Saturday 27th February 2010 (3pm) – Blue Square Conference (South)

STAINES TOWN (0) 1  EASTLEIGH (2) 2

By Steve Parsons.

When Staines visited the Spitfires earlier in the season, they encountered a powerful side and were rather fortunate to take home a point.  This time, however, there was no such luck, as Eastleigh put an end to their 10-game, 10-week undefeated run.  Steve Cordery named an unchanged starting eleven and bench from that which defeated St Albans the week before, with Griffiths having previous experience at Eastleigh, while Eastleigh introduced new Portsmouth loanee Wilkinson.  There had been heavy rain in the preceding days, and the referee did not make a final decision to play until 2pm; but although the surface was wet, it stood us very well and did not have an adverse effect on the play.  Staines attached the Silver’s Farm end in the first half, and a chilly, overcast afternoon.

Staines might have had a penalty just 8 minutes into the game, when Scott Taylor appeared to be brought down in front of goal, but Mr Childs waved play-on.  And after 13 minutes, a foul 10 yards outside the box gave Eastleigh a free-kick that was driven beyond the flying dive of Louis Wells into the top corner at great power by Sam Butler (his first goal for them) to give the visitors a lead.  Staines suffered a further setback just 2 minutes later, when Marc Charles-Smith sustained a knee injury and had to be replaced by Dean Thomas.  Eastleigh might have swiftly doubled their lead, but Ross Bottomley volleyed too high after a corner was headed dangerously back across goal.  A spell of Eastleigh pressure was relieved 10 minutes later when Leroy Griffiths acrobatically volleyed across goal, following a Mazin Ahmad cross.  It was Wells who was responsible for Staines’ next shot, launching an enormous drop-kick that took one bounce before flying not too far wide of the post and momentarily panicking Eastleigh ‘keeper Matthews.  This was sandwiched by cautions for fouls by Risbridger (27m) and Scarlett (42m).  In the final stages of the half, Staines started to show improved signs, with clever footwork by Ahmad making space for him to put Griffiths in, only for defender Smith to block his pile-driver on the 6 yard line.  And then André Scarlett made an 80 yard run, leading to a Jackson cross and Ahmad shot.  But disaster struck for the home side right at the end of the three additional minutes.  A Staines attack broke down, and Adeniyi brought the ball out of defence down the right, then picked out Richard Gillespie, who battled into the box as a defender lost his footing and whipped over a cross which was unfortunately turned into his own goal by Yado Mambo.

Anthony Riviere forced a save from Wells not long after the restart, but much of the remaining 45 minutes was uneventful.  Staines’ only chance of note was a shot by Griffiths that his the woodwork, whilst Eastleigh ’keeper Matthews was booked for time-wasting.  Staines were thrown a life-line 7 minutes from time, when a Newton cross was handled in the box by Adeniyi, and this time the penalty was awarded.  Adeniyi was cautioned for dissent, and then Wilkinson found a new way to get his name taken, when he decided to move the ball off its spot as Staines were preparing to take the kick!  However, Leroy Griffiths was unfazed, smashing the spot-kick firmly home.  There was almost a swift response from the visitors, as a Wells drop-kick was headed back towards him for Gillespie to run onto, but Wells got down bravely to save.  Newton had his name taken for a high challenge in stoppage time, but with 6 minutes of overtime played, Staines momentarily thought they had rescued a point, as Taylor lashed in a volley, but a raised linesman’s flag spoiled the celebration.

Staines: Wells, S Jackson, Kamara (Sterling 81), Gordon ©, Mambo, Scarlett (Newton 69), Ahmad, Risbridger, Charles-Smith (D Thomas 15), Taylor, Griffiths; unused: Ifura, Courtnage (g).

Eastleigh: Matthews, D Smith, Oliver, Riviere, Jordan ©, Wilkinson, Adeniyi (Webb 84), Forbes, Gillespie (Aaron Cook 90+4), Bottomley, Butler (Roache 74); unused Toomer, Andy Cook.

Ref: SA Child (Beckenham); ARs: TP Hatt & PT Burton (both Redhill); Att 509.  STFC Mascot: Harrison Kent.

Saturday 20th February 2010 (3pm) – Blue Square Conference (South)

STAINES TOWN (3) 4  ST ALBANS CITY (2) 3

By Steve Parsons.

On Tuesday (16 Feb) night, Staines suffered a second controversial postponement of the League game at Basingstoke having already arrived at the Camrose.  Referee Scott this time was unhappy with the amount of water on the pitch (on 30 Jan he had concerns about a frosty strip), but ignored the entreaties of both managers that they felt the pitch was firm, flat, and playable.

Therefore, Steve Cordery’s next outing came on Saturday, when they were bidding to complete a third double of the season over an improving St Albans.  He was without Chaaban and Brown (both with ankle problems), Ifura, and Newton, although the latter two were pressed into service on the bench.  Gareth Risbridger and Scott Taylor, who had impressive cameos at Bromley were added to the starting team, as was Mazin Ahmad.  Staines attacked the Silver’s Farm end in the first half, with the pitch in very good condition, despite the flakes of snow in the air at the start, which turned to sleet at least once during the afternoon.  However, with newly released figures showing that Staines have the biggest percentage increase in crowd sizes in the Blue Square (South) this season, a reasonable turn-out of 460 people were kept warm by an exciting display and a pulsating match.

Staines started confidently, with André Scarlett finding space for an early shot, Ahmad and Griffiths finding their range with a free-kick and a cross respectively, and Taylor launching himself to get a touch to a Scarlett cross.  There was a scare, however, when City’s Paul Hakim sidefooted wide at the end of their best move of the first 20 minutes.  But just one minute later, Swans moved ahead, following a shimmying run and pinpoint cross from Griffiths, that was met with a powerful far post header at close range by Taylor, marking the end of a barren spell for him.   City responded quickly, with Quilter heading just wide after a free-kick, before they secured an equaliser in the 28th minute.  Staines were uncharacteristically wrong-footed by a break down the left and a cross to which Ian Dunn manœuvred himself into space and crashed the ball past Louis Wells following a tricky ricochet.  It seemed that Staines must retake the lead just 3 minutes later, when the visiting defence was at sea in dealing with a Griffiths corner, but both Michael Kamara and Taylor had efforts blocked before Mr Butler blew for a foul.  And then they conceded a shock second goal in the 32nd minute, as Peter Smith sent over a corner and it was firmly met at the back by Mark Peters: having just started to rain, the slippery ball slithered in.  But Staines were determined not to let their good run slip, and just 3 minutes later they were back on terms.  Ahmad started the move with a run through the centre, picking out Scarlett who did well to evade a pincer pair of tackles before letting rip with a shot that chimed against the foot of the post.  Bouncing awkwardly into space in the 18 yard box, it was Taylor who reacted quickest to guide the ball back beyond ’keeper Bastock.  Play then flowed to the other end, where Hakim lined up a shot, only for Kamara to get in a timely interception and Wells to complete the save.  The Staines ’keeper then launched a long pass which Taylor ran onto, and advanced to within a couple of yards of the penalty area, whereupon he was tripped by Godfrey Poku.  Mr Butler deemed, perhaps leniently, that Taylor did not have full control, and issued only a yellow card, but Mazin Ahmad exacted his own form of punishment with a superbly struck low free-kick nestling home after grazing the far post – that his first goal for the side.  With only 2 minutes left till half time, Staines went in 3-2 up.

The second half was never going to be quite as eventful, but (after cautions for Scarlett, 50m, and City’s Roberts), Scarlett drew a superb fingertip save when Paul Bastock touched his 58th min drive over the bar.  Then Staines added another goal of real quality in the 66th minute, created by Ahmad’s dancing deception of three defenders right out on the touchline, and volleyed in at the far post by the powerful Griffiths.  If Bastock had not been so well positioned as he was to hold Griffiths’ free kick, following a Cohen foul on Ahmad a few minutes later, it could have been all over, but as Staines knew from the game at Clarence Park, City will not lie down easily.  Kamara did well to halt a marauding run from Shields, and Staines were thankful that Yado Mambo has settled in – in Ifura’s absence – so comfortably alongside Gordon at the heart of defence.  (His fellow Charlton loanee, Tuna, has now switched to Woking).  After a flurry of substitutions, City pulled back to 4-3 when Gary Cohen powerfully headed home an 81st min Beecroft corner, ensuring that defending corners will be a topic for Mr Cordery’s next training session.  Four minutes later, and just before being taken off to warm applause, Taylor might have complete a hat-trick but for a super reflex save by Bastock.  As the game moved into it’s final moments (plus 5 mins of stoppage time), there as a further yellow card to City’s Cohen (late tackle on Kamara), but he then menaced the home defence with a he throw-in, a good cross, and a surging run which was only ended by a great tackle by Risbridger in the closing seconds: Hakim had his name taken for protesting this last point, but as the whistle sounded, (and once it was cinfirmed that Thurrock had stopped scoring at EIGHT-2), Swans knew they had risen to 3rd place. 

There were two presentations as the players left the field: Jesse Richards presented two-goal Taylor with “Man of the Match”, and Chairman Alan Boon handed Steve Cordery his plaque and bubbly as the division’s January Manager of the Month.

Staines: Wells, S Jackson, Kamara, Gordon ©, Mambo, Scarlett, Ahmad (D Thomas 79), Risbridger, Charles-Smith, Taylor (Sterling 88), Griffiths; unused: Ifura, Newton, Courtnage (g).

St Albans: Bastock, Fisher ©, Smith, Poku (Magwood 77), Peters, Quilter, Beecroft, Shields, Dunn (Cohen 62), Hakim, Roberts (Lindie 74); unused Frater, Dedman.

Ref: Stuart P Butler (Coxeath, near Maidstone); ARs: Vince D Penfold (Row Town), David A Jones (New Haw); Att 460.  STFC Mascot: Lydia Williams.

Saturday 13th February 2010 (3pm) – Blue Square Conference (South)

BROMLEY (0) 0  STAINES TOWN (1) 2

By Steve Parsons.

Staines climbed to the dizzy heights of 4th in the table – just 2 points behind 2nd placed Chelmsford with a game in hand – as a result of this excellent win at Bromley.  The Kent side had started the game just 2 points behind Staines, but have had a ‘wobble’ of late, without a win in their last 5 games.  Nevertheless, Hayes Lane has rarely been a happy hunting ground for Staines, and so to come away with a 2-0 win was a highly creditable outcome.  Both sides fielded players in the number 10 shirt who had begun the season with the other club – Richard Butler and Ali Chaaban – although Bromley’s other ex-Swan, Raymond Calliste, was not involved.  The inclusion of Chaaban (for Tuna) was one of two changes by Steve Cordery, as Ifura was nursing a knock picked up last week.  He was replaced by Simon Jackson, back from his shoulder injury on Boxing Day, having proved his fitness with two full Reserve games this month.  The day was cold, and there was sleet in the air, as Staines played up the slope towards the far end in the first half, on a pitch that was looking rather threadbare.  Although it appeared to be nice and flat, there were a number of errors during the game which presented evidence to the contrary.

Bromley’s Ibrahima seemed a little aggrieved to be penalised, and booked, for bumping the ball out of Wells’s grasp in the 11th minute, but a bigger flashpoint followed just 4 minutes later.  Darty Brown tripped Ibrahima, but the Bromley man then booted the ball into him after the whistle had gone, whereupon the Staines man squared up to him, only for his opponent to tumble to the floor.  However, referee Lee Forrester (son of Paul) accepted both players’ apologies and was able to resume play without further recourse to his book.  A neat Staines move saw Charles-Smith feed Newton, whose crisp shot on the turn was headed off the line by Greene at the expense of a 19th minute corner.  Newton underhit the flag-kick, but near-post defender somehow missed his clearance, allowing that man Ali Chaaban to poach a goal from very close range.  Five minutes later, it looked as though Butler might reciprocate, but fortunately for his old team-mates, his usually deadly finishing was slightly off-target this time.  The game really started to open up midway through the half, with Newton sending a shot skimming just wide, and then seeing another shot deceive ’keeper Williams (following great work by Charles-Smith) before bobbling just wide.  But in between, Bromley’s Ibrahima had missed when well placed, and McBean’s powerful run had only been halted by an expert tackle by Scarlett.  There was a caution for Bromley’s Dolby (39 mins, late challenge), but 2 minutes later, Butler again seemed set to score after winning possession in a dangerous position, but this time he was adjudged to have impeded Mambo.  The half ended with Ibrahima and Carew combining well for Bromley, and Staines’ imperios skipper Gordon making the vital block.

Following Carew’s cross, Wells made an early second half save from big Sobers’ head look easy, as Bromley started the second half determinedly.  Fouls by Jackson (50m) and Hall (55) on each other saw the pair exchange yellow cards, and after Jackson was again pulled up for a trip on McBean in the ‘D’ – which led to Daly curling a shot round the wall and bringing a fine save from Wells – Mr Cordery decided it would be wise to withdraw him: Sterling came on, and the increasingly versatile Kamara was switched from left to right full-back.  Carew had a flighted free-kick well taken by Wells after Butler had been brought down in the 71st minute, and Griffiths was distraught after picking up a booking for a spot of 74th min dissent that he felt was mistaken identity.  However, with Staines’ squad slowly returning to fitness, Steve Cordery could also affort the luxury of replacing him to prevent any set-backs in the highly charged atmospeher of this game.  But this was not before his last act was to exchange passes with Newton, and provide a telling cross from which Marc Charles-Smith was brave enough to go in where it hurt and head home Staines’ vital second goal with just 15 minutes remaining.  It was then that Taylor and Risbridger were brought on, and both had excellent cameo performances.  There was still more action, and Scarlett was involved at both ends, later earning him the NLP’s Man of the Match accolade: first he cleared a diving Ibrahima header off the line, and then he saw a shot of his own at the other end go inches beyond the far post.

Staines: Wells, S Jackson (Sterling 60), Kamara, Gordon ©, Mambo, Scarlett, Newton, D Brown, Charles-Smith, Chaaban (Taylor 78), Griffiths (Risbridger 76); unused: Ahmad, D Thomas.

Bromley: GI Williams, Greene (Ruggles 78), Dolby, Daly, Sobers, Gillman ©, Carew (Ferguson 74+), Ibrahima, McBean, Butler, Hall; unused I’Anson, Henriques, Davis.

Ref: Lee W Forrester (Luton, Beds); ARs: Liam Walshe (Northwood, Middlesex), Isaac Jempeji (Alperton, Middlesex); Att 426.

Saturday 6th February 2010 (3pm) – Blue Square Conference (South)

STAINES TOWN (2) 3  WEYMOUTH (0) 1

By Steve Parsons.

Steve Cordery and Craig Maskell had earned the Conference (South)’s Manager of the Month Award for January, but they avoided the curse that so often seems to accompany it, by seeing off a resilient Weymouth side to maintain their unbeaten start to the new year.  On a bright but chilly afternoon, Mr Cordery started with the same XI who had defeated Chelmsford, as Staines began by attacking the Silver’s Farm end of an excellent playing surface.  Weymouth, who came into the game spurred on by the appointment just 10 days earlier of new boss Jerry Gill and introduced 3 new players, were making only their second visit to Wheatsheaf Lane, having contested a friendly here in 1983.

Staines had a couple of early scares, as first Joseph-Dubois lifted a shot beyond Wells but just wide, and then – momentarily – Charles-Smith seemed to have sustained another facial injury.  However, there was no lasting damage, and with only 11 minutes on the clock, Staines opened the scoring.  Newton made a strong run down the right, Tuna dummied it, and Leroy Griffiths arrived at the back post to smash the shot in off the inside of the woodwork.  Staines doubled their lead on 20 minutes with a sublime move, started by Griffiths and involving Scarlett, Charles-Smith, and Tuna down the middle, to be rounded off by a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the net by Howard Newton.  That summed up the half, really, as Staines interspersed some super flowing football, with periods when errors ruled the day, but they often looked likely to increase their lead still further.  Tuna was in a promising position from a Griffiths pass before Bennett got in a saving tackle; new Weymouth ‘keeper Welch made a good save from the head of Charles-Smith from a Mambo cross; and Tuna netted from a Newton corner in the 31st minute, only for the ref to disallow it for a push on Bennett.  In between had come one of those looser moments, which had gifted Farrell a good chance, only for Wells’ fingertip save to spare Swans’ blushes.   Staines goalscorers each picked up bookings late in the half, for fouls on 34 and 43 minutes respectively.  In between, Tuna sidefooted a great opportunity wide, following a powerful run and cross from Griffiths, and Charles-Smith again went close with a header.

Weymouth replaced their skipper, Brice, at half-time, handing the armband to Slocombe, but the reshuffled defence was unlocked within seconds of the restart, Newton darting forward only for Welch to save both his shot and Charles-Smith’s follow-up.  Tuna saw another chance blocked on the line, but then the tide started to turn, following a 48th minute yellow card to Gordon for impeding Smith.  Just 2 minutes later, while Staines were still trying to get Ifura back on the field after treatment, a quickly taken free-kick move saw Staines fail to cut out Smith’s cross, and Pierre Joseph-Dubois met the ball with a powerful stooping header to make it 2-1.  The visitors had McGuinness booked for a foul on Newton (52m), but were now looking increasingly likely to complete their comeback, as the same player forced a decent save from Wells, and chances for Groves and Joseph-Dubois went begging.  In the 74th minute, with Staines awarded a free-kick just outside the box, Steve Cordery chose that moment to make a couple of substitutions that, on the face of it, probably intending mainly to tighten up the midfield and increase ball-retention upfield, introducing Risbridger and Chaaban.  Some discussion about who would take the free-kick ensued, but Ali Chaaban won the debate with Griffiths, and with his very first touch, he drilled the ball straight into Welch’s bottom nearside corner.  That just about secured victory, although in the final minute, Wells bravely saved a Reid shot with his legs, before Joseph-Dubois blazed the rebound over the bar.  Staines advance to 6th place in the table.

Staines: Wells, Kamara, Mambo, Gordon ©, Ifura, D Brown, Newton, Scarlett, Charles-Smith (Chaaban 73), Tuna (Risbridger 73), Griffiths; unused: Ahmad, D Thomas, S Jackson.

Weymouth: Welch, Mawer, Slocombe, Bennett, Brice © (Groves HT), Farrell, McGuinness, Reed, Joseph-Dubois, Llewellyn, Smith (Reid 79); unused Benbow, Radcliffe, Harrison (g).

Ref: L Venamore (Maidstone); ARs: C Hatzidakis (Eltham), JA Lengthorn (New Eltham); Att 501.