- Type of Match: League
- Venue: Bacon’s College, SE16
- Squad – Wani Beya, James Des Voeux (Captain), Tom Gordon, Flynn Knight, Ruben Pradhan, Rhys Read-Beche, Djibril Sangare, Boris Shippey, Hugo Turpin
- Result: 2-2
- Scorers: Flynn, Boris
- Man of the Match – Boris
Match Report:
A frustrating outing in Rotherhithe saw the Colts salvage a point against the league’s bottom side.
After the blistering start last week against Profa Barnes, Clapham returned to type with the side largely comatose for the first ten minutes while the side adjusted to playing with eight players. Flynn was the notable exception but even he couldn’t cover the whole pitch and Roca took a deserved lead after making ground down Clapham’s left with Clapham’s snoozing defenders all assuming someone else was going to clear their lines. Stand-in goalkeeper Ruban picking the ball out of the net a couple of minutes after earlier saving from another Roca chance.
Wani’s arrival with Gabriel prompted a boost of organisation, commitment and intent with the Colts taking their usual shape and Rhys and James starting to dominate in midfield with Hugo and Flynn finding space down the flanks. A run from Flynn found Hugo at the edge of the box whose shot was deflected out for a corner and Hugo’s delivery was met with an incoming Flynn who celebrated his return from concussion with a thumping header to equalise.
Thinking all was sorted, the defence immediately switched off again from the restart, allowing Roca to get down the right and the cross was dispatched at the unmarked far post to send Clapham behind again. The rest of the first half was one-way traffic with Clapham working to create more good space down the wings and creating chances from being well-organised against Roca goal-kicks. Boris made a great break down the left, crossing to Rhys who touched on to Flynn who sent a shot just wide. James and Wani then both shot wide with the Colts camped in the Roca half and Boris had a goal-bound shot cleared off the line as the half drew to a close.
What seemed like a matter of time before the deficit was turned around became an exercise in frustration in the second half. Passes were played just behind players, the ball bobbled away at just the wrong moment and too many times the wrong option was selected when teammates were well-placed. Roca were determined and organised and looked like a side who were desperate to get something out of a game for the first time this season. As the half wore on, the most likely source of a goal looked like coming from one of the pin-ball scrambles that kept happening whenever Clapham launched one into the Roca box then, without any clear-cut chances appearing for either side, Boris was sent up to make a nuisance of himself and his hard work was rewarded when he turned home a cross from Wani that the keeper was only able to palm out.
The remaining five minutes passed in a similarly disjointed fashion and Roca will have come away the happier of the sides for earning their first point.
Final score 2-2.
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