Sonning 1st XI 4 – 1 Staines 2nd XI

Sonning closed out a promising first half to the 2016/17 season with another win against an embattled Staines 2nd XI, but this was not a straightforward win as the scoreline might suggest, and Sonning would have been hoping to increase their goal difference further in what is becoming a tighter and tighter league each week.
 
Sonning were missing skipper Jonathan Sharp through injury, but otherwise with a full-strength squad at their disposal, spirits ran high and in the opening encounters; as has become their trademark, Sonning started fast and put their aggressive press to good use. They turned over possession high up the pitch repeatedly, but squandered a few chances and were reminded of their opponents’ threat on the break as they won a couple of early penalty corners for themselves, unsurprisingly both through the shambolic defending by Matt Sloper at left-back.
 
Sonning took their time finding a breakthrough, but it was hardly surprising where it came from. The forward duo of Ian Gallagher and Jimmy Manser combined well, and Gallagher sent in a crash ball, which although frowned upon by coach Simon Briscoe at the time, gave Manser the opportunity to do what he does best and deflect in for 1-0.
 
This was 2-0 almost immediately following. With an attack down the right wing ending up with a cut-back from the baseline from Matt Poulton to Ian Gallagher, who slapped in with his first touch, chipping over the onrushing keeper. 2-0
 
With a 2-0 lead, Sonning settled, but no sooner had they relaxed, than their shape fell apart and the game got away from them for a spell. Although they sit bottom of the league, Staines are a capable side and put together a phase of pressure that eventually gave them their fair reward, with a spinning shot creeping inside stand-in keeper Adam McCarthy’s left post. 2-1.
 
After this, Sonning switched back on, and began to dominate possession once again.  Their third goal came from a long spell of pass & move, with a swift transfer from left to right affording Sam Terry acres of space on the right wing. He found Ian Gallagher, who in turn crashed a ball in across the top of the Staines circle, where the onrushing Ollie Waddington took a first-time slap shot and beat the Staines keeper at his near post. 3-1.
 
After the break, service was pretty much resumed for 35 minutes in what was probably not a spectacle for the neutral… or for anyone. Sonning lost focus, and while dominating possession, were unable to link together attacking moves of much fluidity and squandered a number of goal-scoring chances. To his credit, the Staines keeper made some good saves, especially when Staines found themselves down to 10 men after a vicious verbal assault on the umpires led to a little sit-down on the naughty step for Staines’ veteran centre-back.
 
Rob Crackles bagged Sonning their fourth and final goal, capping off an otherwise poor display with a snap shot from the left side of the Staines circle after a neat ball in by Thomas Sampson found him unmarked and in space. He was able to get his shot away quickly, and beat the keeper between his legs. 4-1 it finished.
 
With other results going their way, (a BA loss, and Amersham drawing with Banbury) Sonning now move up to 4th in the league, joint 3rd on goal difference, and only 3 points off the promotion spots. With momentum going their way they will now look to carry that form on in some tough early clashes after Christmas, hosting British Airways before going away to runaway league leaders, Slough. #COTN #thefakewallofchina
 
Goalscorers: Rob Crackles, Ian Gallagher, James Manser, Ollie Waddington

MOTM: Matt Sloper
DOTD: Matt Sloper