Surrey Elite Intermediate League

AFC Cubo 3-2 Virginia Water FC

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Date: Saturday 10th March, 2012

Starting Line-up: Neil Clark,  Bobby Sadler, Jonny Patterson, Hung, Oli Watkins, Goughy, Ben McGeown, Tom Hooper, Chris Gray, Andrew Noble, Jacko

Subs: Daunter, Sabby, Ryan Shedwick

A combination of the rugby club using the pitch to train on and the ever diligent Barn Elms ground staff meant that pitch 7 was in a dire state, making the prospect of a free-flowing game highly unlikely.  Virginia Waters came into this game with a much-changed line-up to that which suffered a heavy defeat in the opening day fixture between these two sides and the improvement was visible from the off.

With the surface already making it difficult to get the ball under control, the energetic pressing of the Waters midfield was doing a great job of forcing Cubo to give possession away cheaply.  Despite their shaky start Cubo found themselves infront after 15 minutes when Jacko was released down the left-hand channel before beating his man and finish across the keeper from the tightest of angles.  1-0 Cubo.

Undeterred by this Waters continued to look dangerous and it was no surprise when they equalised.  A diagonal ball into the box caused confusion in the defence and the ball dropped to the Waters striker who had a simple tap-in.  1-1.  With frustration mounting in the Cubo ranks at some of the wayward passing Waters pressed home their advantage.  A free kick on the right hand touchline was clipped into the six yard box where the onrushing midfielder showed good desire to beat Pogo to the ball (much like Pistol Pete did so often in the 1’s vs 2’s pre-season friendly) and power past Clarkey.  2-1 Virginia Waters.

A disjointed first half display by the Baby Blue Army should really have been punished further when a Cubo corner broke to Waters who found themselves with a 4 on 2 breakaway.  Luckily for Cubo the opportunity was wasted and they came in at half time only a goal down.

The half time break appeared to revitalise Cubo who started the second half with far greater purpose.  Aided by attacking the half of the pitch which hadn’t been rucked to oblivion by egg-chasing chubsters, Cubo looked more assured in possession and scored from virtually their first attack.   Having led the line impressively for the first half Andrew Noble carried the ball into the Waters box, powering past two challenges before slipping the ball to Jacko who just beat the keeper to the punch to toe-poke his finish in at the near post.  2-2.

With the momentum behind them Cubo pressed on for the winner, with Bobby Sadler enjoying some swashbuckling runs into the opposition half from his right wing back position.  The home side were finally rewarded when with 5 minutes to go Chrissy Gray’s overhit free kick caught the Waters keeper off guard, who could only watch as the ball sailed over his head, clipping the bar on its way into the back of the net.  3-2 Cubo.  There was still time for Waters to almost nick a point when a well struck free kick flew just wide of the post but the angriest man in football Neil Clark appeared to have it well covered in the Cubo goal.

A hard earned 3 points for Cubo against a vastly improved Virginia Waters.  The energy of the Waters side made life very difficult for Cubo who had to wait until the playing surface improved in the second half before they were able to exert any kind of sustained pressure.  A fair result on the balance of play and one which keeps Cubo’s hopes of a 3rd place finish alive.

Goals: Jacko (2), Chrissy Gray

Man of the Match: Jacko

Match Report: Benny Mac

Weston Green Sports 0-2 AFC Cubo

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Date: Saturday 3rd March 2012, 3pm KO

Venue: Weston Green Sports Ground

Starting Line-up: Gary Stewart, Oli Watkins (c), Goughy, Joe Darlington, Hung Nguyen, Jonny Patterson, Tom Hooper, Ben McGeown, Ryan Shedwick, Chris Gray, Paul Every

Subs: Jacko, Bobby Sadler, Mark Bradley

Cubo’s long-standing relationship with Weston dates back to their time together in Division Two of the Surrey South Eastern Combination.  During this time they have been lucky enough to see the development of Weston from a slightly narky team with a ridiculous manager into the mentally unhinged side with a ridiculous manger that they are today.  The first fixture between these sides in the 2011/12 season ended 1-1, though the real highlight was the performance of the referee.  Having shamelessly penalised Weston for most of the fouls they committed, which included two yellows for their star striker (one for a deliberate stamp), he then had the arrogance to take offence at a sustained volley of abuse from the Weston manager, sending him off as well.  Outrageous behaviour.  Whilst Weston went home with only a point that day, they can be proud of having bossed the disciplinary stakes, ending the game having collected 3 red cards and 5 yellows.   If this was Scottish football, technically they would have won the game.

Cubo were able to name a strong line-up with skipper Watkins, Joey D and Goughy forming a formidable back three, supported out-wide by the athleticism of Hung and the random chat tekkers of J-Pat.  Following an impressive performance last week, midfield schemer Tom ‘Hoops’ Hooper retained his place in midfield alongside a panda-eyed Benny Mac.  The long term absence of Northy and Billy has left Cubo without a natural ‘’Ooohh, that’s a bit late…’’ player in the middle of the park but the return of yellow card magnet Ryan Shedwick to the starting line-up after a 4 month lay-off goes a long way to filling this gap.  With Simon Daunter busy hurling his not inconsiderable bulk down the slopes somewhere in the Alps, and Noble busy playing with kids in Oxfordshire, Cubo looked to the slightly less physically imposing pairing of Chrissy Gray and Paul Every for the goals to secure another 3 points at WGS.

As with all fixtures between these sides the pace from the off was frenetic.  The early morning rain had not done enough to soften the bobbly nature of the pitch and this made passing, particularly in the centre of the pitch difficult.  A combination of Weston’s aggressive pressing of the ball and the untrustworthy surface meant that Cubo were struggling to move the ball around with any confidence and were guilty of giving the ball away cheaply through the first half.  Whilst they were withouth their two main goal threats, S. Wright and M. Nash, Weston had managed to call upon a couple of decent replacements, and the number 10 in particular looked like a handful whenever the ball reached his feet.  The first chance of the game fell to the home team when Cubo failed to clear their lines and a diagonal ball into the box was toe poked wide by the Weston midfielder who will be disappointed not to have scored.

Any football Cubo did play was coming down their left hand side where Pogo, Ryan and Every were combining to good effect, though in truth Cubo were struggling to get men up in support of their front pairing and Weston’s defence were relatively comfortable.  Cubo’s first chance fell to Ryan on the edge of the box but he was unable to keep his volley down, instead choosing to launch the ball back towards Barn Elms where it has been added to the Cubo stash.  Next up came a chance for Paul Every, who with the ball falling to him on his left boot in the box was unable to keep his effort down.  A tense first half for both teams with little football on display.

Half Time: Weston Green Sports 0-0 AFC Cubo

A slow start to the second half by Cubo saw Weston immediately win a corner and the first ten minutes were marked by the home side being on the front foot.  They should have taken the lead shortly afterwards when a Cubo corner (which Hoops took off of Goughy’s head when he looked in a prime position to score…) was cleared hopefully forward releasing the Weston number 10.  Beating Joey D in a foot race he cut inside the box only to see his effort blocked by a great save by Gary Stewart.  The danger wasn’t over though with the rebound falling to the supporting Weston midfielder, who could only watch as his first time effort rose just enough to clip the bar of the empty goal.  A big let off for Cubo.

With Ryan showing signs of tiring following a long spell out Jacko was introduced to the fold and had an almost immediate impact.  With another man to play off the shoulder of the suspect Weston defence, and Chrissy moved back to a more familiar role Cubo immediately looked more threatening and had the lead within 5 minutes.  Nice interchange between Chris and Jacko saw the big lad secure a lucky bounce off a challenge before opeing up his body and curling a sumptuous finish into the top (ish) corner.  With their noses in front it was Cubo who now looked like the more dangerous side.

The introduction of Bradders and Sadler added some steel in the middle of the pitch and some energy out wide but despite this and some stout defending from Watkins, Gough and Darlo, luck still had a part to play in keeping the home side at bay.  A corner was only partially cleared before being whipped back in to the far post where a Weston header was tipped onto the underside of the bar by Australia bound keeper Gary Stewart.  The keepers return to form following a difficult start to life in the Surrey Elite has been a real boon for the Baby Blue Army and he will be sorely missed in the coming weeks.  However this was no backs to the wall job, Cubo continued to look dangerous and able to play quite a bit of football in the Weston half.  Firstly, a break down the left saw Ben McGeown flash a ball across the face of the goal which was crying out to be finished before Chrissy Gray popped up with a superb winner.  Picking the ball up on the right touchline, he nut-megged his marker from about 3 yards away before carrying the ball into the area, dancing round another defender and finishing beneath the onrushing keeper to put the game to bed.  2-0 Cubo.

With less than 10 minutes to go Weston knew they were beaten and despite a couple of hopeful punts into the box which ping-ponged around a bit, Gaz was never forced into a save.  In the closing minutes, the Weston centre half managed to get himself sent off for a second booking, ensuring that even in defeat Weston will never be bettered in the collection of bookings.

Despite Weston fielding a slightly weakened line-up this was a superb win for the Cubans, who will no doubt take extra pleasure in the result given the historic rivalry between these two clubs.  Two wins in two weeks against sides in and around them in the league has given Cubo an excellent chance of securing 3rd place, maintaining the momentum over the next couple of weeks will be key.

Final Score: Weston Green Sports 0-2 AFC Cubo

Goals: Jacko, Chrissy Gray

MOTM: Ben McGeown

Match Report: Benny Mac

AFC Cubo 2-2 Abbey Rangers

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Date: Saturday 7th January 2012

Starting Line-up: Gaz Stewart, Eddy Jackson, Goughy, Rob Sadler, Tom Hooper, James McGeown, Mark Bradley, J-Patterson, Ben McGeown, Andrew Noble, Simon Daunter

Subs: Chris Gray, Oli Watkins

Cubo started the New Year sitting in a very respectable 2nd place in the league (albeit having played quite a few games more than most of the sides around them in the league) and looked to continue their good form against mid-table Abbey Rangers.  The first fixture between these sides had ended 0-0 after a very even game which saw Cubo produce their best 45 minutes of football of the season in the first half before falling away in the second half where the home side probably felt they should have nicked it.  With skipper Oli Watkins returning from his mid-season vitamin D boosting session in Australia and Chrissy Gray getting a rare respite from babysitting duty Cubo were able to name a very strong bench.

With the pitch showing signs of wear and tear following the mickey mouse kickabout that the groundstaff had scheduled prior to Cubo’s game, a game of passing football was never going to materialise.  The early exchanges were testament to this as both sides struggled to get the ball down on the bumpy and sticky surface.  The first chance fell to the home side when Noble broke through a tackle to leave himself clean through on goal.  The Rangers keeper did well to get off his line to block Noble’s effort but the ball span up nicely for Ben McGeown though his blocked volley was never on target.  His subsequent efforts to pick up the loose ball led to him picking up a dead leg which he never recovered from and saw him replaced by Chrissy Gray after 25 minutes.

The change coincided with Cubo’s best patch of the game.  Having struggled to get the ball down on the deck in the opening period J-Pat and Bradders were beginning to find their range spreading the ball to Jim and Hooper on the flanks.  The first goal came soon afterwards when J-Pat picked out Daunter on the right touchline, who beat his man before delivering a peach of a cross to the back stick where Noble was at full stretch to direct his header past the Rangers keeper to make it 1-0 Cubo.

With their tails up Cubo added a second soon after, more good work down the right side involving Sadler and Hooper led to Chrissy Gray putting in a block which put Noble clean through on goal.  The big man made no mistake this time round, slotting his finish beneath the onrushing keeper, 2-0 Cubo.  The home side continued to dictate affairs with James and Hoops able to get forward with good effect.  The only threat to the home side appeared to be the Rangers keepers wind assisted kicks which were causing Cubo issues, leading to a couple of hairy incidents.  That being said, aside from some good takes from corners, Gaz Stewart had remained relatively untested in the first half, though unfortunately he was picking the ball out of his own net with the half time whistle approaching.  A well worked move by Rangers saw Cubo’s backline pulled out of position and a nicely weighted pass released their striker who steered his finish past Gaz to give Rangers the ideal fillip before half time.

The goal changed the dynamic of the game completely as Rangers emerged in the second half reinvigorated, whereas the home side looked a pale imitation of the side who had raced into a 2 goal lead.  With the festive period appearing to catch up on some of the Baby Blue Army the game was becoming increasingly stretched, leaving Noble and Daunter isolated up front and creating plenty of space for Rangers to play in.  Rangers were pushing their full backs on to good effect and the space being afforded to their big centre midfielder was allowing him to dictate affairs.

Cubo were playing a dangerous game and almost paid the price for it when the ball broke to a Rangers player whose effort had Gaz but not the post beaten.  With the away side pouring forward there were chances for Cubo to put the game to bed but time and again the ball was given away cheaply.  The introduction of Watkins to the backline helped to steady the ship, the skipper making his first touch a real statement of intent – going straight through the Rangers striker.  Despite this Cubo’s inability to hold on to the ball meant that the ball was continually coming back at the backline who were not being given the time to get out of their own third.

The goal had an air of inevitability about it when it came and was symptomatic of the second half.  Possession was given away cheaply allowing Rangers to work the ball into the box, and with Cubo failing to clear their lines Rangers levelled the score with a minute left on the watch.

A fair result overall given Rangers dominance of the second half.  Whilst the pitch made playing football difficult Rangers showed in the second half that it was possible to look after possession and Cubo will need to learn to protect leads better than that if they have any intention of maintaining their league position.  Despite the disappointment at throwing away a two goal lead, especially given the timing of the equiliser, there were some positives for the home side, particularly in the 20 minute period before half time where they looked threatening every time they got the ball down and they will hope to produce this in greater spells in next weeks fixture against in-form Reigate Priory.

Final Score: AFC Cubo 2 -2 Abbey Rangers

Goals: Noble (2)

Man of the Match: Noble

Match Report: Benny Mac

AFC Cubo 2-0 Coulsdon Town

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Date: Saturday 3rd December, 2011

Starting Line-Up: Gaz Stewart, J-Pat, Sutton, Ben McG, Goughy, Joe Diamond, Northy, Bradders, Daunter, Every, Noble

Subs: Chris Gray, Eddy Jackson

Cubo entered this fixture on the back of a perfect November, and were looking to notch up their sixth win on the spin against a side who had given them a 3-0 tonking back in August.  Despite looking like title contenders on that day Coulsdon have enjoyed mixed fortunes since, suffering 5 defeats in a row shortly afterwards which has left them languishing in mid table.  However the previous week had seen them record an impressive 3-1 victory over table toppers Epsom Athletic in the Cup, the only defeat they have suffered so far this season.  The absence of skipper Oli Watkins and Hung Nguyen meant that Joe Diamond came in at centre half, with Ben McGeown stepping in at sweeper to inject a much needed dash of style and panache to the Cubo backline.  With last week’s two goal hero MTM out injured, club beefcake Andrew Noble made a first start since his injury and Chris Gray made it on to the bench.

In the pre-game chat the focus was on stopping the ball into the big Coulsdon no.10 and pressuring the Coulsdon backline when they were in possession.  The first 20 minutes saw Cubo implement this very effectively with Noble, Daunter and Every doing a great job harrying the Coulsdon back four, who were being forced into rushed clearances, which often gave Cubo possession of the ball in their opponents half.  At the other end Goughy was doing a great job on the no.10, preventing him from bringing any of the supporting runners from midfield into the game, whilst Joey D was ensuring the number 9 would have more impact with the stuff he was doing off the ball than anything he did with it.  Despite having the better of the early exchanges Cubo were served a reminder of the danger of any lapses in concentration when Ben McG was caught out of position and a cross into the box was nodded down by the 10 before being volleyed high over the bar by his strike partner.  A let off of sorts though, given his later heroics it would have had to be some strike to beat Gaz.

Cubo’s pressure was beginning to tell with only a superb block in the area preventing Northy from opening the scoring after a goalmouth scramble.  Cubo’s ability to keep the ball in the danger zone finally payed off when great pressure from Every and Northy led to the blonde bombshell tackling his man in the box, sending the ball flying past the keeper to make it 1-0 Cubo.  A well deserved lead for the boys in baby blue, who continued to look the side more likely to score with Goughy putting a header wide from a long throw.  As the half time whistle approached Cubo’s hitherto solidity started to look a little fragile with the Coulsdon right backs ability to get forward causing them issues.  As was the case last week, Cubo were given some practice defending corners and as with last week they stood up to the test, more impressive perhaps given Coulsdon’s aerial prowess.

The second half continued along much the same lines as the first with Cubo working hard to prevent their opponents from having any time on the ball, particularly in the middle of the park where Northy and Bradders were fighting a real battle of attrition against their opposing centre midfielders, and winning it.  With Coulsdon pressing and Cubo increasingly sitting deeper in their own half, Coulsdon thought they had drawn level when a shot from the edge of the box appeared destined for the top corner, only to be palmed over the bar by Gaz.  Fine save though that was he then made two even better ones.  The first saw him diving low to his left to stop a header, and, with two strikers bearing down on him for the rebound, somehow getting a big enough hand to it to bat it over their heads to safety….or so he thought until Ben McG shanked his clearance back towards the goal.  Managing to regain his feet and hurl himself across the grass he again got a big enough hand to the ball to push it away where it was cleared properly this time.  A lucky escape for goal shy McGeown.

Having seen a combination of skill and luck keep them in the lead at one end Cubo promptly went up the other end and took the game away from Coulsdon.  Chris Gray had only recently come onto the pitch, making his first appearance in six weeks, when he picked up the ball and released Noble who beat the offside trap and lobbed the keeper to make it 2-0 Cubo.  With Coulsdon bringing on another striker it was backs to the wall stuff for the home side who were forced into a couple of goal line clearances, most notably when Joey D put in a ‘For the Cameras’ diving header to put a goalbound (was it really Joe??) effort wide.  At the other end gaps were emerging and Cubo really should have added a third given the space available, though they were let down by some poor decision making.

A great win for the Baby Blue Army, making amends for the heavy defeat they suffered early in the season.  Coulsdon are a strong side who will no doubt be in the shake up at the end of the season.  Credit must go to an excellent defensive performance from all involved, the front men showed excellent work rate to pressure the Coulsdon backline, the midfield may only have passed to each other once all game but ensured that they kept their opposite numbers quiet, whilst Joey D and Goughy were uncompromising at the back.

Final Score: AFC Cubo 2 Coulsdon Town FC 0

Scorers: Northy, Noble

Man of the Match: Gaz Stewart – 3 superb saves at a crucial juncture of the game, ensuring Cubo could celebrate another 3 points.

Match Report: Benny Mac

Oxted & District 2-5 AFC Cubo

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Date: Saturday 26th November, 2011

Starting Line-up: Neil Clark, Rob Sadler, Mark Sutton, Oli Watkins, Richard Gough, Hung Nguyen, Michael North, Ben McGeown, Paul Every, Michael Neal, Simon Daunter

Sub: Andrew Noble

Cubo’s tour of the lovely county that is Surrey continued with a trip out to leafy Oxted, where they were looking to extend their winning run to 5 games.  With only one change to side that secured a hard-fought victory over Tooting Bec this was the most settled side Cubo have been able to name in many weeks.  Despite this, Cubo were sloppy out of the blocks and it was the home side who took the early initiative winning a series of corners which kept Cubo penned in their own box.  With the pressure building it was only a matter of time before Cubo paid the price for their slow start.  Making a rare return to his own box to defend another Oxted corner, Daunter won a good challenge before his overly ambitious attempt to use his next touch to beat two men led to him hauling down the Oxted man for an obvious penalty.  Instead of finding themselves (deservedly) a goal down, Cubo had penalty saving beast Neil Clark to thank for adding another save to his CV, throwing himself to his left and then snaffling the rebound as well.

The penalty was perhaps the shot in the arm that the Baby Blue Army needed as they immediately went up the other end and scored.  The ball was sprayed out to Sutton on the left touchline whose cross into the infamous ‘corridor of uncertainty’ made its way all the way to the back post where MTM controlled well before firing past the keeper.  1-0 Cubo.  A second was added shortly after when great pressure by Every saw him block the Oxted keepers clearance before squaring to Sutton, steaming in from the left, and he fired an excellent finish in at the near post.  2-0 Cubo.

From being on the ropes for a majority of the half Cubo found themselves two goals to the good and the confidence from this allowed the away side to finally start playing some football.  However they couldn’t quite shake the early sloppiness and this was evident when they failed to clear their lines from a long clearance and the Oxted hooked a speculative volley from the edge of the box over the stranded Clarkie to make it 2-1.  As with Cubo’s goals Oxted’s came in quick succession.  A massive punt from the Oxted keeper sailed to the edge of the Cubo box where the big centre forward flicked a header over Clarkie who again was left stranded on his six yard line.  2-2.

In the space of a couple of minutes Cubo’s two goal cushion had been wiped out though encouragingly they had, in the same period, finally begun to play some football.  The backline were moving the ball with increasing confidence, and providing Oxted headaches with their ability to build attacks for Cubo, no more so than when Goughy carried the ball 40 yards before seeing his pot shot fly over the bar.  Cubo were rewarded for their efforts just before half time when Every picked the ball up on the edge of the box and fired in low off the post to give Cubo the lead going in at half time.  3-2 Cubo.

Emerging for the second half a goal to the good, knowing they had weathered a tough first 45 minutes clearly gave Cubo confidence as they began to look like the dominant side.  A neat move down the right hand side saw MTM slip a pass in behind the Oxted defence and Every was hauled down by the Oxted keeper.  Daunter stepped up and slotted away his penalty with trademark confidence.  4-2 Cubo.  Oxted came back strongly but Clarkie was rarely forced into action with the big striker shackled well by Goughy.  Cubo continued to look dangerous on the break with Sutton nearly adding to his tally if only he’d been able to keep his finish down.  The game was finally killed off when Northy’s great strike from outside the box struck the post and fell to the ever predatory MTM who added his second of the day.  5-2 Cubo.

Final Score: Oxted & District 2-5 AFC Cubo

Goals: MTM 2, Sutton, Every, Daunter

Man of the Match: Daunter / Every

Another good win for Cubo which sees them rise to 3rd in the table, albeit having played quite a few more games than some of the sides around them.  Strong displays by the front men complimented a defensive shape that is benefitting from consistent selection and the return of some important players all bode well for the season ahead.

Match Report: Benny Mac

Tooting Bec 1-2 AFC Cubo

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Date: Sat 19th Nov 2011, 2pm KO

Venue: Raynes Park Sports Ground

Starting Line-up: Neil Clark, Bobby Sadler, Mark Sutton, Oli Watkins (c), Richard Gough, Hung, Ben McGeown, Mark ‘Gunners till I die’ Bradley, MTM, Paul Every, Simon Daunter

Sub: Michael North

A gloriously crisp autumnal day set the scene for Cubo’s league fixture against their local rivals and cup conquerors Tooting Bec.  The day was brightened further by the arrival of the new merchandise (most of it anyway…), which was met with solemn nods of approval from all in the changing room.  The return of newly RIP’d keeper Clarky meant that Cubo were able to name an established keeper for the first time in a month, a source of confidence despite the sterling work of Sutton and Ben McG in recent weeks.  With Every making a first start since his injury and Northy making a brief appearance in the country between holidays, the squad had a strong look about it on paper.

Tooting had shown in the first fixture between these two sides that they were a very capable footballing side and they started the game in a similar fashion with the fluidity of their midfield causing Cubo particular problems.  With the home side outnumbering Cubo in the key areas of the pitch and finding space at will a tactical change was called for.  Going man for man Cubo were able to apply greater pressure on Tooting’s backline with positive results.  Cubo’s greatest source of joy was down their right side where Sadler was seeing more of the ball than most, unfortunately they were unable to provide the quality in the box to really punish Tooting.  A well worked move saw Daunter released out wide but again his cross was easily dealt with by the Bec keeper.

At the other end Tooting continued to look dangerous with the big Bec targetman drawing a number of free kicks in dangerous positions which saw a succession of crosses being delivered into the Cubo box.  It was only thanks to some stout defending that the game remained goal-less, with the Cubo backline showing the kind of determination not to concede that characterised last season.  In a half high on tension but low on quality, Cubo thought they had taken the lead when MTM flicked the ball through to Every whose lob appeared to hit the back of the net.  Unfortunately the ripple of the net was caused by the back tracking defender with the ball bouncing just over.  Coming in at half time Cubo could be encouraged by the fact that despite the dodgy start, where they were in fairness given the run around at times, the change of shape had had a positive effect and the increased pressure on the Bec backline showed they were likely to give up chances.

Cubo made an immediately positive start to the second half by winning a corner on the right hand side.  Sutton’s delivery when given the opportunity in the first half had been of a high quality and this one was no different, giving Daunter a great opportunity to attack the ball.  An easy finish was only prevented by the Bec keeper who bravely came out to collect at the expense of a clattering by Cubo’s answer to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  Clearly fazed by the challenge the keeper was not right afterwards, having to forgo his goal kicks to a team-mate and this may have played a part in what was to come.  Soon afterwards the high pressure tactics paid dividends when Bradley forced the Bec defender into an error which saw the ball drop to Every in the box and he fired past the keeper, who perhaps could have done better, to make it 1-0 Cubo.  A fortunate goal but one which recognised the shift in the games momentum.

The goal had the effect of galvanising both teams with the game taking on a cup tie feel as the ball shifted from end to end.  Cubo appeared to be going for the second goal which would probably tie the game up but at the same time leaving themselves open to conceding at the other end.  They were thankful to Clarkey when a long ball released the Bec striker clean through on goal but his effort was well saved by the Cubo keeper.  In an effort to settle the game down Northy was introduced in the centre of the park, making an immediate impact with a massive header from a goal kick that rocketed straight back to the keeper.  His second touch was just as decisive, clearing the Bec right backs legs from under him as attacked a cross into the box.  The ref had no hesitation in awarding the penalty.  Clarky has shown his penalty saving tekkers on numerous occasions in the past and was inches away from adding to the list of spot kick saves but could only get fingertips on the ball as it beat him to his right hand side. 1-1.

With the home side galvanised by the equiliser and having the benefit of shooting downhill the odds appeared to be on them going on to win the game.  However the high line that Every had exposed in the first half was their downfall again as Northy picked the ball up in the middle of the park before releasing MTM in the right hand channel and he made no mistake with a low finish across the keeper and into the corner.  2-1 Cubo.  With 20 minutes still to play and signs of fatigue throughout the side it was clearly going to be a tough final stretch for the Baby Blue Army.  The cause wasn’t helped by Cubo’s inability to hold onto the ball when they got hold of it which meant that their backline faced a fairly constant stream of pressure.  Whilst the quality may have been lacking there was nothing to fault in the work-rate with Every, Sutton and Bradley putting in outstanding shifts to stop Bec building attacks of any quality.  With Watkins, Hung and Goughy again excelling at the back Cubo were able to see out the final period to secure another 3 points.

Final Score: Tooting Bec 1-2 AFC Cubo

Goals: Every, MTM

Man of the Match: Paul Every (notable mention to Sutton who missed out on MOTM by one vote having made the schoolboy error of voting for his closest rival, only to see Every then place his vote with a non-contender).

A great win for Cubo who were made to put in a real shift by their opponents, whose position in the table does not reflect the talent in their ranks.  Some stoic defending from Cubo was complemented by a real cutting edge up front that allowed them to nick two goals from two of the limited clear cut chances they were able to create.  Another encouraging performance, particularly given the problems Tooting caused Cubo in the first 15 minutes, the ability to adapt to a side playing with a fluid shape will serve Cubo well later in the season.

Match Report: Benny Mac

AFC Cubo 6-0 Farnborough North End

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Date: Sat 12th November 2011, 2pm KO

Starting Line-up: Ben McG, Oli Watkins, Hung, Goughy, Sadler, J-Pat, Bradders, Hooper, Ryan, MTM, Daunter

Sub: Every

Following 2 weeks on the road Cubo returned to Barn Elms with a spring in their step having taken 6 points from those fixtures, most notably the hard fought win over Crescent Rovers last week.  The starting line up was juggled once again with skipper Oli Watkins returning to the starting line up and J-Pat pushed into the centre of the park to cover for Ben McG, who was donning the gloves for a second time this season.  Cubo have struggled at home so far this season, though not quite as much as their opponents have in the league.  Farnborough North End were member of the Combined Counties as recently as last season but they have obviously fallen on hard times as their league position testifies.

The first fixture between the sides saw Cubo run out comfortable winners and the initial phases of the game suggested that this would be the case once again.  FNE’s line up had a very youthful look to it and Cubo’s physical dominance would be a feature of the game with some strong challenges early on setting the tone.  The first goal did not take long to come.  With the FNE keeper straying from his line to clear a through ball, Daunter showed great composure to volley the clearance back into the empty net.  1-0 Cubo and another difficult finish made to look easy by the big frontman whose return to the Baby Blue Army has played a big part in the recent upturn in form.

A relatively flat period followed with Cubo unable to put together any passing moves that really hurt their opponents.  However with Bradders and J-Pat starting to click in the centre of the park, the home side were increasingly able to bring their wide men, particularly Hoops into the game.  A second goal was added on the half hour mark when MTM showed the elusiveness that has been a highlight of his career to lose his marker in the box and expertly volley home with the outside of his boot.  2-0 Cubo.

The home side then effectively put the nail in the coffin by scoring a third before the end of the half when MTM rounded the keeper to fire home for his second of the game.  3-0 Cubo.  The half time team talk focused on maintaining discipline and getting more from the game.  Whether it was the team talk or, as is more likely, a dig from his brother about a lack of goals, Goughy showed exactly the kind of ruthlessness that Cubo were looking for when he bullied the ball over the line from a Daunter throw.  4-0 Cubo and another goal for the prolific centre half, who is more than making up for the reluctance of his regular centre half partner to score any goals whatsoever (Goughy 5 goals, Watkins 0 goals….).

Credit goes to FNE who continued to make a game of it, albeit without threatening the Cubo goal.  MTM added a fifth to complete his hat-trick before Every, returning from a troublesome hamstring injury, came off the bench to score the sixth, and final, goal of the game.

Final score: AFC Cubo 6-0 Farnborough North End

Goals: Daunter, MTM 3, Goughy, Every

Man of the Match: MTM

A solid performance from the Baby Blue Army who made it 3 wins from 3, lifting them to 4th in the table.  The return of a goal threat to the Cubo line up in the form of Daunter and MTM has contributed massively to Cubo’s recent results, and this will be only be strengthened further by Every’s return to fitness.  Cubo will be looking to maintain their perfect November in next week’s local derby against Tooting Bec who booted them out of the Cup last month.  A special mention should also go to Ryan for heroically managing not to get booked for at least one week, will the plucky Northerner be able to make it an unprecedented 2 weeks without attracting the attention of the Surrey Elite refereeing fraternity?!?! Only time will tell, though if I was a bookie I would not be taking bets on it……

Match Report: Benny Mac

Crescent Rovers 2-3 AFC Cubo

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Date: Sat 5th November 2011, 2pm KO

Venue: Wallington Sports & Social Club

Starting line-up: Jacko, Hung, Gough, Sadler, Hoops, Pogo, Ben M, Bradders, Ryan S, Daunter, MTM

Sub: Trev Moody

A recent report revealed that rugby clubs expect 25% of their squad to be missing due to injury at any given point in the season.  Obviously rugby clubs haven’t factored in accountancy exams and girlfriends needing to be taken to their first firework show in London (no names on that one – Joe ‘Diamond’ Darlington), otherwise this figure would have been significantly higher.  Still, at least we don’t have to deal with a load of flip flop, Jack Wills wearing posh boys p1ssing off to go skiing in the New Year….

With 10 players out and no regular keepers available Cubo were once again forced to juggle resources to get a full team out.  Jacko stepped in nets (the 3rd ‘outfield’ player to do so in the last 3 weeks) whilst Bradders, Trev and Hoops were brought into what was still a strong squad.

The change of fixture meant that Cubo faced the side that had comfortably beaten them 3-1 a few weeks ago back at Barn Elms.  If they were to get a result this time, much would depend on how quickly the new backline of Hung, Goughy and Sadler were able to gel as a unit.

Starting the half with the slope in their favour Cubo made the brighter start with the excellent playing surface facilitating some slick passing interplay that immediately saw Ben McG released in space outside the Rovers box, though his shot was too central to seriously test the keeper.  With both Daunter and MTM holding the ball up well Cubo’s midfield were being given the time to get forward and it was clear Rovers were struggling to pick the runners from midfield.

The first real chance of the game came when Goughy’s slide-rule pass bisected the centre of the Rovers defence, releasing MTM through on goal.  The Taff Target Man’s left foot snapshot looked goal bound as it flew high to the keeper’s right but somehow he managed to push it wide with an acrobatic save.  The pressure was mounting and Cubo got the goal they deserved when J-Pat put in a great corner which Goughy forced home for his third of the season.  1-0 Cubo.  Given the fitness regimes employed by some of the side it was inevitable that the Boys in Baby Blue wouldn’t be able to maintain the pace they had set in the first 20 minutes and so it proved.

A deterioration in the quality of passing and the work off the ball, which had been so impressive, slowed the more the home side began to dominate affairs.  Rovers right back was doing a passable impression of Cafu with his over-lapping runs and most of the danger was coming from his ability to create an overlap on Cubo’s left hand side.  The manner of the goal when it came was extremely disappointing from a Cubo perspective.  A rare decision to penalise a player for unsportsmanlike behaviour (Daunter screaming his name for the ball whilst 5 yards away from it) saw numerous Cubans preferring to argue the toss with the ref rather than get themselves organised defensively and this allowed Rovers to move the ball into the box where a rash challenge by Goughy gave the ref an easy decision to make.  The resultant penalty was stroked away confidently to bring the scores level.

Cubo continued to play the better football with J-Pat in particular looking dangerous whenever the ball reached him on the left.  A succession of crosses were well defended by the Rovers backline.  Just as Cubo looked like reasserting themselves they found themselves 2-1 down.  A lucky break from a deflection saw the Rovers right winger gifted the ball inside the Cubo box.  He composed himself well to cut inside a couple of desperate challenges before slotting home.  2-1 Crescent Rovers.

Coming in at half time Cubo had every right to feel aggrieved to find themselves behind in a half they had dominated. However as has been the case this season, they had brought most of the pressure on to themselves by giving the ball away sloppily in dangerous areas, a trait which has been punished far more often by the quality in the Surrey Elite.  Despite the scoreline the dressing room was confident that on the first half showing they had enough in the tank to go on and win this game.  The half time bravado was soon put back in its box when Rovers immediately won a free kick in a dangerous area outside the box, which Cubo only survived with some desperate defending.  Definitely not the start the gaffer was hoping for!

In a stark turnaround it was Rovers who were playing all of the football in the second half with both full backs now pushing on to good effect, stretching the Cubo backline.  Sadler, Gough and Hung were putting in sterling performances at the back but time and again dangerous balls were being delivered into the box and Cubo could consider themselves lucky not to go further behind on a couple of occasions when only wasteful finishing from the home side kept the score down.  The introduction of Trev into the midfield saw Cubo gain a better grip on Rovers marauding full backs and with a better defensive shape were able to put together some attacks of their own.  The first of these saw good link up play between Daunter and Ben McG release MTM through on goal.  Unfortunately for him the Rovers defender managed to make a great recovery tackle just as he was about to pull the trigger to put the ball out for a corner.  However Cubo’s luck was in as from the resulting corner the referee finally penalised the Rovers centre half for the wrestling which he had been guilty of all game and awarded a penalty.  Returning front man Daunter made no mistake with his pen firing high into the net to make it 2-2.  As Cubo had in the first half Rovers appeared to feel aggrieved that despite playing the better football it was they who had conceded.

With Cubo sensing an unlikely 3 points the game became extremely stretched with gaps appearing all over the pitch.  Rovers introduced the big striker who had caused Cubo so many problems at Barnes and he was immediately into the action.  Receiving the ball in the box, the ball appeared to be glued to his feet as he twisted and turned though some desperate defending saw a combination of Pogo and Goughy get the ball clear.

With only a minute on the clock Rovers again worked a good position down the right before the ball was drilled across the six yard box, ricocheting around the goal line it looked certain to end up in the back of the net.  With bodies flying in from every angle it was difficult to see what was going on until Jacko emerged with the ball in his hands.  Superb keeping from the stand in, showing great bravery with the studs flying.  Not content with this he quickly released Hoops who carried the ball forward before laying off to Bradders who in turn played the ball on to Daunter who was clear through in the right hand channel.  With a lack of match practice telling he didn’t have the legs to carry it all the way through, instead holding the ball up on the edge of the box before squaring to the supporting Bradders who curled a sumptuous finish into the top corner to leave the Rovers keeper rooted to the spot.  3-2 Cubo.  A brilliant break-away goal with a brilliant finish from the closet Gooner.

With less than a minute on the clock Cubo thought they had it won but there was still time for a sharp intake of breath as they gave away a cheap free kick 35 yards out on the right. With Rovers sending up their big men and introducing another big man from the bench the stage looked set for an almighty aerial defensive effort from the Cubans.  However, instead of putting the ball in the box the Rovers man bizarrely chose to try an inventive dink over the wall, which he over-hit, allowing Hung to gratefully shepherd out for a goal kick and full time.

Goals: Goughy, Daunter, Bradders

Man of the Match: Bradders

Match Report: Benny Mac

A fine win for the Cubans who made amends for the poor performance in the home fixture. The make-shift back line were impressive throughout and deserve credit for the way they kept their shape in their first game together.  Most pleasing though were the performances of the boys who came into the side, particularly Bradders who not only scored a belting winner but also put in a big shift in the centre of the park.