15.09.07
Man of the match: Daniel Huggins
A warm but windy day saw AFC Corinthians travel to Cookham to face a side that has had the upper hand over them in the past few seasons, and that always provide committed and stern opposition. With John Quinton, Dan Groves, Nick Clarkson and Fin Mulholland all unavailable management Matt and Joff Charters called Ben Ardron into the squad to play at the back with Ian O’Reilly and Richard Cotterill, and named a bench containing three players returning from absence in Jon Simmons, Ben Charters and Dimba Kier. Andrew Taplin was also asked to make his first start in two years following knee surgery.
A fast start saw both teams getting into good positions but fail to threaten the goal. O’Reilly was controlling his defence well and the tireless Joe Charters in midfield was providing excellent protection. John Smith and Dave Hurley, playing their first game together up front were looking sharp, and it was Smith who set an early mark, testing the keeper from just outside the box. After ten minutes the home side started to find their feet and settled into a rhythm of tidy passing and good movement, asking questions of the Whites defence which were largely being answered.
The long throws and high quality crosses were a challenge for this largely new back line, but Jamie Scott in the Corinthians goal was dominating in the air catching and punching the majority. On twenty minutes though a through ball into the box was chased down by the Cookham forward, and although Scott came out and got hands to the ball, he was unable to hold it leaving a tap in to make it 1-0.
Undeterred Corinthians pushed forward in search of an equaliser, and it came on the half-hour when Chris Long was released down the right by Daniel Huggins, who was covering every blade of grass for the cause. Long beat his man and crossed to the back post where Hurley was waiting to volley home into the far corner. 1-1 at half time the management were largely pleased with the commitment shown, but emphasised the need for continued effort and an improvement in possession.
The second half began largely as the first had, with tight midfield play and Cookham dominating the territory and possession. Huggins was unlucky when he headed over from a wonderfully flighted Taplin free-kick, but it was the home side who took the lead when Corinthians failed to close down on the edge of the box and Scott was beaten by a fine effort low into the corner. Again the Whites pushed on and were rewarded for their ambition when Drew Warnke, who along with Huggins had pushed forward from midfield at every opportunity, picked up a ball from Hurley on the edge of the box, beat his man and fired low into the corner.
At this point, with twenty minutes to go it was anyone’s match. Both side were pushing for the winner, and while Cookham were dominating territory Corinthians looked dangerous whenever the attacked. With Scott still dominating in the air and the defence limiting the home side to long-range efforts it was an unfortunate deflection off of the post from a Scott save that rolled into the path of the Cookham forward that gave them the advantage that may have won them the game.
However the Corinthians started to show last season that they have the resilience to play a game right to the end, and it was this that was to show today. With five minutes remaining Hurley refused to give up on a Taplin cross, and his tenacity saw his brought down in the box for a penalty which Long, for the third time in a week, slotted home. Not content with the away point however, Corinthians pushed on and with moments to go a long Scott kick was not cleared and Smith ran onto the ball, drew the keeper and slotted home, giving the Whites a hard fought and very satisfying win against a fine Cookham side.
This will hopefully be the kick-start that the Corinthians season needs. With all teams beating each other a decent run could see a rapid rise in the table, and if a consistent squad can be fielded on a weekly basis then there is certainly the talent and commitment to achieve this.