| Monday 2/3/09 Next Sunday, the club hosts the Final of the FA Women's Premier Reserve League Cup, between Chelsea and Leeds. KO is 2pm at Wheatsheaf Lane, and admission is free!
On Thursday afternoon of last week, the Staines Town / Kingston College u18 side bowed out at the semi-final stage of the prestigious ECFA National Knock-Out cup, against Cheltenham Town's Academy side, Hartpury. The Gloucestershire side were exceptionally strong going forwards, and ran out 5-1 winners, thanks to two first half goals by David Accam, and a second half hat-trick from Abdul Waris. Ryan Ford scored a late consolation for the home team. They will be hoping for better fortune this Friday (6th, 2:30pm) when they undertake what is almost certainly the longest domestic journey ever by a Staines Town team, visiting Monkseaton HS of Whitley Bay, in the Quarter-Finals of the ECFA U19 League Cup.
The next few STFC fixtures are as follows (blue = game at Wheatsheaf Lane; First Team games underlined) - Wed 04 Mar 09 Reserves A Harrow Borough (Capital Lg West) 7.30. Tue 03 Mar 09 First Team A Tilbury (Isthmian Lg Cup Quarter-Final) 7:45pm. Wed 04 Mar 09 Academy H Kingstonian (Ryman Yth Lg NorthWest) 7:30. Fri 6 Mar 09 College A Monkseaton HS, Newcastle (ECL Cup QF) 2.30pm Sat 07 Mar 09 First Team A Harlow Town (Ryman Lg Premier) 3pm. Sun 08 Mar 09 Veterans A Old Dorkinians (friendly) 10:45am. Chelsea Ladies Res v Leeds Carnegie Ladies Res (FAWPL Res C Fin) 2pm: free entry Mon 09 Mar 09 Reserves A Hitchin Town (Capital Lg West) 7:45pm. Tue 10 Mar 09 First Team H Heybridge Swifts (Ryman Lg Premier) 7:45pm. Wed 11 Mar 09 College DevSq H Godalming (frfriendly2pm at Hampton WRCC. College A Southgate (English Colleges Premier League One) 2pm - date yet to be confirmed
Saturday 28th February 2009 (3:00pm) – Ryman League, Premier Division STAINES TOWN (2) 4 CARSHALTON ATHLETIC (1) 0 By Steve Parsons. Watched by a better sized crowd, Staines produced perhaps their best performance since the Hayes replay, to overcome a very capable Carshalton on Saturday. The weather was mild, and the pitch in excellent condition after its midweek verti-draining and new goal-nets, and Staines attacked the houses end in the first half. With Marien Ifura now returning from his toe injury, Steve Cordery was able to rotate his busy squad a little, with Dean Thomas and Richard Butler also restored, while Dave Sargent, Lewis Cook, an Marc Charles-Smith were on the bench. Carshalton were expected to field a couple of former Staines favourites, but Dwain Clarke was an unused sub, and Adrian Toppin was suspended. Once again, Staines were out of the blocks very quickly, with the Newton brothers combining for an early chance – Jake’s diagonal ball to Howard ending in a shot which Richard Stroud did well to save. Only 9 minutes had been played when Staines opened the scoring, after Jon McDonald won the ball at the back, and combined with Gareth Risbridger to feed the ball through to Dean Thomas. Thomas in turn played a perfectly weighted diagonal pass for Richard Butler to dart onto from behind the last defender, and his low shot from the edge of the box went in off the foot of the post, while defenders looked around in vain for an offside flag. A few minutes later, Taylor also eluded the offside and had a shot touched round for a corner, which McDonald took and Risbridger headed just over, and then Taylor saw another effort saved at his feet by Stroud. It was no surprise when Staines increased their lead on 21 minutes, although the identity of the scorer was – Marien Ifura. McDonald launched a long throw into the box, and the big centre back rose and bulleted his header into the corner, before celebrating his first goal of the season with an impressive cartwheel! But Carshalton immediately came back into the game, and having surrendered the nation’s last unbeaten away record just four days earlier, were in no mood to go down again. Richard Jolly saw a rasping 25 yarder tipped over by Louis Wells for a corner, which led to a big scramble in the box before Staines finally cleared. However, it was the impressive Jolly who reduced the arrears on 27 minutes, showing great control before firing past Wells from 12 yards, following good approach work by Ryan Martin and Karl Beckford. Just one minute later, it was the visitors’ turn to spring the offside trap, when Jolly got through on goal, but Wells was able to save his shot. Within the space of a couple of minutes, both goalkeepers were troubled by stinging 35 yard efforts, firstly from McDonald after being allowed to advance down the left, and then from a Beckford free-kick. As the game continued at a decent pace, Risbridger tried to find a pass when perhaps a shot was on, following H Newton’s good run and pass, and his frustration was compounded by picking up a booking for a foul. Just before the one additional minute, H Newton went just wide following a glorious move involving J Newton, Thomas, Risbridger, and Darti Brown. Staines made a good start to the second half, with Butler seeing a shot deflect over the bar, and then Taylor picking out H Newton for a shot which Stroud could only parry as far as Butler, only to redeem himself with a fine double save from his follow-up. There were two more cautions – Athletic’s Honey for crudely halting a rare surge from the back by Danny Gordon, and one for Brown for a late challenge. Carshalton looked to be settling back into what was shaping up to be a tense final third, but they were suddenly hit with two goals just 40 seconds apart! On 67 minutes, Risbridger fed H Newton, who took on two markers before cutting the ball back for Taylor, who steadied himself before curling his shot deftly beyond Stroud. The visitors kicked off, but Risbridger won back possession, and – via Taylor – the ball was ferried to the flying Howard Newton, who then skipped past half a dozen challenges, finally rounding the keeper a couple of yards out, and squeezing the ball home from a disappearing angle. That bit of magic sealed Staines’ win, which could even have been extended in the first of 3 additional minutes, when sub Marc Charles-Smith got beyond the last defender, but his angled shot was swept out for a corner. Roy Flory from the matchball sponsors presented the Man of the Match bubbly to Howard Newton as the players of both teams were applauded from the field. Staines: Wells, J Newton, D Gordon ©, H Newton (Cook 85), Butler (Charles-Smith 76), Risbridger, McDonald, D Thomas (Scarlett 69), D Brown, Ifura, S Taylor; unused Sargent, Courtnage (gk). Carshalton: Stroud, Cooper, Carpenter, Graves ©, Gonsalves, Honey, Beckford (Alimi 59), England (Stevens HT), Ide, Jolly, Martin; unused Power, Clarke, Simeone. Ref: Dave D Bushell (Tottenham); ARs Peter M Smith (Friern Barnet) & Quenten Pearsall (Barnet); Att 349.
Saturday 14th February 2009 (3:00pm) – Ryman League, Premier Division STAINES TOWN (1) 2 CANVEY ISLAND (1) 1 by Steve Parsons. Staines showed plenty of character to turn this keenly contested match into a first ever victory over Canvey Island, once again scoring the vital goal in the closing minutes. Steve Cordery made two changes to the side that beat Maidstone, with Jon McDonald getting a chance to play in his preferred left-back position for the rested Dave Sargent at left back, and Darti Brown starting in place of Leroy Griffiths, who was unwell. Lewis Cook, who missed the last couple of games through illness, returned as a sub. Canvey included the highly-rated Gabriel Fanibuyan, who appeared in a handful of friendlies for Staines in 2005. The afternoon was chilly with some sunshine, the pitch very good despite the overnight frost, though prone to cutting up, and Staines attacked the houses end in the first half. Staines made a powerful start, and Richard Butler had no less than three decent efforts on goal in the opening 10 minutes, one from a delightful Scott Taylor flick. Ricky Wiseman – given a late nod in goal for Canvey over the more experienced Mel Capleton – saved all three, and although the third was spilled towards Howard Newton, he recovered to save that as well. The visitors had just started to show promise of their own, as Fanibuyan raced through but underhit his shot, when Staines opened the scoring on 12 minutes with a quality goal. Jake Newton’s deep diagonal pass pinpointed Scott Taylor, and he showed all his class by looking round as the ball was in flight, taking the ball beyond ‘keeper Ricky Wiseman with his first touch, and guiding it into the net with his second. Nine minutes later, Taylor was released again, this time by Howard Newton, but Wiseman spread himself well to save. Canvey began to settle and the impressive Halle went close with a free kick that curled just past the post from a few feet outside the box. The visitors scored a scorching equaliser on the half-hour mark, through Richard Halle. Although his first drive was headed off the line by H Newton, the ball came back to him on the edge of the box, and this time his strike was unstoppable. The visitors then enjoyed a period of superiority, and Staines were pleased to see Halle strike another free kick just over the bar, following a free kick just ousted the box. The game was unusual for the large number of questionable handballs, with referee Ben Knight whistling only when he was convinced there was intent. One had preceded Staines’ goal – although Canvey had regained possession in the interim – and another occurred in the extended build-up to the equaliser, and a third contributed to a breakaway by Jay Curran, which in turn led to a foul by Ifura and a caution. Staines had a great chance to retake the lead just 5 minutes into the second period, when Richard Butler was released by H Newton, only to be tripped in the box by Ben Patten, giving them a penalty. However, with regular taker Sargent still on the bench, the task fell to Taylor, whose drive was well saved by Wiseman. Apart from a caution for Risbridger (dissent) and a header just over the bar by Brown from a McDonald corner, there followed a relatively uneventful spell, with Staines the more constructive side, but Canvey defending in depth and largely content to hold onto their point. Mr Cordery threw on all three subs late in the game, and the change of personnel seemed to fluster the visiting defence. H Newton set up a chance for Butler which he fired inches wide, and the home side began to commit more men forward in search of a winner. This almost had the opposite effect, as McDonald found himself the lone defender facing a three man breakaway, but he was able to intercept Kevin Dobinson’s ball and calmly chest back to the unflappable Louis Wells. It was Wells who began the move which won Staines the game, channelling the ball forward via Butler, who in turn picked out Howard Newton, and he showed great composure in providing an excellent finish beyond Wiseman with just 2 minutes left on the clock. Only then did the visitors up their pace, a substitution coming as the additional 4 minutes began (a fact that was not signalled until half of them had elapsed). However, apart from a caution for Ainsley when he hammered a dead ball into the chest of H Newton, there were no scares for Staines. This took their unbeaten League run to 12 – two more than their previous Premier Division record set back in 1976/7, although still some way short of the 18 achieved at the end of their 1995/6 promotion season and the start of the following one. The supporters’ Man of the Match was close vote, with H Newton just missing out to Marien Ifura, who received his bubbly from Lloyd Turberville. This Ifura’s first, and a fitting one as he had been on the point of quitting the game early in the season when seemingly unable to shake off a persistent injury Staines: Wells, J Newton, D Gordon ©, H Newton, Butler, Scarlett (D Thomas 83), Risbridger, McDonald, Brown (Cook 75), Ifura, Taylor (Charles-Smith 75); unused Sargent, Kersey. Canvey I: Wiseman, Mustafa, Ainsley, Patten, Moore, Davidson © (Luck 89), L Gordon, Dobinson (Edwards 90+1), Curran, Halle, Fanibuyan; unused West, Oliva, Capleton (gk). Ref: B Knight (Waterlooville); ARs Graham Matthews (Fareham) & Patrick Beech (Lee-on-Solent); Att 282.
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE CUP - Staines have been drawn away to Tilbury (Div 1 North) or Ramsgate (Premier) in the Quarter-Finals, but this will not be able to take place on the appointed day (24th Feb) as the opponents will not be known by then. Staines will therefore play their scheduled home League game with Harlow that evening. The full draw, consisting of 9 Premier sides and two (Tilbury and Redbridge) from D1N is - Tilbury or Ramsgate v Staines Town Billericay Town v Dover Athletic Harrow Borough v Horsham or Dartford Carshalton Athletic v Redbridge or Ashford Town (Middlesex).
Wednesday 11th February 2009 (12 noon) – English Colleges’ FA Premier League One STANMORE COLLEGE [Wealdstone Academy] (0) 1 KINGSTON COLLEGE [Staines Town Academy] (1) 1 This game was scheduled for a week later, but Steve Beeks at Stanmore agreed to help us out with a fixture problem caused by the wet weather: the previous week’s home game with Worcester was called off, and could not be played this week, so by bringing this game forward, it could be played on 19th. To avoid possible waterlogging problems, it was played on the artificial 3G surface at Hillingdon Borough FC. A penalty for handball saw Ryan Ford give the visitors a lead which they retained until the 88th minute. But the points were shared when a Stanmore forward pounced on a calamitous back-pass and tapped it beyond Danny Sonner. Team: Danny Sonner, Jon Vickers (Ben Nicholson), Marvin Farrell (Daniel Dunning), Luke Elliott ©, Alfie Arthur, Hyun-Jin Lee (Aaron Gilbert), Ashley Lodge, Sam Nicholson, Ryan Ford, Elliott Thompson, Adam Nelson; unused Frazer Douglas, Yoon Tae (gk).
Tuesday 10th February 2009 (7:45pm) – Ryman League, Premier Division STAINES TOWN (0) 3 MAIDSTONE UNITED (0) 1 By Steve Parsons. Staines extended their tremendous run to 9 wins and 2 draws in their last 11 League games, when scoring an entertaining and hard-earned victory over Maidstone, a decent team who are themselves only 4 points off the play-off places. Once again, they came from a goal down to win 3-1. Great credit go to the Wheatsheaf Park ground staff led by Graham Gould and Jesse Richards, for preparing a tremendous playing surface despite all the wet weather, which even necessitated an inspection by Michael Webb at 2pm. Steve Cordery made just one change from the side who did so well on Saturday, natural right-back Jake Newton coming back from suspension to replace the left-footed Jon McDonald. On a chilly night, Staines attacked the houses end in the first half. It was a first half in which Staines lacked some of the fluency, but none of the work-rate, of Saturday’s win, and in which they found The Stones an equally industrious side who could break with pace and rarely put a foot wrong. André Scarlett lashed in a 10th minute free kick towards the near post, but Steve Northwood was equal to it, before Maidstone mounted a couple of raids of their own. Then followed a niggly spell which was broken up by a succession of free kicks, awarded by referee Gordon Johnson, who hails from Ormskirk in Lancashire (he was in Surrey on a business trip). That culminated in a 38th minute caution for Roland Edge’s late challenge on Howard Newton in the ‘D’, giving Staines a dangerous dead-ball. After some discussion, it was Leroy Griffiths who stepped up and hit his free kick powerfully against the top of the crossbar. Tow minutes before the break, the visitors started to celebrate what seemed a certain goal as Meshach Nugent launched himself at a whipped cross from the right – but they were doubly disappointed as first Louis Wells pulled off a tremendous save from the glancing header, and then a raised offside flag was spotted anyway. There was a somewhat comical start to the second half, as the officials eventually reached the correct verdict of a corner to the home side in the opening seconds, but it came to nothing and soon Satines were forced to defend again, Wells getting down well to save from James Pinnock. Then Richard Butler shaped up for a shot at Northwood’s goal, but Stones defender Peter Hawkins once again made a well timed intervention. Staines now seemed to be getting on top, with Butler at his impish best, and Taylor keeping him supplied with quality possession, while Griffiths and Newton enjoyed the freedom to roam. However, they were annoyed with themselves for conceding an opening goal on 52 minutes, when a good ball was played up to James Pinnock just inside the box, and he showed great skill in turning inside and lancing the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Wells then did well to cling onto a snap header from Nugent as the visitors threatened to extend their lead just 4 minutes later. On the hour, a foul on Butler by Jay Saunders gave Staines a free kick, which – unusually – was quickly taken and played though before Saunders had his name taken. The kick itself was sprayed out to H Newton, who whipped the ball right across the 6 yard box, where it just eluded the toes of the central Gareth Risbridger and Griffiths backing him up. Mr Cordery decided to shuffle his attacking pack, with Marc Charles-Smith getting a run at the expense of Taylor, and Staines continued to apply the pressure. Butler drew the ‘keeper but shot just wide, then H Newton flashed a shot across the face of goal, and it looked to be shaping up to be a frustrating night for The Swans. However, they got a lifeline in the 72nd minute, when Butler darted into the box, and was grabbed by a defender, resulting in a penalty for Staines. But, as Sargent ran in to take it, a defender encroached claiming (incorrectly) that the ball was off its spot. The whistle blew as Sargent struck it in, but in a decision that had officials reaching for the rule books, the goal was disallowed, and the offender, Paul Nathan, yellow carded, before Dave Sargent had to face taking the kick again: thankfully he kept his nerve and set Staines on the level. Darti Brown came on, and the game now really opened out with Scarlett firing in a shot at one end, and then Danny Gordon having to make a terrific tackle to deny Maidstone at the other. A quick Wells kick-out on 81 minutes led to Butler heading just wide, and when Risbridger’s low drive was pushed out for a corner, most supporters would have settled for the point. But the men in old gold were not yet satisfied, and a neat move between Scarlett and H Newton was funnelled out to the right, from where Charles-Smith provided the perfect cross for Richard Butler to bravely throw himself into the mix and head home, via a deflection from Stones skipper Ben Lewis. The board went up showing that Maidstone had just 2 minutes to rescue that point, and Aaron Lacy launched a huge throw which was cleared by Butler. But in their eagerness, they forgot to defend, and in the dying seconds, a terrier-like tackle from Butler set Howard Newton away, and he steadied himself before finding the corner of the net for 3-1. It was a scoreline that was harsh on the visitors, but Staines will not mind as they continue to stay clear of the pack who covet their second place. Richard Butler was chosen as the Supporters’ Man of the Match for his typically non-stop performance and vital winning goal. Staines: Wells, J Newton, Sargent, D Gordon ©, H Newton, Butler, Scarlett, Risbridger, Ifura, Griffiths (D Brown 74), Taylor (Charles-Smith 64); unused Kersey, McDonald, D Thomas. Maidstone: Northwood, Nathan, Edge, Lewis ©, Hawkins, Nugent, Lacy, Saunders, Pinnock, Blackman, Bradbrook; unused Mooney, Thompson, Peacock, Bodle, Walker (gk). Ref: Gordon Johnson (Ormskirk); ARs Michael Barnes (Stoke Newington) & Boris Zbirka (Slovakia via Hendon); Att 302.
Saturday 7th February 2009 (3pm) – Ryman League, Premier Division STAINES TOWN (1) 3 SUTTON UNITED (1) 1 By Steve parsons. Staines strengthened their second place in the table with a superb victory over a strong Sutton team on Saturday. Thanks to Graham Gould, Jesse Richards, Steve Cordery, and a small team of volunteers, Wheatsheaf Park looked immaculate despite the exceptional weather of the past week, and these two sides took full advantage to serve up a high quality match for the 376 spectators. Mr Cordery restored Jon McDonald to the starting line-up, replacing right-back Jake Newton who was serving a one match suspension. There was a seat on the bench for Lee Kersey, who has not played since being injured at Hayes at the end of September. Sutton’s bench included a former member of the Staines Academy, Sol Patterson-Bohner. The day was bright and milder than of late, and Staines attacked the houses end in the first half. The first half was a high-speed end-to-end encounter, and it was Sutton who drew first blood. McDonald had already headed clear from Gavin McCallum’s volley on the turn, but on 10 minutes a ball was laid back by Craig Dundas, and was met by a scuffed but perfectly placed low shot from David Hughes to send the ball just inside the far post. It was the first League goal Staines had conceded for 2 months, and the first such at home for 3 months! Dundas struck a long shot just past the post just afterwards, but the setback seemed to spur the home side into even effort, and just 9 minutes later they responded with a finely crafted goal, as André Scarlett started a move that led to Howard Newton exchanging passes with Richard Butler, and as he rolled the ball back for Howard Newton, he finished clinically from 12 yards. And on 24 minutes, Staines scored another top-drawer goal, Danny Gordon and Leroy Griffiths combining to find Howard Newton, who hit a glorious pass to Scott Taylor, who showed all his experience in steadying himself before drawing out ’keeper Paul Nicholls and applying the perfect finish. Louis Wells, with the low sun in his eyes, did well to touch over a long range Jon Munday strike a minute later, but Staines were now looking composed and confident, and might have increased their lead late in the half, when Butler underhit a shot from a pinpoint Griffiths pass, and the same player stretched Nicholls, after a defender could only help on a long McDonald throw. Staines continued where they left off after the restart, forcing a couple of early corners, a Griffiths corner was headed out by Bond when it might have been curling in, Scarlett rolled a free kick to Griffiths whose shot thumped into the wall, and Taylor continued to torment the U’s defence with a series of tricky runs and telling crosses, one of which was spilled by Nicholls, who was just able to claw it away from the onrushing Butler. However, Sutton could not be taken lightly, and despite being overworked at the back, they were powerful and mobile going forward. But Staines continued to create chances – a Butler run ghosted past Munday but was blocked, and Karim El-Salani was yellow-carded for halting Marien Ifura, and they could have lived to regret not putting one of them away. With Billy Dunn’s fresh legs replacing the experienced Steve West, Sutton started to gain more possession in the middle, but still could not test Wells. A dangerously placed free kick was tidied up by the faultless Danny Gordon, who cleared upfield to Taylor, who in turn breezed past McKimm, played a one-two with Griffiths, but then shot just wide at the end of the best move of the game. Griffiths fired just past the angle following more neat work by Butler and Taylor, Howard Newton rode a couple of snapping challenges before seeing his shot well held by Nicholls, and Butler was crowded out after another Taylor / Griffiths combination. Staines hearts were briefly in mouths when Gavin McCallum went down in the home box, but referee Lee Collins was unimpressed and awarded the free kick to Staines. In the 77th minute, the Sutton goal survived a dramatic double chance from an H Newton cross, Taylor’s shot being saved and Ifura’s follow-up blocked. But then Sutton raced straight upfield, and Chukki Eribenne fired towards goal, where the ubiquitous Griffiths hooked it off the line! Subs Billy Dunn sent a couple of shots off target, and Matt Hann sent a dangerous ball right across Wells’ goal, to which no-one could get a touch. Another Sutton half-chance went begging when a through ball struck David Hughes on the back, but Staines could finally breathe easily when they netted an overdue third goal on 88 minutes. Sutton had conceded a succession of niggling free kicks, and a Dundas foul gave McDonald a dead ball, Griffiths received and exchanged passes with H Newton, and Griffiths stretched to guide the ball beyond Nicholls. There were two more cards in stoppage time, both for fouls, first for Munday after he clattered into McDonald, and then for Darti Brown, a late sub for Scarlett who, unlike several opponents, was not given the benefit of a ‘last warning’. Rob Cooper from match-sponsors Cooper’s Independent Sales & Letting Agents made the very difficult selection for Man of the Match, as Danny Gordon; the watching Non-League paper meanwhile selected Richard Butler. Staines: Wells, Sargent, D Gordon ©, H Newton, Butler, Scarlett (D Brown 85), Risbridger, McDonald, Ifura, Griffiths, Taylor; unused Kersey, Thomas, Courtnage (gk), Charles-Smith. Sutton: Nicholls, El-Salahi (Heroo 81), Bond, Hughes, Collins ©, Munday, McKimm (Hann 67), Dundas, Eribenne, West (Dunn 60), McCallum; unused Bentley, Patterson-Bohner. Ref: Lee M Collins (Knaphill); ARs Ian Douglas (Thatcham) & Daniel Berry (Fareham); Att 376. | |
