20.02.05 - Barking Colts - Chiesa Get The Winter Wobbles

Barking Colts 3 vs La Chiesa 2

Three goals in ten second half minutes at Goodmayes Extension condemned La Chiesa to a second succesive defeat , and there are now fears that their season is coming off the rails.

The Hornchurch Rossonieri came into the game minus several key players - Defenders John Riley, Terry Soteriou, Darren Hodsoll, and Steve McCarthy, and midfielders Iain Gay and Cy Taylor were all absent, while goalkeeper Mark Harris took his place between the sticks despite being less than half fit. This meant teenager Bobby O'Toole being recalled from his loan spell at May & Bakers/Toby, a first start for three months for Benny Gillham, and Dennis Peck and Colin Williams assuming unfamiliar defensive roles.

The weather was bitter but the pitch was flat and although Chiesa looked sluggish in the first half hour following their three week break, early reducers from Dennis Peck on two of Colts' fleet footed youngsters ensured the scores remained level. LC/DC were attempting to knock the ball around in the style that won them nine successive matches towards the back end of 2004, O'Toole looking accomplished at right full back, and although the confidence was lacking, well at least they were trying...

Reward came on the thirty minute mark when tenacious play from Benny G on the right led to Adam Jeffers pressuring the Riverdancing Colts keeper into a fumble. Skipper for the day Samuel Knowles saw his first attempt blocked, but the bounce fell his way, and he sidefooted into the empty net to make it 1-0 to the visitors. It was two soon after. Eyebrows were raised when Knowles volleyed a pass towards his own goal , but it found Peck who in turn volleyed towards Jeffers. Twenty yard out with defenders either side of him, there didnt seem a lot on for the Chiesa 'string', but he unleashed a scorching volley of his own which dipped viciously under the bar and gave Chiesa a somewhat undeserved two goal cushion.

At half time the visitors knew they had not been at their best, Knowles was lethargic a la Beckham 2004, and there seemed little urgency from Chiesa in general.

Danny Trew had a half chance to make it three soon after the break, his shot on the turn shaving the outside of the post, before the incident that changed the course of the game. Jeffers tussled with a Colts defender on the edge of the box, and though referee Vaughan motioned as if togive a free kick, he didn't in fact toot his whistle, instead playing an advantage to the Colts. Chiesa defenders stood rooted to the spot as a Colts attacker ran through on goal, taking the ball around the exposed Harris to hand his team a lifeline. Although LC/DC complained, Vaughan had outlined his intention to play advantage wherever possible in his stand up routine before the match, and they had only thmselves to blame for not playing to the whistle.

From looking secure at 2-0, Chiesa seemed to allow that goal to spook them. The ball was now becoming the proverbial 'hot potato' that nobody wanted, and when the same Colts player tore down the right and fired an unstoppable shot past Harris, the balance of power had shifted and there was only going to be one winner. Benny Lee replaced the injured G-Man with twenty minutes remaining, but Chiesa heads had dropped and two minutes later they were behind. Colts' impressive number ten robbed a Chiesa defender and confidently strode through on goal, coolly putting Harris on his backside before slotting his side into a 3-2 lead.

Chiesa needed to show the kind of character they had been lacking against Valence earlier in the month if they were to salvage something from the match, and despite chances for Matt Gillham and Colin Williams, they could not find the goal they required and so slipped to a disappointing defeat to a team that they had already beaten twice this season.

LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; O'Toole, W Hardwick, Peck, Williams; B Gillham (Lee), Knowles, Jordan, M Gillham; Jeffers Trew

Gols - Knowles Jeffers

Arbitro - J Vaughan


				*lachiesa.co.uk* 20.02.05 - Barking Colts - Chiesa Get The Winter Wobbles



	Home \| Banter is Dead... \| Whatever Happened To La Chiesa? \| Player Profiles \| La Nascita Della Chiesa \| Historical Match Reports, Stats, & Banter \| LC/DC On Tour \| FAQ's \| Other Net Nerds \| BOATS!


		Chiesa Slip Up Again... writes Guillem Balague







		Barking Colts 3 vs La Chiesa 2 Three goals in ten second half minutes at Goodmayes Extension condemned La Chiesa to a second succesive defeat , and there are now fears that their season is coming off the rails. The Hornchurch Rossonieri came into the game minus several key players - Defenders John Riley, Terry Soteriou, Darren Hodsoll, and Steve McCarthy, and midfielders Iain Gay and Cy Taylor were all absent, while goalkeeper Mark Harris took his place between the sticks despite being less than half fit. This meant teenager Bobby O'Toole being recalled from his loan spell at May & Bakers/Toby, a first start for three months for Benny Gillham, and Dennis Peck and Colin Williams assuming unfamiliar defensive roles. The weather was bitter but the pitch was flat and although Chiesa looked sluggish in the first half hour following their three week break, early reducers from Dennis Peck on two of Colts' fleet footed youngsters ensured the scores remained level. LC/DC were attempting to knock the ball around in the style that won them nine successive matches towards the back end of 2004, O'Toole looking accomplished at right full back, and although the confidence was lacking, well at least they were trying... Reward came on the thirty minute mark when tenacious play from Benny G on the right led to Adam Jeffers pressuring the Riverdancing Colts keeper into a fumble. Skipper for the day Samuel Knowles saw his first attempt blocked, but the bounce fell his way, and he sidefooted into the empty net to make it 1-0 to the visitors. It was two soon after. Eyebrows were raised when Knowles volleyed a pass towards his own goal , but it found Peck who in turn volleyed towards Jeffers. Twenty yard out with defenders either side of him, there didnt seem a lot on for the Chiesa 'string', but he unleashed a scorching volley of his own which dipped viciously under the bar and gave Chiesa a somewhat undeserved two goal cushion. At half time the visitors knew they had not been at their best, Knowles was lethargic a la Beckham 2004, and there seemed little urgency from Chiesa in general. Danny Trew had a half chance to make it three soon after the break, his shot on the turn shaving the outside of the post, before the incident that changed the course of the game. Jeffers tussled with a Colts defender on the edge of the box, and though referee Vaughan motioned as if togive a free kick, he didn't in fact toot his whistle, instead playing an advantage to the Colts. Chiesa defenders stood rooted to the spot as a Colts attacker ran through on goal, taking the ball around the exposed Harris to hand his team a lifeline. Although LC/DC complained, Vaughan had outlined his intention to play advantage wherever possible in his stand up routine before the match, and they had only thmselves to blame for not playing to the whistle. From looking secure at 2-0, Chiesa seemed to allow that goal to spook them. The ball was now becoming the proverbial 'hot potato' that nobody wanted, and when the same Colts player tore down the right and fired an unstoppable shot past Harris, the balance of power had shifted and there was only going to be one winner. Benny Lee replaced the injured G-Man with twenty minutes remaining, but Chiesa heads had dropped and two minutes later they were behind. Colts' impressive number ten robbed a Chiesa defender and confidently strode through on goal, coolly putting Harris on his backside before slotting his side into a 3-2 lead. Chiesa needed to show the kind of character they had been lacking against Valence earlier in the month if they were to salvage something from the match, and despite chances for Matt Gillham and Colin Williams, they could not find the goal they required and so slipped to a disappointing defeat to a team that they had already beaten twice this season. LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; O'Toole, W Hardwick, Peck, Williams; B Gillham (Lee), Knowles, Jordan, M Gillham; Jeffers Trew Gols - Knowles Jeffers Arbitro - J Vaughan