Sound Performance Scrapes Chiswick Through To Victory

West Middlesex Sunday Football League Premier Division - Chiswick Albion 1 Sunbury Athletic 0

Both teams started well from the off in what was supposed to be a meaningless end of season match. Both sides though had other ideas, and thoughts went back to a closely fought match earlier in the season which had left a few battle scars.

The first real effort on goal came when ‘Flash’ Weekes bulleted a header towards goal. Unfortunately it was straight at his own goal and Richard Ireson pulled off a magnificent save. With Anthony Clarke unavailable, Robert Dawson came in on the left side of midfield for his first game on the pitch for three seasons.

Dawson has been reluctantly Albion’s keeper for some time. Dawson’s a set piece specialist was Albion’s main threat, and he fired in numerous crosses and free kicks for the Albion to trouble Sunbury. Sunbury when going forward are a decent side and knocked the ball around well. Albion’s back four were tested again as of last week when a Chiswick Griffin side played their finest hour (and a half). Sunbury stretched the Albion, but a new resilience not always shown by an Albion defence has come to the fore. This can be attributed mainly to Ognjen Soskic who has come out of his big brothers shadow to dominate the defensive duties.

This with sound performances by Ben White, Anthony Weekes and Vojin Soskic had been the backbone for another clean sheet. Albion goal came against the run of play as Eric Kwayke was heavily tackled in the box. The referee to his credit allowed the game to continue as the ball fell to Adam White. Leading goal scorer White curled the ball into the corner for the only goal of the game. The bad news was the effect of the tackle/assault on Kwayke who had to come off and be substituted by Chris Hughes.

In the second period Sunbury produced one good flowing move that lead to the post saving a Sunbury equaliser. The tackles from Sunbury continued to come in and a lenient referee saw no malice and allowed play to go on. Chris Hughes was denied a penalty mainly down to his own honesty as he tried to stand up when riding a high tackle. Sunbury pressed forward but to no avail. Albion remained on the back foot, but Sunbury did not have the most gifted of strikers and Ireson was up to the task. Hughes had a great chance in the final minute, but blasted over from a few feet out.

Albion Team: Ireson, White B, Soskic O, Weekes, Soskic V, Wozniak N, Powell, Dawson, White L, Kwakye (Hughes), White A

Man of the Match: Richard Ireson

Champagne Moment of the Match: Richard Ireson’s save from a Flash header

Referee Wilson Jaso (Greenford)

Match Report: Mark White

April 22, 2009