Old Meads Ease Their Way Into Next Round of Senior Cup

Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup- Merton 0 Old Meadonians 4

Merton, from the third division of the Southern Amateur league, had the misfortune to come up against visitors who were very nearly at their most imperious best, as Old Meadonians eased their way into the next round of the A.F.A. senior cup at Raynes Park on Saturday.

It took Meads just five minutes to capitalise on instant domination of play when midfielder Will Gerrish swept in Ed Glover’s low cross from the right. Throughout Merton, although they played attractive approach football, hardly generated a single chance as they came up against a brick wall in Meads’ back four which, with sweeper Jason Jaap promoted for the day and successfully doing a ‘Gavin Mahon’ to plug leaks, was as near impervious as possible even without regular linchpin Laurie at its heart.

At the other end, fuelled by a constant flow of penetrating passes from playmaker Jack Costello, the pace of Glover and the cunning holding power of partner Colin Hawkins opened up huge gaps into which midfielder Will Gerrish surged. On twenty minutes such a well-timed run saw Gerrish body-checked and Glover eagerly gobbled the spot kick for number two. The second half saw much of the same with added input from full back Dwayne Rhone making runs down the left and Meads’ third came ten minutes in via an Andy Thompson free kick. Centre back Liam Palmer was ushered forward and he headed the ball invitingly back across goal to where two Meads’ players waited, salivating at the sight of easy pickings.

They were saved the trouble as the ball was prodded into his own net by a desperate defender. Now the visitors’ smooth machine suffered a temporary spanner in the works when fullback Luke Graham limped of with a damaged ankle but soon normal service was resumed as Dan Jacobs came on up front, the versatile Glover went to wing back and, to give him room to open his legs, Costello moved to the left to continue causing mayhem.

With ten minutes left there was still time to ice the cake with the best goal of the match. Hawkins found space on the left and crossed deep to the far post and Jacobs’ pirouette as he volleyed in the chest high ball would have graced the Ballet Russe. Will Gerrish was named MoM.

Team: S. Greening, Graham, (Jacobs), Jaap, Palmer, Rhone, Jones, Thompson, Gerrish, Costello, Hawkins, Glover.

November 10, 2009