Saturday 3rd May 2008 (3pm) – Ryman League Premier Division Play-Off Final

STAINES TOWN (1) 1  AFC WIMBLEDON (0) 2

By Steve Parsons.

Staines Town’s 70th game of this most remarkable season ended in defeat and bitter disappointment at its manner, in a pulsating and hugely entertaining game with AFC Wimbledon.  The Wombles, who had finished 3 points behind The Swans in 3rd place, thus secure a place in the Blue Square Conference South for 2008/9, leaving Staines to reflect on a season without any silverware, but filled with success nonetheless.  The tickets had all been snapped up in advance, filling sunny Wheatsheaf Park to its 2460 capacity, and it was no surprise that the massed ranks of the visitors’ blue and yellow who outnumbered and outshouted a sizeable band of old-gold-and-blue clad home fans.  Steve Cordery made just one change, Jake Newton having recovered from his illness came in at right back for Marcel Nugent, whose hamstring went again on Tuesday, whilst Marc Charles-Smith failed a late fitness test so his place in the 16 went to Jon McDonald.  The pitch was good and flat, although showing the marks of a long season and a wet week, Graham Gold and his staff had needed to apply sand to areas in both goalmouths and the centre circle.  On a sunny afternoon, there was a moderate breeze, which favoured Staines in the first half as they attacked the Penton Hook Road (houses) end, which (just like v Peterborough) was populated only by banners as the security services had closed it to spectators.  Plenty of media of all forms were in evidence, including Hospital Radio Wey (whose coverage was heard as far away as Australia, and was beamed live to the clubhouse at Kingsmeadow, where a couple of hundred fans who could not get tickets had gathered), and a crew from Nuts TV who are filming a series about AFC.  Staines fielded two ex AFC Wimbledon players, Dave Sargent and Richard Butler, but the visitors’ ex-Swan, Robin Shroot, was out injured.

The pace of the game was electric from the very start, with James Courtnage in the home goal called into action as early as the 3rd minute to deny Anthony Finn who had pounced on a Staines error.  Soon afterwards, play was waved on when Adrian Toppin and Jake Leberl suffered a painful, accidental clash of heads: Howard and Jake Newton combined to win a corner, which Sargent took.  Now recovered, Toppin met the ball, only to be penalised, and then the visitors countered quickly, winning a string of three quick corners.  Staines seemed to have cleared, but Robert Quinn showed great tenacity in winning the ball back and feeding Luis Cumbers, whose shot on the turn was superbly saved by James Courtnage, diving and sending the ball over the bar with a strong hand.  Four minutes later, Gareth Risbridger played a neat ball through to Butler, who held off a challenge , and forcing ‘keeper James Pullen into a brave save at his feet, with the rebound just spinning away from the arriving Mark Nwokeji.  As play immediately switched to the other end, a clearance from the Staines goalkeeper was intercepted, presenting Cumbers with another great chance, but Courtnage made a tremendous one-on-one save.  A minute later, and it was Pullen who pulled off a very similar save, this time denying Nwokeji after a cutting ball from André Scarlett.  Within seconds, the prolific Jon Main found himself well placed in attack for AFC, but was challenged by Matt Flitter five yards outside the box.  Staines protested that it had been a fair challenge, the visitors wanted the Swans skipper sent-off, but the referee steered a compromise by awarding a free kick and invoking the covering presence of Danny Gordon to show only a yellow.  After the furore had died down, Marcus Gayle struck the free-kick tamely over the bar.  So it could have been 2-2, and still only 20 minutes had been played!  Not surprisingly, the pace then steadied down somewhat, although both sets of forwards looked very lively, and Staines endeavoured to play the ball through to theirs, whilst Wimbledon employed a more direct approach.  This almost paid dividends on 31 minutes, when Staines were exposed with just one defender covering three attackers: Steve Ferguson’s ball to Finn was not perfect, but Staines were still glad of a great block by J Newton.  The deadlock was broken on 36 minutes, and followed a foul by Jason Goodliffe on Nwokeji near the left touch-line.  The ball was pumped in by Sargent, and cleared by a defender for a corner, which Scarlett sent over from the right, deceiving the first defender, and allowing a loosely marked Matt Flitter to net with a stooping header.  Staines then enjoyed a rampant last 10 minutes of the half, in which they tried hard to secure what could have been a killer second goal. H Newton’s pass to Nwokeji was fired goalwards at pace on the turn, but a defender managed to boot it out for a corner; the visiting ‘keeper was lucky to escape without censure for a violent off-the-ball shove in the chest on Butler; a two-pronged attack by H Newton and Butler was expertly kept at bay by great defending from Gayle; and during the added minute, Scarlett was a hair’s breadth away from rounding the keeper.  Some light relief had been provided by a long clearance by Gordon, which somehow dislodged the flag of assistant referee Breakspear! 

After Wimbledon had brought on De Bolla at the  interval, the second half started in almost as lively fashion as the first, with both Nwokeji and Main shooting just off target in the opening minute.  Then Nwokeji again found himself in space, but his chip over Pullen faded just wide.  At the other end, sub Nic McDonnell wriggled free in the box, but Gordon’s covering was again first class, and he forced him wide.  Leberl had his name taken on the hour for a flying challenge on H Newton on the hour, but the visitors were now enjoying their best spell of the game so far: Main’s clever touch in a long Luke Garrard free kick went just past the post, and Courtnage’s handling was spot-on when Main again made space for a shot from the left.  Unfortunately, Nwokeji was still not 100% fit following his recent hamstring problem, and – having run himself into the ground – was replaced by Elliot Onochie, whicle Wimbledon also made a change.  Dons also made a change, and the crowd waited to see if the visitors would feel able to push up more now that Staines most famous striker was off the field – and if by so doing they would underestimate the considerable striking prowess of his replacement.  For a while, it seemed that Staines might come through that difficult period the stronger: Scarlett swivelled on the edge of the box but saw is shot go just wide, but then Mark De Bolla was fouled by Scarlett, and himself tested Courtnage with the free-kick.  The Staines ‘keeper was cautioned for fussing over a goal kick with 19 minutes remaining, but was then relieved that the referee overruled – or failed to spot –  his assistant flagging for a foul in the box, for Gordon’s challenge on Main, who perhaps went down too easily.  At the other end, Onochie seemed to have made himself a good opening for a charge on goal, and there was disappointment that no action was taken against Garrard for his messy holding of the Staines player.  After another substitution by each manager, Staines had their last real chance of extending their lead when H Newton’s great run ended with a cross which fell between two forwards.  The game turned against the home side in controversial circumstances on 82 minutes, when the ball was played in fro the left by-line, and as Courtnage went up to claim it, Main made a back for him, causing him to fall awkwardly and spill the ball.  Mr McLaughlin however failed to spot this, and Main tapped the ball across goal for Luis Cumber to bundle it over the line for an equaliser.  Courtnage, usually the most laid-back of all players, was incensed, and was fortunate that other players intervened before he got to the referee.  Risbridger was booked for a foul, but worse was to come for Staines, when the same player was rather harshly penalised again for a challenge a few yards outside the box.  The free-kick came to nothing, but a retake was ordered as the ref had not blown his whistle, and Mark De Bolla this time spanked his shot through the wall and into the bottom corner.  There was a mini pitch invasion, whilst De Bolla went in the other direction and was booked for going into the crowd.  In desperation, Staines threw on Cook for Risbridger, and during the 3 added minutes, even sent Courtnage up front, where he had the first shot of his Staines career after a long Dean Thomas throw.  However, there was not enough time for Staines to rescue the promotion that they had so recently almost had within their grasp.  Hundreds of visiting fans surrendered the moral high ground they had assumed after the ticket allocations had been finalised, by invading the pitch and stealing corner flags, disregarding games still to be played.  Most of them were simply exuberant at their side’s success, and when things had calmed down, League Secretary Nick Robinson was able to present medals to the victorious AFC Wimbledon players.  Delighted Dons Manager, Terry Brown, was gracious enough to admit his side had been a little fortunate, but it was scant consolation to Steve Cordery and his heroic Staines team.

Staines Town: Courtnage, J Newton, Sargent, Gordon, Flitter ©, Risbridger (Cook 87), Scarlett (Thomas 78), Toppin, Butler, Nwokeji (Onochie 66), H Newton; unused McDonald, Ifura.

AFC Wimbledon: Pullen, Garrard, Haswell, Leberl, Goodliffe ©, Gayle, Ferguson (De Bolla 66), Quinn (Hatton 78), Cumbers, Main, Finn (McDonnell HT); unused  (gk).

Ref: Matt McLaughlin (Luton); ARs C Breakspear (Walton), I Kitchen (Chertsey); 4th Off D Rock (Hatfield); off att 2460.

Sun 4 May  2008 (10:45) - friendly at Ashford Tn (Mx)

STAINES TOWN Vets 6 SOUTHSIDE 0

Jim Williams bagged two goals, with Ryan Harris, John-Paul Coleman, Simon Crabbe, and Alan Gregory completing the scoring in the Vets' final fixture of the season.

Team: Ryan Harris; Alan Gane, Kevin Fidler, Des Alderson, Steve Lewis, Joe O'Shea, Mark Lord, John-Paul Coleman, Alan Gregory, Jim Williams, Peter Oram; subs Simon Crabbe, Kelly Phillips.