Post by shameless on Aug 10, 2014 18:51:18 GMT
Saturday 9 August 2014
Southern Counties East Football League
Croydon FC (0) 2 (Dan Jupe 54, Michael Craveiro 81)
Deal Town FC (0) 0
At any level of football, the 1st competitive match of the season is one of the most intriguing. How many old favourites will the manager pick? Will the new players shape up? Will the team carry the form, good or bad, from last season into this? What are the likely prospects for the coming year?
Well the questions are only ever answered in part. 9 or 10 have returned, and most of the better ones at that, the majority of the new faces look excellent additions with Michael Craveiro and Adam Allen at the back and Tristan Toney in midfield making very useful debuts. In addition the Trams welcome back Karl Douglin 2012/13 season player of the year who sojourned last term at Epsom & Ewell.
As to the game, as usual Croydon made a slow start, with Deal Town coming out of the blocks that much faster, pressing and closing down the Trams and not allowing them to get into their passing game for the 1st 20 minutes or so. The visitors didn’t create over much; Francis Ameyaw had to cope with a couple of testing crosses that’s all.
Suddenly after 21 minutes the tide turned. Croydon gained possession after a corner through Craveiro who pushed through to the effervescent Dan Jupe; the ball was laid off to Douglin on the edge of the penalty area where he was unceremoniously upended. Justin Hemmings stepped up but Jack Rankin was equal to his low shot. The miss rankled but somehow neither side was the same again and the Trams went on from strength to strength from that point onwards.
Play was much more open now with the new defensive unit of Craveiro, Allen, Dave Waters and James Jordan effertlessly soaking up any pressure. Croydon sought to press their advantage now, Badar Mohammed created the next chance, spinning effortlessly past his marker and crossing for Jupe who, stretching, could only touch the ball out of play.
In the 25th minute Hemmings nearly atoned for his penalty miss when his free kick was despairingly tipped over the bar by a backpedalling Rankin who had been caught out of position. Minutes later and Mohammed missed a clear cut chance when he turned and hit a left foot shot from about 8 yards out, unfortunately it fell to his weaker side and Rankin smothered the attempt.
In the 34th minute Deal had their 1st and only chance of the match when the consistently brilliant Ameyaw made a point blank save to thwart Yacin Guanhaes, but Jamie Blunden should have scored following up, but could only blast woefully over.
After this lucky escape it was really all Croydon and they dominated the rest of the match. Jupe should have given his team a 1st half lead but his well executed chip wasn’t good enough to beat Rankin who tipped the ball away.
It only seemed to be a matter of time before the breakthrough and it came in the 54th minute, Mohammed set Jupe free down the right channel with a sliderule pass and Jupe’s finish was equally controlled as he slotted the ball past the stranded Rankin.
With Steven Cox blasting just wide and Toney drawing yet another good save from Rankin, it was beginning to appear that 1 goal would have to be enough when enterprising fullback Craveiro got in on the act in the 81st minute, bursting forward he exchanged passes with substitute Lauris Chin, switched the ball onto his left peg and hit superb drive into the far top corner given Rankin no chance and himself a lot live up to. A gem of a goal.
There was one last chance for Chin as he latched on to impressive fellow substitute Marvin Hong’s pass but the Trams were more than happy with a 2-0 win to get their league season off to a winning start.
Croydon now travel to Eltham to play Erith Town this coming Tuesday before their vital FA Cup tie away at Arundel the following Saturday. Details are elsewhere on the forum.
Croydon: Francis Ameyaw; Michael Craveiro; James Jordan; Adam Allen; Dave Waters; Justin Hemmings; Tristan Toney (Marvin Hong 76); Steven Cox; Dan Jupe (Catalin Meresciu 90+2); Karl Douglin; Badar Mohammed (Lauris Chin 65).
Subs not used: Rhys Martin; Ben Mankelow.
Report: Simon Hawkins
Southern Counties East Football League
Croydon FC (0) 2 (Dan Jupe 54, Michael Craveiro 81)
Deal Town FC (0) 0
At any level of football, the 1st competitive match of the season is one of the most intriguing. How many old favourites will the manager pick? Will the new players shape up? Will the team carry the form, good or bad, from last season into this? What are the likely prospects for the coming year?
Well the questions are only ever answered in part. 9 or 10 have returned, and most of the better ones at that, the majority of the new faces look excellent additions with Michael Craveiro and Adam Allen at the back and Tristan Toney in midfield making very useful debuts. In addition the Trams welcome back Karl Douglin 2012/13 season player of the year who sojourned last term at Epsom & Ewell.
As to the game, as usual Croydon made a slow start, with Deal Town coming out of the blocks that much faster, pressing and closing down the Trams and not allowing them to get into their passing game for the 1st 20 minutes or so. The visitors didn’t create over much; Francis Ameyaw had to cope with a couple of testing crosses that’s all.
Suddenly after 21 minutes the tide turned. Croydon gained possession after a corner through Craveiro who pushed through to the effervescent Dan Jupe; the ball was laid off to Douglin on the edge of the penalty area where he was unceremoniously upended. Justin Hemmings stepped up but Jack Rankin was equal to his low shot. The miss rankled but somehow neither side was the same again and the Trams went on from strength to strength from that point onwards.
Play was much more open now with the new defensive unit of Craveiro, Allen, Dave Waters and James Jordan effertlessly soaking up any pressure. Croydon sought to press their advantage now, Badar Mohammed created the next chance, spinning effortlessly past his marker and crossing for Jupe who, stretching, could only touch the ball out of play.
In the 25th minute Hemmings nearly atoned for his penalty miss when his free kick was despairingly tipped over the bar by a backpedalling Rankin who had been caught out of position. Minutes later and Mohammed missed a clear cut chance when he turned and hit a left foot shot from about 8 yards out, unfortunately it fell to his weaker side and Rankin smothered the attempt.
In the 34th minute Deal had their 1st and only chance of the match when the consistently brilliant Ameyaw made a point blank save to thwart Yacin Guanhaes, but Jamie Blunden should have scored following up, but could only blast woefully over.
After this lucky escape it was really all Croydon and they dominated the rest of the match. Jupe should have given his team a 1st half lead but his well executed chip wasn’t good enough to beat Rankin who tipped the ball away.
It only seemed to be a matter of time before the breakthrough and it came in the 54th minute, Mohammed set Jupe free down the right channel with a sliderule pass and Jupe’s finish was equally controlled as he slotted the ball past the stranded Rankin.
With Steven Cox blasting just wide and Toney drawing yet another good save from Rankin, it was beginning to appear that 1 goal would have to be enough when enterprising fullback Craveiro got in on the act in the 81st minute, bursting forward he exchanged passes with substitute Lauris Chin, switched the ball onto his left peg and hit superb drive into the far top corner given Rankin no chance and himself a lot live up to. A gem of a goal.
There was one last chance for Chin as he latched on to impressive fellow substitute Marvin Hong’s pass but the Trams were more than happy with a 2-0 win to get their league season off to a winning start.
Croydon now travel to Eltham to play Erith Town this coming Tuesday before their vital FA Cup tie away at Arundel the following Saturday. Details are elsewhere on the forum.
Croydon: Francis Ameyaw; Michael Craveiro; James Jordan; Adam Allen; Dave Waters; Justin Hemmings; Tristan Toney (Marvin Hong 76); Steven Cox; Dan Jupe (Catalin Meresciu 90+2); Karl Douglin; Badar Mohammed (Lauris Chin 65).
Subs not used: Rhys Martin; Ben Mankelow.
Report: Simon Hawkins
