Match Reports 7 November 2009

Fixture

Holcombe, 7 November 2009

Result

8 - 2 WIN ( J Murdoch 5, D Judge, A Turnill, M Gillette )

Venue

Home

Report

A great performance and a great response to last week's loss against Marden. We are at our best when we move the ball quickly and spread the play through our pivotal areas particularly using James Pascoe, Rob Bray and David Brignell. We did this from the onset and caused Holcombe issues, Jedi scored the first of his 5 with a fine solo effort beating 2 players on the left and slapping home from an acute angle. Coach came on for a grand total of 6 minutes and scored the 2nd but added to his back injury with the shot and went off again to do a fair impression of Ron Manager from the side.

Holcombe pulled a goal back but if anything this spurred SV on to respond which they did to then go 4-1 up through Andy finishing clinically in the D and Jedi unleashing a reverse stick shot which the GK saw on the way out. Another go al conceded through a flick (no complaints as the forward had a chunk missing out of his stick) signalled the end of a 5 minute period of sloppy play. However from here on in our play was sublime with our ball retention and passing exemplary and a pleasure to watch. Jedi added his 3rd, 4th and 5th goals with two more reverse lashes and a finish via the defenders head for an unlikely assist. Mike "Evergreen" Gillette added the last with a lethal finish from 2 inches (he can only see that far..).

Onto the next game versus Sevenoaks 2's where a certain Chris Back awaits us...

Team

Will Fuller, David Brignall, Stuart Howard, Rob Bray, Tim Forster, Ian Fraser (c), James Pascoe, Mike Gillette, James Murdoch. Andy Turnhill, Tom Edwards, David Judge

MoM

James Murdoch
Fixture

Gore Court, 7 November 2009

Result

1 - 0 WIN ( B Bartlett )

Venue

Away

Report

Sutton Valence 2nds made heavy weather of a stubborn Gore Court side in Sittingbourne at the weekend. Valence started quickly out of the blocks, putting Court under pressure. They opened up the defence time and again, but the final ball was always missing. However, Sutton eventually went ahead after Lewis Mitchell won a short corner, and veteran midfielder Bob Bartlett drilled the ball into the corner. Valence carried on trying to get the crucial second, but the profligacy in front of goal continued. But GC weren't creating much themselves, with Steve Parker keeping the GC striker firmly in his pocket - their only chances tended to come from over indulgent dribbles and passes from the away side.

In the second half, Court came out with a very defensive mindset, and did not allow Valence any space in the final third. Play became scrappy, though Valence were still the dominant team, and still created chances that were still not taken. However, with one goal in it, there was always the chance of a breakaway goal, and so it nearly happened with Gore Court winning two late penalty corners, while also witnessing Captain Fantastic talking himself into the sin bin. Tom Willson partially amended a below par performance by proving age has not withered his pace by charging down the first corner, while the second broke down when Gore Court didn't allow the ball out the D initially, probably due to their fear of the said pacey defender.

A hard working victory against a very determined side, which makes it 5 wins out of 5 so far this season. But Valence will need to be more clinical next weekend, when second placed Cliftonville, who have scored 17 goals in their last 3 games, come visiting.

Team

Croucher, A Macvarish, Parker, Johnson, F Macvarish, Lee (c), Bartlett, Posnette, Willson, Mitchell, Devlin, Morgan

MoM

Peter Posnette, for a typically committed, but unusually controlled, performance, closely followed by Lewis Mitchell's impressive constantrunning.
Fixture

Maidstone, 7 November 2009

Result

1 - 1 DRAW ( B Bouwens )

Venue

Home

Report

Sutton valance took to the field looking to improve on their previous performances that had seen them dominate oppositions without pushing home their advantage. As always the local rivals match against close rivals Maidstone was poised to be a game to remember, mainly because of the valance fielded 2 of last years Maidstone's players that have moved clubs.

The opening exchanges were to be expected with SV playing fast attacking hockey and defending well when Maidstone rallied to counter attack. Both sides had chances that were saved or missed and went into the half at stale mate.

The second half produced the real action. Bert Bowens opened the scoring when a deep cross into the D evaded Skipper Chad Henderson for him to skilfully flick past the keeper at the far post. 1nil to SV. Shortly afte r Maidstone were awarded a short corner that was converted with the ball nutmegging a surprised keeper Al-Bert to even the scores.

Queue the controversy!

Maidstone pushed forward with an attack from wide left and the attack on goal resulted in a SV defender deflecting the ball with his feet into the goal. after much deliberation as to whether the ball was played inside the D or not a flick was awarded, and missed keeping Al-Berts 100% P-flick record intact ( though the save cannot be claimed ). SV won their own flick from Maidstone's football skills, which was played softly at the keeper leaving the scores the even. Valance finished strongly but was unable to break the dead lock on a very evenly matched game.

Team

Al-Bert, Ben Gallafant, Arron Davey, Nic Emson, Chris Stille, Rick Archer, Matt Oakley, Mark leader, Alex McCray, Chad Henderson, Bert Bowens, Chris Thomas
Fixture

Burnt Ash, 7 November 2009

Result

9 - 1 WIN ( R Humphrey 3, C Humphrey 2, S Davies 2, J Padwick, S Edmed )

Venue

Away

Report

Sutton Valence 4ths met for the usual Saturday run out missing a few regulars. I would at this point like to wish Mike Nettle a speedy recovery. Valence started the game well and made lots of chances. Jack Davies was unlucky with a deflected short corner strike that came off the defenders head onto the cross bar and for all the possession and chances, Valence could not beat the keeper. 20 minutes in the deadlock was finally broken when Simon Davies connected with a good through ball. The second came soon after when James Padwick caught a good shot and another from Rupert Humphrey then made it 3 before half time.

The second half started, and within a minute some good passing and movement resulted in Charlie Humphrey scoring his debut goal for the 4ths. Bexley pulled one back when a mistake at the back put Bexley through for a one on one but the day belonged to the two Humphrey's who netted 5 goals between them. Another from Davies and a goal from Edmed and the game finished 9-1.

MoM

The Humphreys
Fixture

Holcombe, 7 November 2009

Result

3 - 1 WIN ( R Ashness 2, A Stamp )

Venue

Away

Report

Valence arrived with 13 players expecting a really tough team with Holcs having scored 21 in only 4 matches and only conceded 5. Going into the warm up, we thought a draw would be a great result. Luckily Phil "Mouth at the Back" Morris convinced us otherwise!

When the first whistle went we started very brightly and had the best of the ball and started to control the game well.We had a lot of shots in the first half, and through a combination of good goal keeping and unlucky forward play they managed to keep us at bay. Eventually we managed to grab an opening goal, through Richard "Danny Grace" Ashness latching onto a rebound off the keeper to put the ball past the stranded keeper. 1-0 Valence.

After this we continued to enjoy the best of the play and still had the most attempts. Holcombe were finding themselves on the wrong end of the umpires after ill-disipline led to a stick deliberately being lifted into Richard's groin...think we had them rattled!!

Holcombe had a number of attack in the first half resulting in short corners, which the Valence defence covered well. Despite the Valence defence playing excellently, Holcs had 1 really good attack which caused the only defensive mix up and resulted in Holcs equalising to take a 1-1 into half time. Half time came and we re-jigged things, moving Bob back to midfield and Richard up to centre forward.

Second half started well again for Valence and we were all confident of a win. The Holcs forwards played well but their wings were excellently marshalled by Iain & Nick H so very few attacks came through the middle, the balls that did get into our D were dealt with exceptionally well by Rob "The Cat" Sharpe who saved time and again, with Phil clearing everything else. Towards the end of the match when we were against it, Alex Riddle pulled off some fantastic block tackles to keep Holcs at bay. One of these meant he was a marked men, and the resident thug piled straight into sent him flying but he just got up and asked "is that all you can do!"

The short corner count increased from the first half, but the Valence defence and keeper put enough pressure on Holcs so that very few even ended with shots.

Up the field and we had the best of the play. Simon and Bob controlled the midfield, releasing Nick G and Alan to drive forward and support the wingers. There was some excellent interplay between James, Alex S, Dan and Richard to great attack after attack - we could have scored 5 or 6 more. Eventually Richard grabbed a second through good sniper work from a short corner. Alex Stamp shortly after then received the ball on the right hand side of the D and unleashed an awesome shot into the far corner.

Despite good work from both, this how it stayed and Valence won 3-1, although it could have been a lot more.

Fantastic result against a team who will definitely be right up there this season. All looking very positive, we're sitting joint 2nd with a game in hand and have twice beaten the top team already this season and haven't played any of the struggling team yet.

Team

Rob Sharp; Nick Hall (c), Phil Morris, Iain Simmons; Alan Day, Richard Ashness, Simon Aylott, Nick Gray, Alex Riddle; Bob Sagrott, Alex Stamp, Dan Armstrong, James Clarke; Umpire: Lyndon Davies

MoM

Rob Sharp, who kept them at bay with a string of fine saves
Fixture

Chelmsford Evergreens, 7 November 2009

Result

0 - 4 LOSS

Venue

Home

Report

Despite the considerable efforts of Vice Captain, Nick Willson, Sutton Valence could only muster 8 players for this game, and that included the guesting appearance of David Gambrill. This has been a disappointing feature of all Valence’s games bar one so far this season, reflecting some understandable holiday absences, but also too small a core of regulars and a reliance on occasional players, who by their very nature are at risk of not being available at the same time. How valuable returning former players Harprit Dogra and Geoff Bell are therefore proving to be.

Once again Chelmsford sportingly loaned a good defensive player, allowing the game to proceed on the basis of 10 for them and 9 for Valence. The home team lined up with just three in the front-line, Gambrill, Bell and Linaker and in the first ten minutes this trio, well supplied from midfield’s Dogra and Mole, made a number of promising runs into the Chelmsford dee, winning a couple of short corners and coming close with a couple of shots.

Then Chelmsford settled and got their passing machine going. They quickly moved the pressure away from their dee into Sutton Valence’s and from a right side cross their forward dived forward to clip the ball past the advancing keeper. Within minutes there was almost a carbon copy repeat, but this one was just wide. Although Valence managed further promising breakouts their attacks were generally intercepted or inaccurate passes gifted the ball back to Chelmsford who made good use by scoring twice more before half-time.

In the second half Valence managed some more promising attacking moves with Bell coming very close with a couple of good shots, Gambrill and Dogra also being denied close in and Linaker missing connecting on what should have been a goal from an excellent cross from Mole. After a period of no great pressure Chelmsford produced their fourth goal to put the result beyond any doubt.

Next week, subject to raising a team, Sutton Valence Vets play Tonbridge Black Knights at 11.30 on the Senior School astro, rather than the Prep School.

Team

Dave Britton; Chris Dixon; Gray Smith-Laing; Steve Mole; Harprit Dogra; ANO (Chelmsford); Paul Linaker; Geoff Bell; Dave Gambrill; Umpire: Nick Willson

MoM

Harprit Dogra for his midfield interceptions and distribution.