Old Meads Tame Tigers

London Old Boys’ Senior Cup: Oakhill Tigers 1 Old Meadonians 4

Oakhill Tigers, Old Meadonians’ latest opponents in the London Old Boys’ Senior Cup, promised to be a more testing banana skin than other lower division teams Meads have met in this season.

Tigers are on the crest of a wave, albeit two divisions below, having won all six of their league games with a healthy goal difference of 14 to Meads’ record of four wins and two losses out of their six, with a goal difference of thirteen and to their credit, Tigers provide superb facilities and an immaculately maintained first team pitch at their Southgate estate.

On top of that the hosts then proceeded to take an unexpected lead on the quarter as Meads’ keeper Gary Robinson waved goodbye to a twenty yard shot he had covered when it was accidentally deflected beyond his reach by a prowling Tiger.

However, the hosts proved themselves to have more cup-fighting spirit than ability to back up any threat offered and, into the bargain, stirred up a regular hornets’ nest as Meads hit back with a stinging string of six corners.

From the last of these, taken by Jack Costello, Craig Jones reacted quickly to stab in from close in on the half hour. Before half time Meads had bared their teeth by hitting the woodwork twice and having one kicked off the line but had also taken the lead with a goal later suggested by joint coach Paul Rumley as a candidate for goal of the season, when Ryan Bright picked up the ball twenty yards out and crashed it into the top right hand corner.

The second half saw the hosts showing their mettle by taking the attack to the visitors but having no joy, firstly with Meads’ keeper Gary Robinson pulling off two saves within five minutes of the restart, a timely grab in a one on one and by keeping his legs in reserve to stop a second shot. Thereafter, Meads’ back four again became as intransigent as ever.

The hosts had repeated their mistake of the first half by provoking retaliation as Meads scored two in the last five minutes. By this time fresh legs were on and Bright had taken on the role of provider with accurate and controlled crosses. One of these from a free-kick gave John Shea the opportunity to volley in at the far post.

Meads’ fourth started with Robinson’s long clearance down the right which was headed on by the soaring Ed Glover into the path of Dave Brennan and he centred for Shea to head in firmly from ten yards. Ali McCombe and Ryan Bright were named joint MoM.

Squad: Robinson, Mace, Goode, McCombe, Quinn, Costello, Shea, Brennan, Holmes, C. Jones, Bright, O’Sullivan, Pointer, Glover.

November 18, 2014