La Chiesa were swept away by Barking Colts for the second
time in less than a month at Goodmayes Extension this Sunday.
Colts, one of two teams in Corinthian League Division
Three to boast a 100% record, had embarrassed the Hornchurch outfit at Cottons Park three weeks ago by sticking eight past
them. On that day the Hornchurch Rossoneri had lost all sense of pride and dignity as they weakly threw in the towel when defeat
became inevitable and, while the result went the Colts way again, there was a visible improvement in the Chiesa performance this
time.
Last weeks goalscoring hero Terry Soteriou was missing
having suffered a cut foot playing five a side, whilst Chiesa had been rocked by the sudden retirement of centre
half Johnny Riley due to work commitments. Danny Trew and Darren Hodsoll and Danny Hardwick were absent through injury,
while Samuel Knowles was still serving the longest suspension for a non violent act in the history of football.
Just the bare eleven for Chiesa then, as Knowles tinkered with
the formation to flood the midfield. Jordan, Gray and Gray have been LC/DC's best performers this season, and so the three
of them in midfield seemed the obvious thing to stop the Colts energy in the centre of the park. Three minutes into the match,
as Mark Harris was picking the ball out of the back of the net following slack marking from a corner, and the best laid plans
were up in smoke.
In fairness to Chiesa, they responded quite well to falling
behind so early, and after deliberation with senior players, Knowles agreed to revert to 4-4-2... Gillham joining Jeffers
up front with Gray moving to the left of the four man midfield. Steve McCarthy was again impressive at the heart of defence
alongside Hornchurch Hatchet Warren Hardwick, utility man Dennis Peck settled in well at right back, while Colin
Williams linked up to good effect with Gray.
Chiesa's first chance came after half an hour, when Iain
Gay found Jeffers who laid the ball off to Gillham. The artist formerly known as Edson struck the ball sweetly
but his shot narrowly cleared the bar. Five minutes later he was at it again, controlling the ball on his chest with his back
to goal before flicking it up off his knee and swivelling to let fly with a left foot volley that required a superb reflex
save to turn it onto the bar.
Gray then had a chance to level things up but again was denied
by Colts veteran keeper, and it was an upbeat Chiesa that left the field at half time a goal down.
Although Colts had their chances too, LC/DC had the feeling
that they could get back into the game given the rub of the green. But Barking had a couple of weapons on the bench that they
were about to unleash...
The outstanding player in eight goal rout in early October was a dreadlocked number nine who had tormented Chiesa with his pace, strength
and skill. A quick glance at the Colts warm up before the game had encouraged LC/DC that he wasn't around this time, but as
half time approached he was spotted warming up his extravagant skills, and Chiesa just knew the groans were approaching...
Dean Jordan and Iain Gay were battling hard in the heart
of midfield while Jeffers was straining every sinew to try and close down Colts defenders. Cy Taylor, having been responsible
for ruining my Saturday night, was having an absolute fucking stinker... just kidding, 'The Provider' was as busy as
ever on the right of midfield, but the LC/DC breakthrough was taking its time to materialize.
The second goal, when it came, was inevitably scored by
one of the Colts substitutes, the trick number nine who seems to be out of place in the Third Division of the Corinthian League.
Outpacing McCarthy then brushing past Hardwick before firing past Harris, it was a quality goal worthy causing any linesman's
flag to be thrown to the ground.
Chiesa had a great chance to reduce the deficit when Jonny
Gray broke down the right and had a choice of Taylor, Jeffers or Gillham to find with only one defender covering, but the
defender was the one who got to the ball first, and as before you could say 'Its another season in Div Three for Chiesa',
they were three-nil down. Another Colts sub tricked his way into the box before side footing home in style via both posts.
Last time Chiesa were three down, heads dropped and tempers
were lost, but this time they showed some fight. Gray and Gillham went close before Dennis Peck bundled home from close range after
an LC/DC corner.
The two goal margin between the teams would have been
a fair reflection on the game, but was extended to three near the end as the superior energy level of Colts began to
show. Some right wing wizardry resulted in the ball being cutback to an unmarked Colt on the penalty spot, and he produced
a sublime outside of the boot finish to rub salt in Chiesa wounds... ouch!
Referee Skitmore who had officiated a game that had been
played in the right spirit with a minimum of fuss, called time on proceedings not long after, and Chiesa were left to
reflect on an improved performance, and console themselves that there is unlikely to be more impressive team in the league
than the Colts. Things can only get better...keep the faith!
