A stunning penalty save from St Augustines keeper denied Chiesa
a share of the spoils at Clayhall Park on Sunday as the Ilford outfit continue to hold the Indian sign over LC/DC. Last
season they denied Chiesa their first victory with a last gasp equaliser at Coopers, while giving them a turning over
at home, whilst this seasons 6-1 thrashing still make certain Chiesa officials gag at the mere mention of it. The hoodoo continued
this week...
The match, switched at the last minute from Barkingside Park
after the goals were vandalised, was played in blazing sunshine, and had a distinct 'end of season' feel to it. After the
teams observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect for Pope John Paul II who died on the previous evening, Chiesa got
the game underway with just one change of personnel but many positional tinkers two changes to the team that drew at May &
Bakers last week. Adam Jeffers started up front, with Dennis Peck reverting to Centre half, while Steve McCarthy moved into
central midfield from the back. Danny Hardwick continued in goal as Mark Harris recouperated from his leg injury, and Samuel
Knowles dropped to the bench alongside Danny Trew.
With the Arthur Atkinson cup final looming next week, you would
forgive Chiesa players for taking their foot off the gas, but in the first half they played some attractive football in midfield,
and looked assured at the back, Warren Hardwick and Peck working the offside trap well, and playing their way out of defence
on occasions. Chances were few and far between at either end however, and Danny Hardwick was barely troubled between the sticks
for La Chiesa, but did what he had to do efficiently, while worryingly, Chiesa failed to register a shot on target in the
first half meaning they had gone 135 minutes without troubling an opposition keeper. Chiesa fans were out in force, and loking
like extras from a Scissor Sisters video, but hey were in danger of succumbing to boredom if their team didnt get their shooting
boots on.The best chance of the half for Chiesa came when Matt Gillham was released after good work from Jeffers, but the
striker, so lethal in training, fluffed the chance chipping over an open goal. Iain Gay tried his luck from distance but his
shot was well wide.
At half time though, Chiesa concentrated on the positives -
they had now gone two and a half games without conceding a goal, and were passing the ball around far better than they had
in their previous two matches.
In the second half, LC/DC created far more chances, the majority
of them falling to Gillham, who cannot be faulted for his willingness to have a pop at goal, but just hadn't adjusted his
sights correctly on this morning. On one occasion Gillham beat four men in a mazy run before his shot was blocked, and he
did have Chiesa first effort on target for two weeks , but his left foot strike was easily saved. Chiesa were dominant, but
fell behind to a St Augustines counter attack, with a whiff of offside about it. When the referee awarded a Saints throw
despite the home linesman giving it Chiesa's way, the writing was on the wall. It must be written somewhere that whenever
the referee overules a linesman to the detriment of Chiesa, the opposition ALWAYS score. St Augustines at home two years on
the trot, Woodford Hammers away, Barking Colts away, the list is endless. Sure enough, a ball was slipped though
the middle, and Hardwick had no chance with two forwards bearing down on him, 1-0 to St Augustines.
On the hour, Waren Hardwick and Gillham were replaced by Trew
and Knowles, with McCarthy dropping back to partner Peck at the back. Immediately, Knowles had the chance to equalize when
played in by Taylor, and will feel he could have done better than to be denied by a reasonable save. At the other end, Hardwick
pulled off a save that was more than reasonable from a twenty yard free kick, a fantastic one handed effort to deny St Aug's
a killer second goal.
He could do nothing to stop them doubling their lead minutes
later, however. When Dennis Peck, who had been superb throughout, almost Rio Ferdinand like at the heart of defence, was guilty
of overplaying inside the centre circle, Hardwick was again left with a one on one situation, and the ball was calmly tucked
past him for 2-0. Harsh on 'Peckenbauer', as he had contributed a lot to the good football that Chiesa had played up to that
point.
A lifeline was handed to the visitors almost immediately, though.
A corner from the right was swung in and handled by a Saints defender - a blatant penalty! With regular spot kick taker Colin
Williams absent, substitute Knowles was left with the task of hauling Chiesa back into the game, and he sidefooted home from
twelve yards to set up a grandstand finish.
Chiesa were all over Augustines now, but just couldn't find
the way past the keeper. Good football was being played, all that was lacking was the final ball, but when Dean Jordan produced
a sublime pass to set Knowles free in the box, the Chiesa gaffer was fouled and a second penalty was awarded. Superstition
got the better of Knowles, brought up to never take two pens in one game, and he handed over the responsibilty to Iain Gay
whose shot was parried by the keeper, and the ball was turned behind for yet another Chiesa corner.
Time was running out fast for LC/DC and try as they might, they
couldn't finad an equaliser. Peck was booked for a trip on a Saints midfielder, Gay saw a spectacular effort narrowly fail
to dip under the crossbar, while Trew was again impressive in his hold up play, but the game finished 2-1 and amazingly Chiesa
find themselves in sixth position in the league, having taken maximum points just once in the last six matches.
They owe their loyal army of fans a big performaces in
that darned Atkinson cup final next week...
LC/DC (4-4-2); D Hardwick; Hodsoll, W Hardwick (Knowles), Peck,
Soteriou; Taylor, Jordan, McCarthy, Gay; Jeffers, M Gillham (Trew)
Gol - Knowles (pen)
Tarjeta Amarilla - Peck
Arbitro - ?
