This Match Report is sponsored by Aalto Construction, M.H. Construction,  H&H Construction & Green Tangerine Catering

 

Surrey Intermediate Football League 

Keens Park Rangers 2 Ripley 3

Goals: Keyanu Pillay, Sammy Bristow

Man-of-the-match: James Nixon

Rather than the fireworks you’d expect from the most local of derbies, the ressies burned all their chances in what turned out to be a frustrating loss to Ripley at a stunning Fortress Pyrford.

Ooooof

However, nobody, but the keenest of gamblers, would have thought it possible on the opening ten minutes. The ressies were not just ‘all over’ the opposition they were utterly dominant with most of the match being played in or around the visitors penalty box. This said, there were clues as to the afternoon ahead with the opposition keeper pulling off a ridiculous reaction save from a clever and well-connected back heel from Manager Liam inside the six yard box!

Such was the dominance going forward there was precious little time to dwell on this as James Nixon put another chance wide of the far post, before Keyanu opened the scoring with a lovely first time shot with the outside of his right foot that went in off the far post. Beautiful. And the aesthetics didn’t stop there as a lovely reverse pass by Seamus was seized upon by Sammy after hesitancy in the visitors defence before calmly slotting the ball it into an empty net.

Woo and H – KPR’s very own Statler and Waldorf

Keyanu was one of many who should have added another to the ressies’ tally. Yet, typically, as the misses increased in number, the visitors gained in confidence and it was inevitable that they capitalised in clawinged one back a little too easily for the supporters liking. Even if it turned out to be a massive deflection. 

There was more upset for the ressies after a flag denied another goal, but if El Boy accepted the Lino’s explanation it must have been legit. No matter, the ressies were back in control and first Liam , with a scuffed shot past the far post, and then Keyanu, with a header, really ought to have reinstated the two goal lead. 

Nico about to cry foul

That they didn’t proved costly – even after Damian in goal had made a good low one handed save – he could do little about another shot from distance following a good bit of build up play down the left wing.

As much as it was all square again, the ressies appeared streets ahead in footballing terms. Maybe they should have taken a leaf out of the visitor’s playbook, however, as an element of overplaying crept in when a more direct, selfish even, may have paid dividends. To be fair, it wasn’t just wastage on the part of the ressies. For their keeper was maintaining the sublime form he demonstrated in the opening moments.

Chinga broke his mental chains (one for Howard Jones fans)

First, he tipped a header from Jambo over the bar, then he palmed away a ferocious shot from distance from Cal, and denied Sammy, as the half drew to a close. There was still time for man-of-the-match Nico to hit an overhead kick, and a duffed shot, wide of the goal before the visitors completed the most unlikely of turnarounds to go in one up following comparatively straightforward play.

Cal setting himself early

If the end of the first half was bad, the second half began disastrously with key figure Keyanu being forced off with an injury. This allowed solitary substitute Sam an earlier involvement than he may have expected and he made a mark almost immediately on the opposition keeper, in a 50/50 challenge, before fluffing a free header from a corner. 

Maybe Sam should have whacked the keeper a bit harder, as he pulled off yet another superb save in tipping a curling first time shot from Nico onto the bar and over. Next on the bingo card was a penalty shout after Sam was barged / nudged from behind in the box but, rather than the referee, it was their keeper who was denying the ressies again in saving a far post header from Owen and a point blank shot from Sam.

With 25 still to go more chances would surely come. And they did. Sadly, they weren’t hitting the target as Wallis put a header wide before the last chance to salvage a well-deserved point fell to Owen, only for his shot to go wide from close range.

Speechless!

A sickener. But there was enough skill and determination on show to suggest one opposition team might find themselves on the wrong end of a stuffing – provided the ressies put their shooting boots on the right feet and the opposition keeper doesn’t morph into bloody Gordon Banks!  


This Match Report is sponsored by Aalto Construction,  H&H Construction & Green Tangerine Catering