FNM Cup: Lion's 5 v 6 St Nicholas

Lion's starting eleven: Harrison, Fildes, A.Jefferies, Hill, R.Wharton, Potton, E.Wharton, Dye, Turkentine(C), D.Jefferies, O.Mason

Ref: Ben Gooray

Breachwood went into the game with a two goal advantage and started off with the more attacking play of the two sides. Ollie Mason played up front in place of the injured Taaffe made a nuisance of himself. Dan Jefferies came close with a series of free kicks. Richard Wharton headed just wide. When St Nicholas attacked Breachwood closed down the ball quicky with great defending from Ricky Hill and a calm Andy Fildes. In midfield Dan Dye appeared to be psychic in the way he read the passes. Adam Jefferies and Ed Wharton had a good understanding on the left wing.

Breachwood stretched their lead to 3-1 with a Dan Jefferies penalty after a handball. However St Nicholas scored before half time when a forward got round the back of the Lion's defence for one on one with the keeper, Harrison got a hand to the ball, but the forwards follow up shot ended up in the net.

Lion's lead 3-1 at half time.

In the second half Breachwood continued to come close in adding to their tally with good chances falling to Turkentine shhoting just over the bar, Adam Jefferies coming close and Ollie Mason's shot saw the St Nicks keeper scrambling across his goal but the ball went just wide.

Ollie Potton got in a good cross for Dan Jefferies to score his second to put the Lions at 4-1.

St Nicholas found some quick passes that led to a shot that was partially saved but followed up and banged into the net for 4-2. St Nicholas kept attacking and a shot went in the Lion's net from defender Ricky Hill's attempt to clear the ball, the score now 4-3

Capt Turkentine gave the Lion's some resbite giving the Lions a 5-3 lead. With under fifteen minutes to go, St Nicholas centre forward shot hit the Lion's net for 5-4 despite seemingly controlling the ball with his arm.

Simon Blundell replaced Ed Wharton and got stuck in.

St Nicholas got another forward in one on one with the keeper to level the scores at 5-5.

With a minute to go a St Nicks midfielder shot from the edge of the box and ended in the top corner of the Breachwood net gutting the Lion's and giving St Nicholas a 6-5 win.


Full Time Lion's 5 v 6 St Nicholas

Subsitutes not used: Murrell, Griffin.

Lion's Man of the match: Ollie Mason

Thank you to our supporters

Lion's 4 v 0 Peartree

Lions starting eleven: M.Anderson, French, Hill, A.Jefferies, J.Mason, Dye, D.Jefferies, Turkentine(C), Potton, O.Mason, Taaffe

Ref:Steve Pinner

Two goals in each half saw the Lion's gain their first three points of the new year with a win over Peartree, one position below in the league.

Breachwood took an early lead within the first five minutes, Dan Jefferies pulling the ball back across the Peartree six yard box for Ollie Potton to keep a cool head and slot the ball home for 1 nil. From the restart, Breachwood won back the ball. Richard Taaffe took up a wide position on the left wing, took on two defenders as he cut into the box before beating the keeper at the near post to make it two nil to Breachwood. The Lion's continued to attack with wingback James Mason surging forward.

Peartree then threw the kitchen sink at Breachwood trying to get back into the game. Lion's goalkeepr Max Anderson gave a way a free kick just outside the box on a one on one but the Lions defence cleared the ball. Ricky Hill & Graham French had to make the important tackles several times as the last line.

Breachwood got back on to the attack when Ollie Mason momentarily swapped wings and with Dan Dye keeping the Lion's midfield rythmn going. Adam Jefferies lofted pass to Taaffe gave another chance on goal.

Moments before half time Peartree hit the post with Anderson getting a hand to the ball, giving the Lion's a let off.

In the second half Breachwood extended their lead, a tackle from Ollie Potton found the ball popping out to Dan Jefferies to fire home for three nil.
Simon Blundell replaced an injured Richard Taaffe and Pete Murrell replaced Ollie Potton.
Midway in th second half, the Lion's extended their lead with a Ollie Mason corner headed home by Capt Turkentine.
George Harrison replaced the injured Ollie Mason.

Full time, 4 nil to the Lion's.

Thank you to our supporters

Lion's men of the match: Hill & French for superb defending

Substitute not used : Fildes

Lion's 4 v 2 FC Mallard

Lion's eleven: M.Anderson, A.Jefferies, R.Wharton, French, J.Mason, Griffin, Dye, D.Jefferies, Potton, E.Wharton, Taaffe

It was the Lion's first game of 2012 and first home game for quite a while.
Breachwood went into todays game with a goal advantage against Division one side FC Mallard

Early chances fell to Ed Wharton, Richard Taaffe, Dan Jefferies as Breachwood made the early running with good supporting play from John Griffin and Dan Dye in a centre midfield partnership.

The Lion's increased their lead to 2 nil with a sublime right wing cross from Adam Jefferies onto the head of Richard Wharton from six yards out.

As the last defender Graham French stuck to the knitting with effective defending, allowing Richard Wharton and James Mason to attack from the back, both with impressive solo runs to add further pressure on Mallard.

Taaffe dropped off the front to link up with Dan Jefferies who spread the ball wide to the flamboyant Ollie Potton to attack down the wing.

Mallard were limited to a couple of free kicks and long passes to their quick forward. They got a goal back before half time from the penalty spot after a foul by Richard Wharton just inside the box.

Breachwood led 2-1 at half time.

Potton and Taaffe combine to to allow Dan Jefferies to clip the ball inside the near post to extend the Lion's lead to 3-1. However Mallard were able to response fairly quickly at the other end after build up pressure out side the Lion's penalty area ended with a shot past Anderson.

Scott Jenkins replaced the injured Ollie Potton

Again Dye & Griffin battled out the midfield to keep up the Lion's forward momentum culminating in a sweeping strike from Richard Taaffe for 4-2

With ten minutes remaining Harrison replaced the injured Scott Jenkins

Mallard clipped the outside of the Lion's post in the last minutes of the game.

Final Score, Breachwood won 4-2

Lion's man of the match: John Scott Griffin

Thank you to our supporters on the sideline.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

A1 Trophies P v P Lion's

Both teams were changed and on the pitch with the snow coming down but the ground wasn't giving so the game was postponed for player safety

Nirankari Timebridge 3 v 2 Lion's

Lion's starting eleven: M.Anderson, Hill, R.Wharton, Blondell, A.Jefferies, Dye, Turkentine(C), D.Jefferies, O.Mason,E.Wharton, Taaffe

Straight from the kick off Nirankari were able to fire a shot wide across the Breachwood goal, at the other end Breachwood had a claim for a penalty turned down.

Dan Jefferies rattled the Nirankari Crossbar with an audacious attempt to lob the keeper from outside the centre circle. Meanwhile Max Anderson punched clear a Nirankari set piece.

Half time nil - nil

Early in the second half the ball fell behind defender Adam Jefferies into the path of Nirankari forward Mason to run onto and go straight for goal giving them a one nil lead

Whilst Nirankari had had success down the flanks Breachwood were winning the import centre midfield battle with Capt Turkentine and Dan Jefferies but it was Dan Dye's exqisit pass to Richard Taaffe beating the offside trap that found him one on one with the Nirankari keeper who stayed up as long as he could, but Taaffes composure put the Lion's level at 1-1.

Nirankari Timebridge regained their lead when their forward's outstretch foot lifted the ball over the Lions keeper into the far side of the goal.

Graham French replaced Adam Jefferies at right back.

Despite Breachwood creating some chances Nirankari extended their lead when Lion's keeper Anderson came off his line but was unable to fully hold onto the ball enabling Nirankari's Mason to score the easiest of his three goals.

Immediately Breachwood replied when a determined Ed Wharton scored his first goal for the club from close range.

Unfortunately Breachwood ran out of time to get something from the game. Final score 3-2

Lion's man of the match Dan Jefferies.

Substitutes not used: Fildes, Harrison, Griffin, Murrell

Hartham Press 0 v 4 Lion's

Lions starting eleven: Harrison, J.Mason, Hill, R.Wharton, A.Jefferies,Dye, Turkentine(C), D.Jefferies,O.Mason, E.Wharton, Taaffe

Ref: Dave Bailey

Breachwood scooped three points and a clean sheet with two goals in each half.

Fifteen minutes into the game, Dan Jefferies squared the ball to Capt Turks in midfield to rifle a left foot shot into the Hartham net.

A long throw in and Richard Wharton was on hand to put his laces through a knock down from six yards.

The closest Hartham Press came was hitting the post from an acute angle. At the other end the bar denied Taaffe and the Hartham keeper made one of many great saves to deny Ollie Mason. Breachwood led two nil at half time.

In the second half, a sweeping pass down the right wing from Adam Jefferies fresh back from suspension found Ollie Mason on hand to convert into the far right of the Hartham goal. Mason would of had a second if it wasn't for the reflex save from the Harhtam keeper.

The Lion's fourth came from a left wing cross for Richard Wharton to head home. Dan Jefferies would of scored if it wasn't for a goal line tackle. The Hartham keeper denied goal bound shots from Ollie Mason and Taaffe.

Andy Fildes replaced Adam Jefferies.

Richard Wharton carried the ball out of defence and drove deep into the Hartham half before squaring to James Mason who missed from close range. But it was James Mason who was back on the Breachwood goal line to head clear from a Hartham throw in.

The game finished 4-0 to Breachwood.

Next week The Lion's face league leaders Nirankari

Lion's man of the match Ricky Hill for last ditch tackles.