ALBURY EAGLES Football Club

ALBURY CRICKET AND FOOTBALL CLUB

SUMMER SPORTS DINNER

SATURDAY 24^TH APRIL

ALBURYHEATH

Put this evening date in your diary, when the whole sports club get together for a fabulous evening meal and excellent entertainment.

For more details, please contact Tim Wall on 01483 202949 or email tim.w@dnxmarketing.com

Match day catering is now beginning to be offered, and if any parent is able to help out in this realm, could you please contact the Club Secretary.

The U12s have been playing within a friendly league for this season, but are looking for more players (School year 8) to enable them to rejoin the Horsham league for next season.

Goal keeper Jonathan Pennock was rightly adjudged the man-of-the-match for his excellent performance in goal for the Albury Eagles after a busy game against third placed team Twin Oaks. Jonathan pulled off three brilliant saves at the feet of the Twin Oaks attack and kept out all that was thrown at him until an unstoppable strike from well outside the area beat the Albury keeper for height. A superb performance by the whole team ( missing their captain through injury this week ) quickly levelled the score line when Lewis Keen burst through the Twin Oaks defence to fire past the keeper. Although hoping to see out the first half on equal terms Albury's concentration dipped for a moment to allow Twin Oaks to take the lead before the interval.

Albury looked the stronger of the two teams in the second half with Tom Gill and Alex Dangerfield coping well in defence which allowed Christopher Brooks and Phil Smith in attack to go close to scoring, but as the minutes of the game ticked away it seemed that the Eagles were not going to get the reward that they deserved. But hard work prevailed and Tom Beazley proved to be the hero of the day, as he slipped around the back of the Twin Oaks defence to fire into the goal for Albury's equaliser and to gain a justified point for the Eagles fantastic spirited return to form.

This tense top-of-the-table clash started in damp conditions with a distinct sense of nervousness on the pitch and on the touchline. A fraught but even first ten minutes saw both teams battling hard but without much shape or fluency in attack and just one opportunity at each end. Gradually the Eagles established themselves creating sustained pressure at the end of the first half but strong defending meant that the nearest they came to goal was a ricochet off a defender.

The battle continued in the second half with man-of-the-match Jasper epitomising the courage and commitment of all the players with an outstanding performance of tackling and straightforward but effective distribution. With Brent playing his usual assured role in defence Jasper was able to link up with Nathaniel whose vision and passing was at the heart of each Eagles attack. Good combination work between Jay and Sam Moldon up front meant that both managed a number of half chances but it was well into the second half before a clean left foot strike from Jay beat the Brockham goalie. Soon afterwards good link up play with both Sam B and Sam M led to another left foot shot from Jay going just wide and Daniel nearly sneaking in at the same post. By now, however, Brockham were starting to create pressure at the other end with one screaming shot flying just over the crossbar and a fluent move ending only through brave goalkeeping from Archie at the feet of the oncoming striker.

Towards the end of the second half the conditions had worsened considerably with an increasingly slippery pitch and bitterly cold rain leading to injuries and frequent substitutions on both sides. With Brockham constantly threatening to equalise, the last ten minutes was a real battle and the final whistle could not come too soon for the damp but happy Eagles supporters.

So, after narrow home team victories for these two very evenly matched and competitive sides, the honours are even and the title challenge is finely poised……

Eagles Team: Archie Wells (goalie) – Jasper Whitefield – Brent Savage – Sam Breach – Nathaniel Hallam – Daniel Cansell – Sam Moldon – Jay Lawson

Due to fixture congestion this match was played as a ‘double-header’ with each half constituting a result. Albury started very well creating numerous chances and after 10 minutes Liam Langridge-Barker scored following a corner. Albury continued to dominate and quickly went 3-0 up with goals from James Foulsham and Luke Pecorelli. Tadworth certainly hadn’t give up though and scored a good goal to make it 3-1 after 15 minutes. However, Albury kept playing good passing football and scored 3 more goals before half-time through Luke Pecorelli, James Foulsham and Joe Lockhart.

The second match was very evenly matched with both teams playing good football and really enjoying the heavy conditions. Following a good passing move James Foulsham fired home to make it 1-0 to Albury after 10 minutes. Will Edwards made a good save in the Albury goal before Tadworth equalised from a corner. The match was very open now with both teams having chances, but Luke Pecorelli scored a good goal on the counter-attack after 20 minutes to put Albury 1-2 ahead. Tadworth kept attacking and a great goal-line clearance from Marco Rolandelli following another good save from Will Edwards kept Tadworth at bay.

Team: Ross Gilding, Will Edwards, Liam Langridge-Barker, Alexander Potts, Luke Pecorelli, Cameron Potts, Joe Lockhart, James Foulsham

James and Joe were awarded 0.5 a goal each in the first game as they both kicked the ball at the same time. No idea who actually scored, and neither did the boys!

Eagles cruised through this match with an easy victory on a wet and windy day when Tadworth wished they had stayed at home.

6 - 1 up at half time with even the goal against being an OG due to poor communication between goalkeeper and defence. Eagles managed another 6 in the second half without reply. Tadworth rarely threatened but a few excellent saves by Harry Twine and excellent strong defending by Lawrence Barnard, Freddie Esplen and Oliver Grieveson in the second half kept Eagles in total control of the match. Hatricks and braces were scored by Henry Rowland, Finlay McManus, Isaac Farrant but a single goal by Charlie Hubbard, looping the keeper, was probably the best of the 12. Albury’s teamwork and superior passing game was great to watch, giving parents and coach, Murray Farrant, lots to be pleased about and Tadworth a little shell shocked as they saw the game pass by them and their posts and the crossbar rattled a few times. Albury play Tadworth away next week.

NEWSLETTER