Match Report - 8th October 2006

This was a well deserved victory for a Ruislip side that look likely to finish high up in the league this year. Three wins from three matches and 18 goals scored is impressive form in any division. For Headstone there were some postives from a disappointing morning. Despite having to play catch up for most of the game, they scored three goals and had good enough chances to have got two or three more. They also never gave up and right to the last were looking to get forward and score. The result also slightly flattered Ruislip as they were gifted two of their second half goals and slack defending led to two others. But Ruislip demonstrated their strength with much better movement, use of the ball, awareness and competitiveness.

Knowing that Ruislip were good at finishing it was important for Headstone to keep them at bay in the early stages and initially they achieved this. Ruislip looked good on the ball and pressed Headstone back but didn't really threaten early on. But Headstone were hit a sucker punch in the 11th minute when, out of the blue, Ruislip were awarded a penalty after the ball was knocked into their box. One of the defenders was penalised for a push in the back. The players and supporters seemed to have missed it and many were surprised by the decision. Keeper Daniel Lynch guessed correctly diving to his left but the spot kick was powerful and accurate and flew into the corner.

Going behind in such a way was disappointing but in the next six minutes the game was effectively lost as Ruislip scored three more goals. Headstone struggled to cope with Ruislip's movement from midfield which allowed players to get into dangerous positions unmarked. There was not enough communication from Headstone's defenders who could see what was happening and the midfield were too slow to react. They were also giving the ball far too easily. The second and third goals were similar. Both followed poor clearances and resulted in lobs that Daniel was unable to get back quickly enough to clear.

So after 18 minutes Headstone found themselves 0-4 down and it looked like they could be on the wrong end of a cricket score. To their credit they started to show some resiliance and began to hold the ball better. As a result they began to create some chances. As the half progressed Brett Swinton-Bland, George Moriarty and Federico Jaramillo got into good wide positions to cross. But the keeper was quick to react and gathered them all. Brett also worked hard to get on the end of several through balls but the defenders were strong and he was unable to finish.

In the 26th minute Headstone got a gee up with a first goal of the season for George. Conor McBreen sent Brett charging into the area down the left. Brett shot, the keeper could only parry and George raced in at the far post to tuck the ball home. Although Ruislip didn't add to their tally this half, the goal was Headstone's only shot on target in the first half and this lack of firepower would hinder their efforts to get back into the match.

Headstone's aim in the second half was to get another goal back and put a bit more pressure on Ruislip. But two minutes after the break Ruislip made it 1-5 after Headstone failed to close down from a corner on the left. The ball was knocked out to the edge of the box and as Ruislip's attacker squared up to shoot the Headstone defence opened up in front of him allowing him the time and freedom to pick his spot. Unusually for Conor, he wasn't getting into any goalscoring positions in this match. But he was involved in Headstone's second putting Brett through down the right. Brett was chased back by two defenders but he cut in and scooped the ball high over the keeper and it bounced in off the post.

Shortly afterwards Headstone made two substitutions. Francis Nkhoma replaced Fed and Kyle Giles-Brown replaced Conor. Both did well and made a useful contribution especially for Headstone's third goal. Before then Headstone gifted Ruislip the first of two disappointing goals. Ruislip played a high ball forward down the right but Ciaran McDougall was in position to cover. Unfortunately he let the ball bounce and from then he was under pressure and Ruislip were quick to nip in and cross. Daniel had much more time than he realised and elected to punch the ball out but Ruislip's striker pounced on the clearance and calmy side footed into the empty net.

Francis was looking busy in midfield alongside Thomas Green who had had a solid game and Luis Meneses Zerpa who improved as the game progressed. Francis was getting into good positons down the right and it was from a ball over the top that he set up Headstone's third. He used his speed well to reach the ball as the keeper charged out and neatly flicked high over his head. Kyle then showed his turn of speed to race in and tuck it home. Josh Street then came on for Ciaran and took over at left back.

Headstone might have had more but were caught not reading the offside far too easily. The pitch was very short and Ruislip's defence was quick to compress the play. But Headstone's attackers had more than enough pace to have coped. Headstone also failed to judge the pace of their through balls and presented the Ruislip keeper with a succession of virtual pass backs. However, they did create decent chances this half. Kyle was a whisker away from a goal latching onto a loose ball with a great shot that caught out the keeper but just drfited over. Brett also had two shots that were close. But, considering how short the pitch was, Headstone were far too reluctant to shoot and let the keeper off lightly.

In almost the last minute Headstone then gave away another soft goal. As part of the goalie's union Daniel is unfortunate that he makes far fewer errors than his team mates but his misjudgments are far more costly. So it proved with Ruislip's seventh as he came out to catch a long high ball and, under pressure from an advancing attacker, it bobbled from his grasp and the striker slipped it into the net.

The outcome was a fair reflection but with better defending from the whole team the score could have been closer. Headstone can aim to put this right when the teams meet again in two weeks. Although all the players were guilty of too many mistakes and slack defensive play there were some positive performances particularly from Joe Jordan who tackled and passed well, Thomas who never stopped running and did much of the ball winning in the middle, Francis who had a strong impact when he came on and Brett who showed most determination up front and crowned this with a well taken goal. For that Brett was man of the match.