Old Boys v The John Lyon School – 26 December 2007

Here are some photos from Jane Prince (Chair of the OLSSC Archery Section) of the OL football match held at Pinner View.

• To view these photos, click on one of the thumbnail images below and follow the instructions provided.
  

Few of those who attended Pinner View on a fresh Boxing Day morning would have expected to witness such a stirring feast of football. For 90 minutes the ageing, hungover bones of the Old Lyonians invitational XI (sorry 16) battled hard against younger, fitter and far better prepared counterparts from the School, and when the final whistle blew there was nothing between the two teams, who had conspired to produce a thrilling 4-4 draw.

Not once in the pulsating match were the School ahead. Two early goals from Neil Cheetham and Ian Denison, somewhat against the run of play, gave the Old Boys much-needed breathing space. Cheetham, breaking from the midfield, cleverly slid the ball through the keeper’s legs whilst Denison tapped in from eight yards following a mix-up in front of goal.

The lead would have been stretched further had the hosts fielded a sprightlier centre forward than Dave Rimmer, who struggled to steer his zimmer-frame in and around the opposition penalty box. The yard of pace that has always eluded Rimmer appears finally to have gone. The veteran did show his experience in the second half, when he withdrew from the game so that he could enjoy most of the limited hot water available to the showers. Nick Goh, a former Head Boy, benefited from the same approach too.

The setbacks stung the School in to action. In a game full of precise passing, deft touches and intelligent running the School produced the move of the match to open their account. Intricate passing and the extra pace of the students created an overlap on the right with a perfectly judged cross being side-footed in to the bottom corner.

The Old Boys reclaimed their two goal advantage within minutes when a superb run down the right and shot across the keeper by Rhodri James rocketed in to the bottom corner. But rather than fade away the School drove forward, moving to within touching distance of their opponents just before the break when Kofi Asante, a livewire centre forward, produced a breathtaking solo effort.

Asante picked the ball up on the right hand edge of the penalty area 10 yards from the goal line, turned, nutmeged his marker, and with the centre back bearing down on him curled a superb shot with the outside of his right boot in to the top corner. The Old Boys’ watertight (well sort of) defence could only look on in disbelief as the students celebrated.

Both teams made several changes during the interval but it failed to affect the flow of the match. With the pitch cutting up the midfield of either side chose to save their energy for forward breaks rather than covering back, an approach that ensured there were plenty of chances at either end.

It was a clumsy tackle by the Old Boys left back, Steffan James that gave the School the chance to reach parity. Despite the complaints of the defending side the referee made the correct decision. Stuart Onslow, The School’s midfield maestro, stroked the ball home to make it 3-3.

Paul Martin appeared to have given the Old Boys a decisive advantage when, with the clock ticking down, he tapped in at the far post but a powerful run by Onslow, the man-of-the-match, brought the scores level. Onslow’s pace was too much for the Old Boys tiring centre back, Angus Fraser, who was left for dead as the ball was stroked in to the net.

Each side had chances to wrap the game up. The Old Boys had a goal disallowed for off side and Nick Smart hit the bar for the School from an acute angle. In the end a 4-4 draw was a fair result, leaving everyone to enjoy a cleansing ale in the bar before disappearing for another afternoon of over indulgence.