Greenwich Borough 0 Corinthian Casuals 3

Match 128/17/1578 - Tuesday, 1st May 2018 - Bostik South Play-off

Greenwich Borough (0) 0
Corinthian Casuals (2) 3 Uzun 23 Udonaike 36,52
Attendance: 375

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 70/8,375

The Corinthian Casuals' support taunted their Greenwich Borough counterparts "it's happened again, Greenwich Borough, it's happened again". After last season's classic play-off match in which Casuals overcame a number of hurdles to win 4-3, this victory was much more straightforward. A little bit of laziness but a hectic couple of days, causes me to cheat a little with a cut and paste from timmy tabby's post on Tony Kempster.

Fifty three weeks to the day, I saw Greenwich Borough 3 v 4 Corinthian Casual for one of the highlights of the 16-17 season. With the teams meeting each other at exactly the same stage of the Play Off competition. Could history repeat itself and give us a memorable occasion. Regrettably, the answer was a great fat NO!!...

Greenwich Borough 0 v 3 Corinthian Casuals -Isthmian Division 1 South Play Off Semi Final
Prog 40 pages (basically a photo album) £2.00 - Admission £10.00 - Att 375

...Though there was a reoccurring theme as the visitors won to set up a Clash of the Casuals on Saturday with their leisurely named counterparts from Walton on Thames.

Whereas the equivalent contest captivated throughout, for the majority of this it was standard Isthmian League fayre coupled with the obligatory 19.52 kick off with the teams emerging at 19.46 (after the officials had been standing at the approach of the tunnel for fully two minutes), then we had the necessary huddle and just when we looked as if we may get going, the two teams changed ends. The swooping Parakeets flying over the ground along with Reed of Sidcup voiced their obvious disapproval,

The only occasion when the hosts had the better of play was in the opening minutes as Dembele on two occasions located space on the right, with the second opportunity provided by an unselfish pass from Paul leading to a perfectly connected half volley which Williams in the Corinthian Casuals goal did extremely well to fly to his right and push away.

The pattern of play was dictated though by the visitors opener from one of those penalties when you seriously have to question the judgement of players. Decent long ball over the top from Maan set up Odunaike with a clear run on goal, McEntagart in the Greenwich goal did well to block but the ball was reclaimed momentarily by Odunaike turning away from goal. With no conceivable danger though and right on the edge of the area, Odunaike had his legs taken from under him and the man in black pointed instantaneously to the spot. Perfectly taken penalty by Ozun straight down the middle as McEntagart dived to his right.

After taking the lead, it was remarkably easy for the visitors to preserve as there was little in the way of a discernible response from Greenwich. The second goal ended the match as a contest as the home defence was once again caught out by a long ball from Maan over the top allowing Odunaike the simple task of placing a shot wide of the onrushing but hopelessly underprotected Greenwich keeper.

Their berth in the Play Off final was secured early in the second half with another goal that could easily have been avoided as a woefully short back pass from McLean was a wrapped up and delivered gift for Odunaike who once again placed his effort wide of McEntagart with ease,

The final forty minutes were an exercise for the visitors in playing down the minutes, Greenwich had plenty of possession but completely failed to utilise and all they created was a litany of halfish chances which were of little consequence. The sense of Greenwich frustration was borne out in the final minutes with an assault of a challenge from Aikhionbare which not surprisingly earned him an early trip to the dressing room. I am sure that the visitors will have a much more testing time in their final than what they encountered here.

Reasonable turn out of 395 but at least half had traversed the South Circular and what puzzles with the visitors was the large number of geezerish Sarf Lahndon accents accompanying the flags and banners. Great support but for a club rooted in the ethos of Public Schools and (sh)amateurism. Answers on a postcard.

Greenwich Borough 0 Cray Wanderers 0

Match 77/17/1527 - Monday, 1st January 2018 - Bostik South

Greenwich Borough (0) 0
Cray Wanderers (0) 0
Attendance: 165

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: Sold Out
Mileage: 77/5,153

Match Report

It was the day that the humble townsfolk had awaited with eager anticipation for months, the day when the Greatest Show on Earth, The Billy’s Dicky Circus, rolled into town. Roll up, roll up. Come and see the roaring lions; Tamplin, the greatest ringmaster of the modern era and clowns, there will be clowns, plenty of clowns.

But, sadly for the humble townsfolk, it rained and it rained. Despite the best efforts of the Top Man, soon the Big Top was awash. No ringmaster of such standing could be expected to perform in such conditions, the humble townsfolk would have to wait until another day.

So, forewarned is forearmed and I hightailed it up the A21 to Greenwich Borough, a club that had pretentions of their own to be the Greatest Show on, well if not quite Earth, perhaps the South East. These days they ply their trade in the less lavish surroundings of Middle Park Road in Eltham and, before the start of play, sat handily in fourth place whilst their visitors, Cray Wanderers were second setting up what should have been a good game. A few extra people than expected by Greenwich officials obviously made similar detours to mine, so at 2.30 p.m., programmes had sold out.

The division’s leading goalscorer in Michael Power, Shaggy from his Longmead days, led the line for Cray but for the home side there was no Charlie McDonald. Most people would have expected to see goals in the game, but my record at this ground is sparse pickings apart from the play-off game against Corinthian Casuals last season.

Cray started well, had the ball in the net after nine minutes but ruled out for offside and Power had a shot from the edge of the box deflected over. But once Greenwich got a foothold in the game they held the balance for the rest of the half. After 25 minutes, Tom Beere, quite possibly the best player on the pitch, send Jack Barham clear down the right and collected the cross to fire in a shot that was blocked with the rebound falling to Barham who put it fractionally wide.

The second half saw Cray in the ascendancy with Lea Dawson planting a header against a post just past their hour and Power and Dawson failed to force the ball home as chaos reigned in the Greenwich box following a corner.

As nil-nils go, it was half-decent but this was par for the course for me and Middle Park Road.

Meanwhile, back at the Big Top, a late arrival for whom Tamplin’s favourite communications outlet, Twatter, had obviously passed him by, was bemoaning the lack of a show. “Where are the clowns, there ought to be clowns”, he lamented. Well, maybe next year.

Greenwich Borough 3 Corinthian Casuals 4

Match 127/16/1434 - Tuesday, 25th April 2017 - Ryman South Play-off Semi-Final

Greenwich Borough (2) 3 Eisa 4 Sweeney 34 Wilson 83
Corinthian Casuals (2) 4 Okojie 18 (pen), 76 Dillon 23 Maan 59
Attendance: 427

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 76/8,695

Match Report

Corinthian Casuals successfully overcame a number of hurdles to reach the Ryman League South Play-off Final. Their goalkeeper, and captain, Danny Bracken suffered a nightmare opening when, after less than four minutes, a speculative shot from Mohamed Eisa struck a divot to loop over his diving body giving the home side a dream start.

Having equalised from the penalty spot after 18 minutes, Casuals received a further setback when Coskum Ekin was shown a straight red card for a foul on Lewwis Spence three minutes later.

A breathless opening 20 minutes that was about to continue to a thrilling climax.

Greenwich Borough 2 Tonbridge 2

Match 50/15/1255 - Tuesday, 8th December 2015 - Kent Senior Cup QF

Greenwich Borough (1) 2 Alexander 36 (pen), 78
Tonbridge (1) 1 Brown 33, Whitnell 48
Greenwich Borough won 3-2 on penalties
Attendance: 101

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 72/3,668

Match Report

As Gary Alexander's penalty rose high into the night sky in the general direction of the Dartford Tunnel, could it be that Tonbridge were finally to win a penalty shoot-out? Luke Blewden hit the crossbar, Ellis Brown the underside of the crossbar and when Charlie Webster's spot kick brought a good save from Craig Holloway, the Angels had once again conspired to lose the lottery, this time from 2-0 up.

It was a frustrating end to an evening in which the senior side had twice led and, for the most part, appeared to be in control of the game.

Steve McKimm fielded just three non first teamers in goalkeeper Aaron McGuigan, who had contributed greatly in getting to this quarter final with a fine performance in the previous round against Faversham; Stephen Panayi at left back and in midfield, Connor Pring. Sonny Miles, in light of suspensions and injuries in the central defensive area, made a welcome return.

Craig Holloway, in the Borough goal, made decent first half saves from Panayi and Brown, whilst ex-Angel Scott Kinch wasted an opportunity before Tonbridge opened the scoring after 32 minutes. Charlie Webster was released down the left hand side by Pring and from the bye-line squared a pass across the face of goal where Brown was on hand for a tap-in.

The lead lasted barely three minutes when a driven shot caught the hands of Miles from very close range in the penalty area. It was one of those decisions where it has to be questioned whether the defender had any chance of getting out of the way of the shot, seemingly the referee thought he did. Alexander stroked the ball into the net off the inside of the right-hand post with McGuigan committed to the other direction.

Tonbridge regained their lead three minutes into the second half when a Webster cross deceived Holloway, who allowed the ball to travel to the far post from where Tommy Whitnell was on hand to tap-in from no more than a yard.

At this point, Tonbridge should have gone on to dominate the game, but they allowed Greenwich a lot of possession and, although chances were very much at a premium, Kinch in particular, wasting a couple, the pressure was mounting on the visitors.

This eventually told in the 78th minute. A ball over the top of Tonbridge's back four found Alexander who showed all his experience with a composed lob over the advancing McGuigan.

Time was played out until the dreaded shoot-out and the fatalistic among us already knew the game was up for Tonbridge. At 2-0 were we unduly pessimistic? Five minutes later the contest had reached its inevitable conclusion.

Taking one of very few positives from the game, Connor Pring had a splendid game in midfield and looks a very good prospect, one for McKimm and his staff to nurture.

Greenwich Borough 1 Tunbridge Wells 1

Match 38/14/1147 - Wednesday, 5th November 2014 - SCEL

Greenwich Borough (1) 1 Vines 44
Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Luchford 19
Att. 89

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 64/2,576
Played at Princes Park, Dartford FC

Match Report

Money is a big factor at Southern Counties East League level and every season one club has just that little bit more than the rest. It doesn’t always translate into success, but there can be no doubt it helps. Greenwich Borough are this season’s recipients from a rich benefactor, in this case the owner of the club’s sponsors, DGS Marine. The club’s new found resources and the lure of Conference status facilities at Prince’s Park, have brought Football League experience in the shape of Gary Alexander and Gary Borrowdale, who both entered Step Five football directly from League level.

Alexander, now 38, looks to have spent a considerable amount of his wages from Greenwich at the bakers whilst Borrowdale, who was three months away from fitness, 12 months ago whilst at Tonbridge, still appears to have that time frame on his horizon.

Despite his girth, Alexander still has the nous that experience brings and will always prove a handful to defenders at this level. But, Tunbridge Wells to their credit, produced their best performance of the season and resolutely defended a second half in which they were forced back for the long periods.

Prince’s Park is far too big to accommodate just 89 people, 50% of whom were there to support the visitors. The lack of people makes for a surreal experience, even though the Tunbridge Wells' vocal choir did their level best to create an atmosphere. With the fireworks of November 5th providing an explosive backdrop the players, from both sides, set about to produce an entertaining game.

The Wells made a bright start with Lee Radford proving a dangerous outlet down the left side of the field and it was from one of his crosses that Dane Luchford rose at the far post to head the visitors in front. Unfortunately, for the Wells, Radford was injured soon after and with his departure their threat significantly reduced.

Greenwich equalised on the stroke of half-time when Joe Vines stabbed the ball home from close range after Steve Lawrence had made a fine initial save from a header.

The second half was mostly about Tunbridge Wells steadfastly defending and, when called upon, Lawrence making match saving stops. But, as often happens when one team is asked to fight a rearguard action, the best chance of the half fell to Luchford, who steered an unchallenged header wide from six yards.

This was a good night in Tunbridge Wells' season of inconsistency, brought about by the constant chopping and changing of the squad, the latest of which sees the departure of central defender Nick Davies, who is to return to his old club, Sittingbourne, as their manager.

Greenwich’s resources have been further enhanced with a run to the final qualifying round of the FA Cup, whether the cash benefit is going to extend to promotion to the Ryman League there is serious doubt with Erith and Belvedere setting a fierce pace. The rest of the League may only look on with envy, but as many clubs have found to their cost, these benefactors rarely stick around for any length of time.