07.03.04. Stonewood - Top Half Of The Table At Last!

La Chiesa are in the top half of the table for the first time, thanks to a hard fought victory in Walthamstow on Sunday. Although opponents Stonewood were at the foot of the table with only one win this season, they had gained a creditable draw with Astra last week, and it was essential that they were not underestimated by the boys from the Church of the Horn, after all, it was not so long ago they were propping up the table themselves. With this in mind, as well as the lack of anybody knowing where the pitch was, Manager Samuel Knowles gave an early week text message to all LC/DC crew, urging them not to be late for the nine o'clock meet at The Chequers. So, the Chiesa convoy set off for their furthest away trip of the season at twenty to ten with all passengers/ co drivers with maps at the ready to navigate the North Circular and arrive on time in E17.

Upon arrival at the Peter May Sports Ground, after some wise words from Director of Football Dave Knowles whose other job as West Ham under 14's coach saw him just down the road at Arsenal's youth centre, the boys were greeted by a stunning girl at reception, who showed them to dressing room No.4. A nice way to start the morning, though several of the boys had to take a cold shower BEFORE the match on the back of it!

The fans had to double check they were not at the San Siro as the teams took the field of play, both in the colours of the Milan sides, but the scrappy opening twenty minutes confirmed this was Sunday morning rather than afternoon football, neither being able to dominate possession or create a worthwile chance. It was the Hornchurch Rossineri that created the first real opening when Adam Jeffers fierce strike from the edge of the are was tipped over following Franz Carr style wingplay from Benny G. Terry Soteriou headed over from the resulting corner, but La Chiesa didn't have to wait much longer before they were in front. The ten yards outside of opponents penalty area are generally considered 'Colin Williams territory' by LC/DC fans, and when Adam Jeffers was upended in that zone, Williams' quick free kick took everybody by surprise, and flew into the top corner. Stonewood had tried a similar trick earlier in the match, but it's one thing to think it, doing it is another matter entirely.

A couple of weeks back at May & Bakers, Danny Hardwick saved brother Warrens' bacon by keeping out a penalty he had given away, today was payback time. When the elder Hardwick had a David James moment from a corner, it seemed as though the ball was spinning into the net for the equaliser until the younger of the clan somehow backheeled the ball over the bar to safety. The corner that followed gave La Chiesa the opportunity for one of their lightning counter attacks, G-Man, Jeffers, and Jon Gray combining to release Hodsoll who, encouraged by the LC/DC subs, ran half the length of the pitch only to sidefoot just the wrong side of the post.

Half time arrived with the visitors leading by a goal to nil against a determined outfit who had shored up their defence after some early season hammerings. No changes in personnel at the interval, but Chiesa had started to pass the ball better in the latter stages of the first half and continued this in the second, Benny Gillham making up for what he lacked in pace with some accurate passes. Chiesa's 'Cheech & Chong' partnership of Jon Gray and Jeffers up front were making life hell for Stonewood's back four, as they have to all defences since linking up earlier this year. Somebody must be spiking their Jamaican woodbines with PCP! A series of LC/DC corners led to a chance for Gillham, but his volley was blocked, and before you knew it Stonewood had levelled things up. Danny Hardwick had little to do other than panic whenever John Riley or Williams passed the ball across his penalty area - any kids watching were advised not to try this at home - but when ????? ????? hit a shot from twenty five yards, he was at full stretch to tip onto the crossbar. Unfortunately for Chiesa, the ball fell to a blue and black shirt, and a mis hit shot was turned in at the far post by ????? ?????. There was a suspicion of offside but what with the offside law being changed almost daily, LCDC's linesman decided it wasn't worth getting involved in all that!

It was time for Chiesa to turn up the heat. A draw would have been a disappointing result following the successes so far this year, and when a good move ended up at the feet of Benny Gillham it looked as though LC/DC were going to be back in front, but his shot was tipped into the bar, and when Jon Gray had a shot turned on to the post minutes later, the feeling that it was not to be Chiesa's day was growing. However, with twenty minutes remaining, leading scorer Gray restored their lead, cutting in from the right after an incisive pass from Riley, and slipping the ball through the keepers legs for his sixth goal in three games. This was to be Gray's last action of the match, as he was replaced by Matt Gillham part of a treble substitution that saw Knowles on for Benny G who looked to be running out of steam when he laid out flat on his back during a break in play, and the return of Cy Taylor at the expense of Mark Harris who had another steady game at right back.

Taylor had a chance to sew the game up almost immediately, when Iain Gay played him in with a slide rule pass but his shot shaved the far post, Gay himself almost notched his second in succesive matches with a good header from a corner, and Jeffers was inches away from reaching a Knowles through ball in the last minute following another quick counter attack, but Chiesa held on without ever looking like conceding a second to record their sixth win in seven matches and sneak into fifth place in the league, albeit having played three games more than their nearest rivals.

A fortnight off now for La Chiesa, before they visit St Augustines. Can they avoid the wrath of P Watts and consolidate their position in Division Three of the Essex Corinthian League???

LCDC; (4-4-2) D Hardwick; Harris (Taylor), Riley, W Hardwick, Soteriou; Hodsoll, Williams, Gay, B Gillham (Knowles); Gray (M Gillham), Jeffers

Gols - Williams, Gray

Arbitro - M Dhillon


				*lachiesa.co.uk* *07.03.04. Stonewood - Top Half Of The Table At Last!*



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		Stonewood Give Chiesa A Scare! writes Guillem Balague Stonewood 1vs La Chiesa 2







		La Chiesa are in the top half of the table for the first time, thanks to a hard fought victory in Walthamstow on Sunday. Although opponents Stonewood were at the foot of the table with only one win this season, they had gained a creditable draw with Astra last week, and it was essential that they were not underestimated by the boys from the Church of the Horn, after all, it was not so long ago they were propping up the table themselves. With this in mind, as well as the lack of anybody knowing where the pitch was, Manager Samuel Knowles gave an early week text message to all LC/DC crew, urging them not to be late for the nine o'clock meet at The Chequers. So, the Chiesa convoy set off for their furthest away trip of the season at twenty to ten with all passengers/ co drivers with maps at the ready to navigate the North Circular and arrive on time in E17. Upon arrival at the Peter May Sports Ground, after some wise words from Director of Football Dave Knowles whose other job as West Ham under 14's coach saw him just down the road at Arsenal's youth centre, the boys were greeted by a stunning girl at reception, who showed them to dressing room No.4. A nice way to start the morning, though several of the boys had to take a cold shower BEFORE the match on the back of it! The fans had to double check they were not at the San Siro as the teams took the field of play, both in the colours of the Milan sides, but the scrappy opening twenty minutes confirmed this was Sunday morning rather than afternoon football, neither being able to dominate possession or create a worthwile chance. It was the Hornchurch Rossineri that created the first real opening when Adam Jeffers fierce strike from the edge of the are was tipped over following Franz Carr style wingplay from Benny G. Terry Soteriou headed over from the resulting corner, but La Chiesa didn't have to wait much longer before they were in front. The ten yards outside of opponents penalty area are generally considered 'Colin Williams territory' by LC/DC fans, and when Adam Jeffers was upended in that zone, Williams' quick free kick took everybody by surprise, and flew into the top corner. Stonewood had tried a similar trick earlier in the match, but it's one thing to think it, doing it is another matter entirely. A couple of weeks back at May & Bakers, Danny Hardwick saved brother Warrens' bacon by keeping out a penalty he had given away, today was payback time. When the elder Hardwick had a David James moment from a corner, it seemed as though the ball was spinning into the net for the equaliser until the younger of the clan somehow backheeled the ball over the bar to safety. The corner that followed gave La Chiesa the opportunity for one of their lightning counter attacks, G-Man, Jeffers, and Jon Gray combining to release Hodsoll who, encouraged by the LC/DC subs, ran half the length of the pitch only to sidefoot just the wrong side of the post. Half time arrived with the visitors leading by a goal to nil against a determined outfit who had shored up their defence after some early season hammerings. No changes in personnel at the interval, but Chiesa had started to pass the ball better in the latter stages of the first half and continued this in the second, Benny Gillham making up for what he lacked in pace with some accurate passes. Chiesa's 'Cheech & Chong' partnership of Jon Gray and Jeffers up front were making life hell for Stonewood's back four, as they have to all defences since linking up earlier this year. Somebody must be spiking their Jamaican woodbines with PCP! A series of LC/DC corners led to a chance for Gillham, but his volley was blocked, and before you knew it Stonewood had levelled things up. Danny Hardwick had little to do other than panic whenever John Riley or Williams passed the ball across his penalty area - any kids watching were advised not to try this at home - but when ????? ????? hit a shot from twenty five yards, he was at full stretch to tip onto the crossbar. Unfortunately for Chiesa, the ball fell to a blue and black shirt, and a mis hit shot was turned in at the far post by ????? ?????. There was a suspicion of offside but what with the offside law being changed almost daily, LCDC's linesman decided it wasn't worth getting involved in all that! It was time for Chiesa to turn up the heat. A draw would have been a disappointing result following the successes so far this year, and when a good move ended up at the feet of Benny Gillham it looked as though LC/DC were going to be back in front, but his shot was tipped into the bar, and when Jon Gray had a shot turned on to the post minutes later, the feeling that it was not to be Chiesa's day was growing. However, with twenty minutes remaining, leading scorer Gray restored their lead, cutting in from the right after an incisive pass from Riley, and slipping the ball through the keepers legs for his sixth goal in three games. This was to be Gray's last action of the match, as he was replaced by Matt Gillham part of a treble substitution that saw Knowles on for Benny G who looked to be running out of steam when he laid out flat on his back during a break in play, and the return of Cy Taylor at the expense of Mark Harris who had another steady game at right back. Taylor had a chance to sew the game up almost immediately, when Iain Gay played him in with a slide rule pass but his shot shaved the far post, Gay himself almost notched his second in succesive matches with a good header from a corner, and Jeffers was inches away from reaching a Knowles through ball in the last minute following another quick counter attack, but Chiesa held on without ever looking like conceding a second to record their sixth win in seven matches and sneak into fifth place in the league, albeit having played three games more than their nearest rivals. A fortnight off now for La Chiesa, before they visit St Augustines. Can they avoid the wrath of P Watts and consolidate their position in Division Three of the Essex Corinthian League??? LCDC; (4-4-2) D Hardwick; Harris (Taylor), Riley, W Hardwick, Soteriou; Hodsoll, Williams, Gay, B Gillham (Knowles); Gray (M Gillham), Jeffers Gols - Williams, Gray Arbitro - M Dhillon