Meads year long unbeaten run ends

London Old Boys Cup - Old Meadonians 0 Old Challoners 2

In a performance redolent of a monumental Christmas hangover Old Meadonians were tamely ushered out of the London Old Boys’ Cup at Riverside Lands on Saturday by Old Challoners from three divisions below, in the process losing their year long unbeaten record.

Despite taking control of the game from the tenth minute Meads found their reliance on leading scorer Colin Hawkins unrewarding. Early on he had a goal bound strike from the edge of the area brilliantly saved, while co-striker Steve Bowring was unlucky to see his one on one with the keeper just beat the post.

Utility striker Ed Glover’s return from injury in the mid-field was cut short on the half hour to add to Meads’ woes and without the galvanising effect of skipper Jack Costello the midfield was lacklustre.

These events were compounded when seconds from half time a defensive blunder let in the visitors for the recovering tackle to concede a penalty which was duly converted. The second half saw more fruitless domination by the hosts, with Hawkins being thwarted twice by the keeper when through. The visitors put the lid on things with a breakaway goal in the dying minutes.

Team: Sayers, Salanson, Hankey, Williamson, McGuinness, Glover, (Queensborough), Kearney, Quinn, Rhone, Bowring, Hawkins.

If you feel you would like to be a member of this progressive and friendly club why not visit their website www.omfc.co.uk

David Stanners

January 13, 2005