| Premier Division Third Place |
Much was promised in pre-season but the Griffin failed to perform in all competitions in what was our most disappointing season to date. The opening game of the season against Linton was typical of the season ahead. Having been the better side for most of the match the Griffin failed to convert chances and were hit on the counter attack, losing 0-3. It was a brutal game at times in which Ben Fox was badly injured and would miss the opening months of the season; along with Ryan Russell and Jason Jaap. The first decent game of the season was December’s match against Chiswick Albion. On a boggy, vast pitch at Bedfont the Albion took the lead early in the game but the Griffin fought back, putting in a dominant second half display but failed to score; Albion’s cheers at the final whistle was testament to our performance. A lucky win against Whistlers and a 15-1 demolition of Oisin Celtic rounded off 2006.
a black moment occurred in the Griffin’s history in a quarter final match against Sheen Park Rangers. Playing on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen and in hurricane conditions the Griffin were comfortably winning 1-0 with 20 mins to go when Dan Fay launched into one of his trademark tackles but this came off the worse, sustaining a horrific injury, breaking his leg in two places. In hindsight the game should have been abandoned but the shock of the accident and dismal conditions made us collectively want to finish the contest. Sheen equalised in the dying moments of the game and went on to win in extra time against a demoralised Griffin.
The last three games of the season raised the Griffin’s level of performance as they faced the only decent teams in the Chiswick & District League. An epic League Cup quarter final against Chiswick Albion finished 3-3 but the Griffin’s lack of football and fitness showed in extra time as the Albion went on to win the tie. Two midweek matches finished the season against the unstoppable Bedfont Sunday (who had already been crowned County Champions). Bedfont had not lost in the league since September 2005 and the Griffin went to the ‘Rec’ with a bare 11 (no Captain Lovell, top scorer Fox, Jason Jaap, Rob Cuddeford…) but against all odds put in their best performance of the season. Playing a rigid, defensive 3-5-1-1 the match was nicely poised at 1-1 when Damien Wilkins was harshly sent off after 50 mins. What happened in the last 40 mins showed a collective determination that the Griffin tend to lack in close games. Superb performances all over the field and two great goals from new boy Gabs stunned Bedfont as the Griffin finally beat them 3-1! The last game of the season followed the week after and Bedfont gained revenge winning 3-0, courtesy of two very generous penalty awards but the Griffin once again finished the season with a very impressive squad but no rewards to show for it.
a black moment occurred in the Griffin’s history in a quarter final match against Sheen Park Rangers. Playing on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen and in hurricane conditions the Griffin were comfortably winning 1-0 with 20 mins to go when Dan Fay launched into one of his trademark tackles but this came off the worse, sustaining a horrific injury, breaking his leg in two places. In hindsight the game should have been abandoned but the shock of the accident and dismal conditions made us collectively want to finish the contest. Sheen equalised in the dying moments of the game and went on to win in extra time against a demoralised Griffin.
The last three games of the season raised the Griffin’s level of performance as they faced the only decent teams in the Chiswick & District League. An epic League Cup quarter final against Chiswick Albion finished 3-3 but the Griffin’s lack of football and fitness showed in extra time as the Albion went on to win the tie. Two midweek matches finished the season against the unstoppable Bedfont Sunday (who had already been crowned County Champions). Bedfont had not lost in the league since September 2005 and the Griffin went to the ‘Rec’ with a bare 11 (no Captain Lovell, top scorer Fox, Jason Jaap, Rob Cuddeford…) but against all odds put in their best performance of the season. Playing a rigid, defensive 3-5-1-1 the match was nicely poised at 1-1 when Damien Wilkins was harshly sent off after 50 mins. What happened in the last 40 mins showed a collective determination that the Griffin tend to lack in close games. Superb performances all over the field and two great goals from new boy Gabs stunned Bedfont as the Griffin finally beat them 3-1! The last game of the season followed the week after and Bedfont gained revenge winning 3-0, courtesy of two very generous penalty awards but the Griffin once again finished the season with a very impressive squad but no rewards to show for it. A black moment occurred in the Griffin’s history in a quarter final match against Sheen Park Rangers. Playing on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen and in hurricane conditions the Griffin were comfortably winning 1-0 with 20 mins to go when Dan Fay launched into one of his trademark tackles but this came off the worse, sustaining a horrific injury, breaking his leg in two places. In hindsight the game should have been abandoned but the shock of the accident and dismal conditions made us collectively want to finish the contest. Sheen equalised in the dying moments of the game and went on to win in extra time against a demoralised Griffin.
The last three games of the season raised the Griffin’s level of performance as they faced the only decent teams in the Chiswick & District League. An epic League Cup quarter final against Chiswick Albion finished 3-3 but the Griffin’s lack of football and fitness showed in extra time as the Albion went on to win the tie. Two midweek matches finished the season against the unstoppable Bedfont Sunday (who had already been crowned County Champions). Bedfont had not lost in the league since September 2005 and the Griffin went to the ‘Rec’ with a bare 11 (no Captain Lovell, top scorer Fox, Jason Jaap, Rob Cuddeford…) but against all odds put in their best performance of the season. Playing a rigid, defensive 3-5-1-1 the match was nicely poised at 1-1 when Damien Wilkins was harshly sent off after 50 mins. What happened in the last 40 mins showed a collective determination that the Griffin tend to lack in close games. Superb performances all over the field and two great goals from new boy Gabs stunned Bedfont as the Griffin finally beat them 3-1! The last game of the season followed the week after and Bedfont gained revenge winning 3-0, courtesy of two very generous penalty awards but the Griffin once again finished the season with a very impressive squad but no rewards to show for it.
There were few positives to take from the season. Once again the Griffin were blighted by injuries and player unavailability. A pleasing note was that a squad of 16 players was used in 2006/7 and new signings Rich Kell, Lee Davison, George Orr and Gabs Jones have cemented themselves into the Griffin. A sour note was the state of the Chiswick & District Premier division. The Intermediate County Cup winners Plough resigned a week before the season started, a poor Brentford A side resigned half way through the season and Linton resigned when they realised they would not win a trophy. The league was effectively split in two with Bedfont, Albion and Griffin the only sides with quality and Haverfield, St Margaret’s and Whistlers in a period of decline; the less said about South West London the better… |
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| Chiswick & District Premier |
|
| Team |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
GD |
Pts |
| Bedfont Sunday |
12
|
9
|
0
|
1
|
37
|
9
|
28 |
33
|
| Chiswick Albion |
12
|
9
|
0
|
2
|
51
|
19
|
32 |
30
|
| Chiswick Griffin |
12
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
25
|
22
|
3 |
19
|
| Acton & Ealing Whistlers |
12
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
25
|
31
|
-6 |
16
|
| Haverfield |
12
|
4
|
1
|
6
|
16
|
32
|
-16 |
13
|
| St Margarets |
12
|
3
|
1
|
8
|
16
|
28
|
-12 |
10
|
| South West London |
12
|
1
|
0
|
9
|
16
|
45
|
-29 |
3
|
| Brentford Athletic |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0
|
| Linton |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0
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TEAM CREST
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Top Goal Scorer
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| Name: Ben Fox |
| Goals: 12 |
| MOM's: 1 |
| Average: 6.4 |
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Most 'Player of the Match' Awards
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| Name: Ben Madden |
| Goals: 1 |
| MOM's: 3 |
| Average: 7.1 |
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Most Consistent
Player
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| Name: Ben Madden |
| Goals: 1 |
| MOM's: 3 |
| Average: 7.1 |
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