Amateur Football Combination Premier Division

Old Parmiterians 2 Old Meadonians 3

Back on the league trail, fourth placed Old Meadonians kept up pressure on the top three by bringing home the bacon from Walthamstow but only after being given an unnecessary late scare by third from bottom Old Parmiterians who put a dent in their pride in the dying minutes of the game, together with a gloss on their own indifferent performance.

For Meads this was a haunting return to an all weather surface, bringing back memories of the five-nil drubbing they suffered at a similar venue last season. The difference was that, forewarned, coaches Paul Rumley and Rory Vermeulen stood their ground and insisted to the ref that the run-off area be cleared of all dangerous extraneous objects, such as surplus goals, to comply with F.A. guidelines.

This left just the centimetre gauge close-knit fence lurking with intent, the regulation three metres from the touchline, leaving the few who could adjust fully to conditions underfoot and judge the pace of the ball to strut their stuff in semi solitude. For Rumley and Vermeulen, despite the defence showing that leaks were pluggable and those up front ending with a satisfying three goals to their credit, this sandwich had an unsatisfactory soft centre in need of stiffening possibly with relish and even a bit of chutzpah, since lax tackling back was instrumental in undermining the rearguard and responsible for both Parms’ goals and hence putting pressure on the front runners at the other end.

Even Meads’ opener on the half hour, five minutes after Jack Costello had almost lifted the bar off with a ripper from twenty yards, came from a back four collaboration with Ali McCombe heading in Jordan Mace’s corner. A long and boring second half was enlivened from the last quarter, firstly when Ryan Bright found Ed Glover with a well weighted pass twenty yards out and the latter controlled the ball nicely to slot home left footed.

This should have been a welcome cushion but in minutes it was squandered for Parms’ first consolation. The comfort zone was instantly restored when neat interplay between Craig Jones and Costello left Matt Allen with a tap in and dramatically torn up by the hosts’ second as the ref putting his whistle to his mouth. Ali McCombe and Matt O’Sullivan being named joint MoM.

Squad:- Robinson, Mace, O’Sullivan, McCombe, Pointer, Allen, Shea, Chapman, Bright, Glover, C. Jones, Costello, Grahame.

January 29, 2014