garden shed. Pat arrived and we set about the game, Ben hitting the post and though parks edged possession their best chance came via a free kick which was headed on to the top of the bar as pat flew out like a deranged heron just doing enough to put the guy off. Just prior to halfers dozie damaged knee ligaments so we had to bring on sam and abbi replaced jim who was off to singapore...as you do.

Again not a great deal to report in the way of chances and we were a little long ball happy. Parks were neater in the build up and defending deep we allowed thems on to us by not retaining the ball. Some good natured banter as they suggested the game was theirs for the taking at any time, you know when you say that you're going to let one in and on a rare foray we got a corner and my cross was bulleted in by owen. A superb goal from the best header of the ball at the club.

So could we hang on?...could we f***. The little right winger mised a great chance and i thoiught our luck might hold but it didn't. I failed to prevent a cross from the left come in and though pat called the ball eluded everyone to bounce in unmolested. Just when we thought our luck couldn't worsen parks were awarded a free kick to the left of the box after what looked a pretty decent challenge by abbi and the cross was deflected by pat only onto the parks players head for the winner. Pat managed to break his thumb in the process so larry became our third keeper of the afternoon...ces't la vie. It also transpired that pat had a depressed rib after a first half challenge...i know how it feels.

So nowt to show for our efforts but no criticism of any of the guys, just one of those days. Hopefully we can bounce back at Lyons and with me away our chances can only improve!

MoM - Owen again, outstanding, though ben with his tireless running came close, also

Saturday 21st October

Old Latymerians 3rd XI 1, EBOG 3rd XI 6. Old Boys Cup

Scorer Andy Carr

Team- Duffy, Hogan, Redfern, Toher, Roome, Carr, Dozie, Watson, Milligan, Ball, Beavis - Subs Kamara, Toher F.

Strange sort of game really. Once you're 5-1 down in the first half an hour the game takes on a sort of surreal flavour. We were, after the intial nightmare a fair bit better than the score suggests, but it might also be fair to say that this can often be the case once the result is no longer in question.

The day began well with Matt Calim doing his usual and crying off at the last minute, this time becasue he was building a waffle factory, or at least he had to manage some builders who were. If any club reading this can come up with a better excuse to miss the footy than this i'll be happy to read it.

Anyway we had back up in the form of Mr Duffy so all was well though when we got there he was pinged back and forth between keeping and reffing until one of their chaps kindly agreed to do it.

Well we didn't really get going did we. With the midfield looking like they'd never seen a ball before, and the defence unable to cope with the pace and movent of ebogs attack we were soon behind to a tasty top corner finish from the big number nine who had a nasty and clever way of losing his man just at the moment of delivery.

Wonder of wonders though we equalised as a flowing move involving jase and pete led to a cross from which ben hit the bar and andy, who'd started his run at five past one, followed up to crash home the rebound. There endeth the fun. A cross the box pass went astray and they ran through for two. Dozie brought somebody down for a pen, three. Big chap completed a hattrick with a nice curling shot after springing larrys offside attempt, four and got his fourth and ebogs fifth with a nice one touch finish from a cross from the right. We managed a couple of breaks from which dozie and andy shot wide but there was little to cheer.

Second half was, as is normally the case in these circumstances, about fight and pride and we definitely achieved that. Ebogs were always the better side but we caught them on the break on about six occasions and ben, pete and dozie all should have done better with one on ones. At the other end we got much tighter but they nabbed a sixth with a stooping header from six yards and could have had another when the same chap headed over, but so it ended with us never doing ourselves justice. Ebogs though are a good side, having seen them line up without the barkers and dan rule from last year i thought we had a good shout but they've found some useful replacements and good luck to them.

Mon- another 'towering' game from owen (get it?) but pete ball gets it this week for not stop effort, even if he couldn't score in a brothel.

Saturday 14th October

Old Latymerians 3rd XI, Alexandra Park 3rd XI 1. S.A.L.