Report

This fixture signified the final league game of the season for the 1^st team. It was always going to be a tough campaign after the changes at the club and the loss of key players during the summer.  However I feel we have managed to have a fruitful season, with promotion being a real possibility until recently and consistently being praised for our brand of passing football. Hopefully we can cap the season with a cup final and a few beers to celebrate an enjoyable year! The team has been successful this season in my opinion due to the commitment and excellent attitude from all our players. Chris and Leigh have both performed admirably for the firsts in goal this year and I believe we have 2 of the leagues strongest keepers at our club. Banksy, Fordy and Bill have made sure we have not been short of goals this season and created excellent competition for places up top. Neil, Matt and Pip, have performed consistently well and been important players as always. The introduction of the uni boys Sam and Ryan meant we had some youth in the squad at last and been extremely versatile, playing in many positions to a high standard. The appearances from Emem, Griggy, Ginge, Grippa and Macca can not be underestimated. Good players who have contributed to our success this season. Finally thanks to Kingy, Franksy and Stef. Three top performers who have made themselves available for every game this season, great commitment lads, many thanks!

Sorry if that has bored everyone to tears, but wanted to thank all the players for their efforts this year!

 Onto the game…….

We had a strong twelve available this afternoon, with the normal back 5, a midfield of Franksy, Neil, Grippa, Sam and Ginge just in behind the lone front man Bill, with Ryan on the bench. The rain started to come down just in time for the game to start, however Burpham started well seeing lots of the ball and keeping possession of the football. Whenever Bisley did get the ball it was soon taken off them again by the Cray twins in midfield with a crunching tackle. As well as defending resolutely we were also creating some lovely attacking moves through the creativity of Ginge, Franksy and Sam. We came close to taking the lead a couple of times, however the one stand out chance was a move from the right, where Sam beat their midfielder, gave the ball inside to Ginge, who found Grippa in space outside the area. He hit a rasping shot with his right foot that beat the keeper but just went wide of the far post.

Bisley had limited opportunities during the first half, but almost took the lead late in the half from a move down our left. The Bisley striker hit a looping shot from wide which looked like it was going over, however it dipped late on Leigh and he just managed to get a hand to it to knock it over the bar. We continued to press Bisley and gained several corners and free kicks in dangerous positions. Kingy’s delivery was spot on as always and we could have taken the lead from set plays. However Grips, Neil, Bill and Pip couldn’t quite get on the end of the balls into the area. No score at half time.

We lined up the same for the 2^nd half confident we would take the lead if we continued to play in the same vain as the 1^st.  Again we started strongly seeing lots of the ball and stretching Bisley all over the park. Shortly into the half Sam showed his commitment by attacking a 50/50 ball and collided with their midfielder. Both men went down, Sam had a nasty gash on his cheek bone. Unfortunately this was to be the end of his game as it would not stop bleeding. This was a shame as he was playing well, but we had an able replacement in Ryan.

For the next 35 minutes we ran riot on Bisley creating chance after chance. Kingy combined well with Franksy and smashed a shot from the outside the area which was goal bound…….unfortunately the ball hit a Ginger man in a Burpham shirt on the back so we will never know if the shot would have tested the keeper. However Ginge can confirm Kingy did strike the ball very firmly! Grippa had a chance inside the area, after a ball in from Ryan, unfortunately his overhead kick went just over the bar.  Ginge saw a couple of sweet strikes narrowly miss the target and Bill who had worked tirelessly saw a shot ping off the post after a strike on goal. Eventually Bisley began to tire at the back due to the constant pressure they had been put under. Bill picked the ball up in the area, knocked it around the centre half, who lunged in on Bill sending the Burpham forward tumbling in the area. Penalty. Kingy stepped up confidently and struck the ball to the keepers right. It was a decent penalty but the ‘dynamic’ Bisley keeper moved quickly (to everyone’s surprise) and got a firm hand to Kingy’s strike sending it over the bar. However this was not to be the last of Burpham’s chances! Ryan received the ball out on the right hand side. He had been causing mayhem since coming on for Sam. He skinned the full back for the tenth time in as many minutes and in a carbon copy of the earlier penalty incident was brought down by the defender. The referee pointed to the spot. Bill told the gaffer he wanted the penalty and after the shift he had put in during the afternoon no one was going to deny Bill this opportunity. He struck the ball to the keepers left and the keeper dived the correct way. However such was the quality of Bills penalty it nestled into the bottom corner of the net. Burpham took the lead. Bill had scored the goal he deserved.  For the last 5 minutes Bisley went for broke throwing men forward trying to get the equaliser. Burpham defended several corners and attacks well with Stef, Pip and Neil making several blocks and Leigh a couple of smart saves, including one save low down when the Bisley striker had a shot inside the area. The last action of the game was a corner from Bisley which after a scramble in the area hit the Burpham bar and was then hacked away from Grippa. The rain stopped and the final whistle was blown. Had this late chance of the gone in it would have been a very harsh blow for Burpham who had outplayed Bisley for 85 minutes of the 90.  So Burpham took the 3 points, deservedly so.

MOM: Much deliberation over the decision between the Gaffer, Skipper and Chairman. A strong team performance, with many excellent individual performances. Bill, who worked so tirelessly up top, Neil looking like his old self with a battling performance in the middle, Leigh making a match winning save late on and Ryan coming on and effectively changing the match. I could go on. However MOM goes to Nick ‘Ginge’ Thompson. With the henchmen behind him it allowed Ginge to focus on being the creative flair in the centre of the park, picking pass after pass and being the catalyst for many of Burpham’s best opportunities. Well done Red Rooster.  

Sorry it’s a bit long this week people, just thought it was a good opportunity to thank you all for your hard work. Onto the cup next week!