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

 

Surrey FA County Cup 

Keens Park Rangers 5 Godalming Town 2

Goals: Kiyanu Pillay, Courage Moda, James Crouch, Own-Goal, Luke Mitchell

Man-of-the-match: James Crouch

After striving, and failing, last week KPR’s first team got the result they deserved against Godalming Town’s U23 squad in the County Cup.

In part, the difference was obvious even before kick off as Courage had miraculously arrived on time, James Crouch was available to add some steel to the back four, and the bench actually had substitutes – which is always handy.

Might not look likely but Jambo won this header

Once underway, KPR were all over the visitors and could have had three goals a breathless first five minutes. Courage had the first chance but hit the crossbar. Mikey, playing his hundredth game for the club, then hit the keeper with the second after being brilliantly put through by Dougal, whereas my inability to keep notes as fast as the play leaves the third as ‘shot blocked’.

The frenetic pace was embodied by Courage who was at the heart of everything and he helped create a further chance that produced a very good reaction safe from the opposition keeper before Reece blasted the rebound into the neighbouring school.

Dan on the front foot

The chances kept coming with Jambo having a header deflected wide of the goal from a corner, and Mikey would have opened the scoring were it not for a very very dubious offside flag. But, such was the pressure, the damn inevitably broke after Courage played the ball forward from midfield to Mikey at the edge of the box. While the ball ran behind him to be, it seemed, easily swept up by the defender Kiyanu outstripped him to the ball and slotted it under the keeper at the farm corner. A cracking goal and no less than KPR deserved.

KPR should have scored again, but Courage was so omnipresent he was even assisting the visitors in deflecting a goal bound shot off his back. Accordingly, the naughty challenge he suffered was a funny way of showing gratitude and the referee was quick to brandish a yellow card upon seeing Courage’s gashed shin that he’d have likely avoided had his shin pad been larger than a credit card. 

Rory was one of many excellent performers on the day

After some very rudimentary first aid from manager Gary, Courage lived up to his name and bravely returned to the fray. Even on one leg he was a handful and he forced a great save out of the keeper before scoring a well deserved goal following a scramble in the box from the resulting corner. 

Incredibly, Courage had it in the net again after a great run from Joe but was denied by an offside flag. Poor courage then got a whack in the face. And the bad luck continued as first Crouchy and then Sam had headers blocked or go over from close range although this was easily cancelled out by the referee who harshly denied the visitors a penalty.

The second half saw KPR continue in the same manner of the first. And yet, as much as they dominated and had two good chances, a case of ‘too many cooks’ in defence saw the visitors score with a well struck effort into the roof of the net. 

Kiyanu proved a real handful

Unlike last week KPR were able to bounce back almost immediately as a visiting defender found a whipped in Mikey free kick too hot to handle and deflected it into his own goal. Dominance restored KPR really started to enjoy themselves and Crouchy nodded in a Dan Way corner – his fourth goal in two games – at the far post.

Already entertaining, the game now resembled a boxing match with both teams exchanging blows. One was inevitably going to land and it fell to the visitors with a well delivered cross and even better placed header beyond Nik in goal.

Further blows followed and it was only right the last word went to KPR after substitute Jethrow collected the ball up at the half way line. As much as the defender tried to hold him back by pulling his shirt, Jethrow shrugged off the challenge and, once in the box, beat another defender before being felled by the original player.

Wouldn’t recommend the Amstel

A big cheer from the supporters signified the match was safe even before the penalty was slotted home by fellow sub Luke just before the referee ended what was a very successful afternoon for the club. With the ressies pulling off an excellent victory away to Hambledon, the beers down the King’s Head (no Courage Best sadly) were sweeter than usual unless – as bar manager El Boy and Chairman Crouch snr’s expressions suggest – you were drinking Amstel. Cheers!

 


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