Category: Match Reports 4s

IBIS Eagles 5s vs. Merton 4s
SAL Junior Division 4 South
Saturday 23^rd September 2017

Coming off of our biggest win ever last week away to Polytechnic, we were back in Chiswick again however this this at Chiswick Cricket Club to face an IBIS Eagles side that were playing their first league game. This was our third.

Without Michael Gubby, it was down to John Gridley to step in between the sticks with Ryan Burchell taking up the RWB position. Feeling worse for wear following a heavy night prior, Dom Plumridge slotted back up top to partner top scorer Adam.

Lining up in the same formation as last week, we didn’t start as we had hoped. We allowed the hosts too much time on the ball which in turn created a number of chances however a mixture if wayward shots and John Gridley kept the score goalless for 25 minutes.

It was the host that did finally take the lead after worldy from clearly the youngest player in their squad. Nothing that John….nor De Gea for that matter, could have done about it. Shortly after we found ourselves two goal behind. This time from a corner. A combination of not tracking your man and remaining static on the post contributing allowing a simple header to find the back of the net. 

We knew that we were better than the performance that we were putting in, last week’s performance backed that up. We were encouraging each other to get a goal before the break and courtesy of Adam we were able to do so as he side footed through the keepers legs to half the deficit.

Frankie came on to replace Ryan in the RWB role at the break.

The second half was a better performance than the first. We were able to pass the ball around by finding little pockets of space which put the opposition on the back foot for a while.

Twenty minutes into the second period, we were awarded a thrown in from the left. Dan Gridley taking centre stage to deliver a lengthy ball into the box which Dom managed to get a head on to. Or was it Dom’s goal? Dispute at the end of the game suggested that it may have been an own goal but with Dom being adamant that he got the final touch, it was awarded to him.

Having dug deep to come from two down to level, all that was nearly thrown away when the host were awarded a penalty when Dan Gridley took out their striker.

Up they stepped…….what a save!

John Gridley not falling for the eyes managed to get a strong hand to it to keep the score level and ensure that we went home with a point.

We could have taken all three had Dom not missed a sitter in the last minute which resulted in him picking up the Dick of the Day award.

Next week were visit Old Dorkinians in the AFA Cup in the hope that we continue our impressive start to the season.   

FINAL SCORE: IBIS Eagles 5s 2 – 2 Merton 4s
SCORER(S): Adam Collings, Dom Plumridge
MOTM: John Gridley – Solid performance between the sticks including a penalty save.

DOTD: Dom Plumridge – How could he miss that sitter?!

STARTING LINE-UP: John Gridley (GK), Joe Plumridge (Pete Quainton), Dan Gridley, Michael Elgar, Ryan Burchell (Frankie Kalogirou), Edward Plaistow (Capt.) (Joe Squire), Sonny Kennedy, Aaron Loftus, Michael Vogt, Adam Collings, Dom Plumridge

Polytechnic 8s vs. Merton 4s
SAL Junior Division 4 South
Saturday 16^th September 2017

After last weekend’s opening defeat, it was important that we went brought the three point’s home against Polytechnic 8s.

We were able to welcome Michael Gubby back in goal with Sonny Kennedy and Michael Vogt back and named in the starting line-up and on the bench respectively. Unfortunately we were with Dom Plumridge however had a squad capable of getting the result that was needed.

It was clear from the outset that this was a game that was there for the taking and the result proved that.

The first half seemed to go by in a flash in which we went in four goals to the good. Going in just one goal to the good is rare for this team!

We stated the second half as we did the first, one the front foot and not going the host a sniff of the ball. It didn’t take long before we were able to add more to our tally with the score at 7-0 in our favour with 10 minutes to go which included a hat trick from Adam Collings.

The opposition were able to find a consolation however after Dan Gridley found himself in the sin bin following a dispute with the ref. Two sin bins in successive games isn’t good enough and something that we need to work on.

With Dan having kicked the ball out of play for a corner before leaving the field of play, we were unable to track men which allowed an easy header to find the back of the net. This was something that Gubby wasn’t happy about as the clean sheet would have helped towards the Golden Glove award he hopes to win come the end of the season.

We managed to dent the oppo a little more with one final goal courtesy of Matt Sheeve so record our biggest ever win of 8-1.

Next week we are in Chiswick again to face IBIS Eagle in the hope that we can move this performance forward and claim another three points.

FINAL SCORE: Polytechnic 8s 1 – 8 Merton 4s
SCORER(S): Adam Collings (3), Aaron Loftus (2), Sonny Kennedy, Michael Vogt, Matt Shreeve
MOTM: Adam Collings – Hat trick Hero

DOTD: Dan Gridley – Sin binned

STARTING LINE-UP: Michael Gubby (GK), Joe Plumridge, Dan Gridley, Michael Elgar, John Gridley, Edward Plaistow (Capt.), Akram Choudhury (Matt Shreeve), Sonny Kennedy, Aaron Loftus, Ryan Burchell (Michael Vogt, Adam Collings

Another glorious Spring morning dawned for the 4s’ second game of the Spring Cup at Woking on Saturday. Or so it seemed, until a potent bucket of rain descended upon what was already a fairly poor (and small) pitch. The lads who were there took refuge in the change rooms. Others were heading anti clockwise down the M25 at the time. And Kieran did his standard bi-monthly no-show.

Merton 2-4 West Wickham

The last day of winter was also the first of the Merton 4s’ Spring Cup campaign. It’s been a disappointing season which has sadly ended in a second relegation in a row. But results haven’t always reflected performances, and here was a good opportunity to put that right, and get some momentum going in order to finish on a high.

“High” being an interesting choice of word, as it may or may not have accounted for two absentees on the day – one of whom was good enough to call in “sick” 2 hours before kickoff, the other entirely uncontactable. We won’t mention names, except to say that, surprisingly, Kieran wasn’t one of them!

Anyway, onto the football, and a decent squad of 12, including some firepower in the form of Denys and wily cunning from the old warhorse Conor Murphy, took to the pitch and electing to go into the wind first up. The theory was that with a bit of grind and damage limitation, the Yellows could set themselves up nicely for a second-half assault.

And that’s pretty much how it went. This was actually decent stuff from the home side, despite adverse conditions and a poor pitch. Don’t get me wrong, free flowing football was at a premium, and this surely would have made for a woeful spectacle for any onlookers. But Merton were working hard, communicating well, and even looking very dangerous on the break occasionally.

Understandably, West Wickham with the wind at their backs enjoyed the better of territory and possession. Yet Kieran didn’t have a save to make. Which is why the opener, on about the half hour mark, was a bit disappointing to concede. In truth, Merton were a bit sluggish in closing down on the left, the ball bobbed about on the fringes of the box, and a very useful left-footed finish was applied into the top-left corner. 1-0 WW.

Although it was hardly cause for panic. A 1-goal deficit into that wind was about par if Merton could hold it to the break. Yet they went one better (it seemed). With minutes remaining in the half, a superb ball from Aaron fed Dom. He still had plenty to do, but beat a defender and slotted it under the keeper with aplomb to make it 1-1.

Celebrations, but with parity at the break now imminent, Merton shot themselves in the foot. A header was lost in the air, and the ball fell to their striker, who was in oodles of space. Kieran darted out to thwart the danger, but there was nothing he could do. 2-1, and the half time whistle went.

A disappointing blow, no doubt. But this was still a very respectable score line, and Merton should have been able to kick on from there with the wind now at their backs.

But, quite frankly, they never got going in the first 15 minutes of the second half, and, but for a decent early chance for Dom, Wickham were much the better side. The third goal was a tad unfortunate – a cross/shot that wickedly got caught up in the wind, and Kieran’s parry couldn’t keep it out. Kieran was perhaps a bit more accountable for the fourth goal, as he was unable to claim a loose ball that he’d come off his line to take.

That said, given the mediocrity of the all round second-half team performance, being 4-1 down was probably not much worse than Merton deserved. In fairness, the lads began to play much better for the final quarter of the game thereafter, and put a lot of pressure on the visitors. There were countless half chances upfront and plenty of goalmouth action, but the ball just wasn’t quite falling for them. Eventually they got one back, with a blatant pull in the box, which, for some reason the Wickham players saw fit to argue about.

Anyway, once all that died down, Dom stepped up and tucked his penalty away, perhaps slightly fortuitously, under the keeper. 4-2, and 10 minutes to go.

Merton kept up the pressure, and half chances continued to come thick and fast. But this seemed destined to be another one of those days. Another game that got away – one where, for the majority, Merton had played more than decently, but, due to silly errors, had left them departing the pitch shaking their heads in defeat. Still, plenty to build on, and hopefully with a full squad, a win lies in wait at Wokingians next week.

Goals: D Plumridge (2)
Team: Kieran Lee (GK), Ed Plaistow, Joe Plumridge, Mike Todt, Conor Murphy, Will Harrison, Mikey Elgar, Frankie Kalogirou, Aaron Loftus, Denys Zhurbiy, Dom Plumridge
Sub: Akram Choudhary
MOTM: Conor Murphy
DOTD: the two men mentioned in paragraph 1

Lloyds Warren 3s vs. Merton 4s SAL Minor Division 2 South Saturday 25^th February 2017

After last weekend’s impressive display at home against Bank of England, plus the return fixture back in January where we triumphed 9-2, we knew that another three points was the only result. Knowing this, we approached the game like any other, with the mind-set that it could go against us and we could end up on the losing end.

The focus was there as it was still mathematically possible to stay up depending on other results. We had to ensure that we won this game for that to come to fruition however.

We were without our skipper Mike Todt this week as well as Michael Vogt with John Gridley also missing through injury. We did however welcome back Ryan Burchell and Mikey Elgar.

We started the game well and we on the front foot from the off. Frankie was like a man possessed in the middle of the park, winning each and every ball that he challenged for and doing well with it when it was in his possession. He did so well in fact that he won a free kick on the right by-line. Aaron Lotfus stepped up from more than 30 yards out to bury the ball into the back of the net, something that he predicted the night before.

Not long after the restart were we able to double our lead through Dom Plumridge. After a ball into the box failed to be cleared from Dom’s initial effort, he buried it to the keeper’s bottom right at the second time of asking. 2-0 and cruising.

Not long after doubling our lead, Dom picked up a freak injury when claiming the ball after it had gone out of play. Our job was going to be a lot tougher without our talisman but we knew we had capable replacements on the bench. Jake replaced Dom in a straight swap.

It remained 2-0 going into the break and it was a lead that was sell deserved.

The second half started with the opposition opting for a change in keeper however this did not seem to change the outcome as we increased our tally by a further two goals with Dan Gridley scoring with a free kick from the left and Frankie getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season with a high looping effort from 20 yards that the keeper could do nothing about.

4-0 was the final score. A second win on the bounce however was not enough to stay in the league as Civil Service won. Unless Bank of England and Old Wilsonians loss their remaining games (both whom still have Lloyds Warren to play) we will be situated in Division 3 and facing back to back relegations.

Our league position doesn’t justify our performances throughout the season. We have been unlucky in most of the games we have lost. Next season you will see a more determined Merton 4s with only one aim…..promotion and a league title!            

FINAL SCORE: Lloyds Warren 3s 0 – 4 Merton 4s SCORERS: Aaron Loftus, Dom Plumridge, Dan Gridley, Frankie Kalogirou MOTM: Frankie Kalogirou

STARTING LINE-UP: Kieran Lee (GK), Ryan Burchell, Mikey Elgar, Joe Plumridge, Edward Plaistow, Frankie Kalogirou, Will Harrison, Chris Outred, Sonny Kennedy, Dom Plumridge, Aaron Loftus

SUBS: Dan Gridley, Jake Hewitt

Maybe it was just the warmth and sunshine. After all, it would seem ridiculous on the face of it that a team who’ve lost five games on the bounce – especially with the latest being a 6-0 reverse at Polytechnic – should have reason to feel confident. But then again, this was a team who’d started to play some really good football recently, and therein lay the main reason for them feeling confident as they set foot in their hallowed turf at the sadly-vandalised Hood for this clash against mid-table Bank of England.

As the snow tumbled down, 13 men who, by Saturday, don the mighty yellow, expectantly checked their phones that morning, with the text from Scholesy that the game against Poly would be called off seemingly a racing certainty.

But it never came, and an almost reluctant Merton 4s slowly gathered in the change room. The late arrival of the manager meant the kit was hurriedly put on – not that anyone really fancied a warm up anyway.

Given the adverse conditions, the pitch was in surprisingly good nick, and after some encouraging performances in recent weeks, Merton said about asserting themselves.

But the first couple of minutes were almost a perfect microcosm of the 4s season so far. For about 120 seconds from the kick off, they pinged the ball around beautifully, getting ball to feet, and building two very dangerous attacks in the process.

It didn’t yield a goal though. Well, not for Merton anyway. One hoof upfield from Poly, a mix up in defence, and the hosts gleefully poked it home. And just like that, a deflated Merton were 1-0 down.

The lads kept their heads up though, and, impressively, they kept playing football. After 15 minutes, it is fair to say Poly had barely had a kick, and yet were 1-0 up. Not only had Merton bossed the midfield, but they’d opened up their opponents down the wings a number of times too.

Yet they were always vulnerable on the counter, and that’s how Poly’s second came about. Their striker got in behind, and Kieran initially made a fine save. Unfortunately, he lost his footing a touch on the follow up, and his palmed second save could only send the ball over his head and rolling agonisingly into the net. 2-0 Poly.

And still Merton kept going, as the midfield continued to have the better of things, with Sonny and Akram doing a fine job in the middle of the park. But then came a nasty injury to Chris Outred, as he clashed heads with a Poly player as both went in for a full-blooded header. And full blooded it was, as an astonishing amount of the red stuff came from Chris’s forehead. After a few minutes of checking for concussion and performing some relatively amateur first aid bandage work, Chris was escorted from the field. We do wish him a speedy recovery.

The third and fourth goals came just after half time, although this scribe was in the clubhouse attending to the wounded at the time, so no details of how it happened are currently available.

There is no fun in getting a battering. But credit to the Yellows, they kept going, and still continued to produce some pockets of good football. That said, Poly were by now the more dominant side, and as injuries accumulated for Merton, they became very stretched.

Poly’s 5th goal came about from some good interplay down the left, although the shot which finished it was something of a worldie. It left Kieran with no price whatsoever. The same could not be said of the 6th goal though, as Merton were caught out trying to play it from the back.

At the other end, Ryan Burchell made a good run that almost yielded a goal, while Danny Gridley also made a fine surge upfield, which led to a decent chance.

But it wasn’t to be, and the final whistle mercifully sounded to end a bitterly disappointing day. After a result like that, the acid test was going to be just how acidic the recriminations were in the change room. Yet nothing of the sort ensued. Instead, the lads shared frustration, but took pride in the quality of football they produced. True, the sloppy goals they continue to give away, and their profligacy in front of goal are a big concern. Yet in amongst all that is also some very, very good football. It’s time to convert that into a result against Bank of England next week.