Back to winning ways this week with a 3 v 1 demolition of a strong Amberley side. Two goals from our own Geoff 'John Barnes' Bartlett and one from the whirling Scholes sealed a brilliant 3 v 1 victory. The whole team played well today. Jon was outstanding as usual in goal (hopefully we won't lose his services after rumours of a big money transfer to Plymouth). The back four was as solid as ever - Brian, Andy, Ollie and Simon. Keith and Lee Good chased for the whole 90 mins up front while the midfield duo Lee and Jezzer provided the inventive genius to set up the goals. The skipper Scholes came off with a strained fetlock just before the break and was replaced by debutant Chris. Great result boys. Next Game is away to Lodsworth in the League on 25th Oct. 3pm KO.
A very good result up at Lodsworth this week. We beat their reserve team in the Div 5 Cup Final last year, but the first team proved to be tougher opposition. We had a bit of a sloppy start. Brian nodded a cracking own goal past the stranded Jon in goal. But we battled back and the mid-field started working. Chris had a solid game in the middle, well supported by Jez and Chalkie, with Scholesy and Geoffer tearing it up down the wings. Keith and Lee had several chances up front and it was only a matter of time before we equalised and then pulled ahead. Lodsworth scored a very good equaliser before we hit back before half-time to make it 3v2. Charlie came on for Schoelsy in the second half. The defence : Brian, Andy and Ollie played fantastic football in the second half. We expected to pull further ahead half with the benefit of the sloping pitch but it finished 3v2. Great result lads!!! Next Game is away to Over Wallop in the Hants Cup on 1st Nov.
The game was called off this weekend at the last minute by the opposition...they couldn't muster enough players brave enough to face the mighty Coal Exchange. Or maybe it was because England were playing. Anyway... Next Game is home to Amberley in the League on 18th Oct. 3pm KO.
This was bound to be a tough game. We played Ambassadors three times last season, winning twice and drawing once. Also, it had been a month since our last game. Anyway, enough of the excuses. The Coalie played well and made lots of chances in the first half, and lead 1 v 0 at half time through a Keith blaster.
Ambassadors came steaming back in the second half and pulled a goal back to level things and then a winner in the last few minutes to inflict the first league defeat on the Coal Exchange since 23rd March 2002!!
Cheers to our supporters Debbie, Jack and Tom, Angela and Travis, but especially Karen and new arrival Lisa!!
The mighty Coal Exchange march on with a win to open the new season. Despite making stacks of chances in the first half, we found ourselves 1 v 0 down at half-time. Unfortunately Bran had to come off at half-time with a pulled fetlock?!? Danny came on to stumble about in the midfield and almost fluked a goal in the first few minutes of the second half. We worked hard and pulled back a goal with a brilliant finish from Keith. We came under pressure as we tried to push forward but the back three Jez, Andy (Man-of-the-Match) and Simon were solid, and super-keeper Jon 'Superman' Burgess pulled off a string of world class saves. Wes and Steve terrorised their defense (and ours) on the wings, while Scholes and Chalkie ran their socks off in the midfield. It was looking like ending a draw when Ollie put Keith through and he blasted his second to secure all three points for the Southerners!!! Cheers to our supporters Clare and Daisy Rooney!!
Next Game is home to Ambassadors on 4th Oct. 3pm KO.
The first few fixtures have been announced for the Coal Exchange. We will be playing away at Graffham on Sep 6th 2003. I think it's up near Pulborough. We have two more away games in Sept, at Pulborough and Newton Villas.