Topic: The Chorley and Leiston Thread

[TR]

leiston 2 - 3 greys athletic

[Rik]

And that's before the stuffing... 

[TR]

leiston 2 - 3 greys athletic

Posted directly fromm the club 


Attendance 246

Leiston 2 Grays Athletic 2
 
 
 
Two goals in eight minutes from Rhys Henry ensured Leiston fought back from the brink against a good Grays Athletic side. After conceding a first half penalty the Essex side looked to have sealed victory just after the hour with their second goal but Henry's brace in the 77th and 85th minutes ensured both promotion hopefuls gained a point a piece.

 A stunning fight back in the final quarter of the match ensured the Blues snatched a point from the jaws of defeat. Such was Leiston’s fight back it was almost a complete turnaround as Leiston finished very strongly and could have claimed the win. After the torrential rain 24 hours earlier the ground staff had prepared a great surface against the elements. The eagerly awaited fixture kicked off in front of an expectant crowd and the visitors almost stole a first minute lead. Carlos’s cross fell kindly to Crowley whose shot from the left was finger tipped onto the bar from Johnson. Leiston responded well and the lively Henry was starting to cause the visitors problem along with Stone. Leiston just lacked the guile in the final third as they started to pose the questions. But then Grays took the lead against the run of play. Carlos jinxed his way into the box and looked to be running out of play before a clumsy challenge from Saker saw him crash to the ground giving Referee Norcott an easy decision. Agombar, who scored the winner from the spot in the first meeting between the sides, stroked the penalty into the bottom left hand corner. Leiston responded well and should have levelled six minutes later. P Brothers teasing cross picked out the unmarked Head who somehow headed over with the goal at his mercy. The Blues then suffered a setback with the injured Stone forced to leave the pitch with a hamstring injury. Despite the goal deficit Leiston were still playing the better football but went into the break a goal behind. The Blues were out several minutes before Grays for the second half clearly with a sting from Manager Mark Morsley. The opening minutes of the half were even but just after the hour Grays added a second goal that looked to set them on the way to victory. Smy’s pass wide to Henry was intercepted by Flynn with a long clearing tackle that fell kindly to Ryan. He still had a lot to do but under pressure from Jefford and with Johnson advancing he managed to poke home. The goal certainly made the visitors more confident and for the first time in the match they became more vociferous clearly thinking now the game was all but over. A spate of substitutions from the visitors including the strange decision to replace the influential Agombar, slowed the pressure. The home side just needed that little bit of luck to get back into the game and were certainly starting to impose. With thirteen minutes remaining the Blues got the break they needed as they clawed a goal back. Saker’s right wing cross fell to the far side of the box to P Brothers whose cross was swept into the net at the far post by Henry. The goal lifted the supporters and Leiston sensed another goal and it duly arrived eight minutes later. Johnson’s free kick fell to P Brothers who left wing cross was clearly handled by Baker but the ball landed invitingly to Henry who thrashed home from eight yards. It was now bedlam and incredibly the hosts sensed victory. Leiston were clearly ending the stronger and pushed hard for an unlikely win but couldn’t force a late sight of goal and had to settle for a point.
 
 
 
An amazing turnaround especially as it never looked likely to happen but the ‘never say die’ attitude was rewarded. This could be a crucial point in the long scheme of things especially as we went at our best against a decent Grays side.
 
 
 
Leiston: Johnson, Saker, Wardley, Head, Jefford, Calver, Henry, Heath (Driver 58 mins), Stone (Smy 31 mins), Ottley-Gooch, P Brothers. Subs not used: Goldfinch, Munson and Norfolk.
 
 
 
Grays Athletic: Hall, Pope, Sweeney (Small 64 mins), Baker, Ryan, Mugus,  Olima, Cowley (Bunce 72 mins), Flynn, Agombar (Beaney 68 mins), Carlos.
 
 
 
Essex Tarpaulin Man of the Match: Neil Calver

[chorleydave]

Another postponement for Chorley.  Should have been away at Bradford Park Avenue, but the pitch was frozen (apparently).

I tell you, what's up with non-league footballers these days.  I can remember well into the 1980s when the team would join the fans with pickaxes and shovels to clear ice so the game could go ahead.  If you want to read just how bad it's become up here, have a look at this "groundhoppers" blog:

http://wherestheteahut.blogspot.com/

[chorleydave]

Chorley 2 - 3 Kendal.

A good Boxing Day crowd of 1091 saw Chorley produce one of the worse performances for a couple of seasons - in the first half that is.  Conceded three totally avoidable goals in a disastrous forty minute spell and could have been more.  Kendal looked OK while Chorley were woeful.

Two substitutions at the start of the second half saw Chorley dominate for long spells and being rewarded with two goals in reply.  However, it wasn't enough but at least some faith was restored.

[Simon]

 

[sam]

Chorley 2 - 3 Kendal.

A good Boxing Day crowd of 1091 saw Chorley produce one of the worse performances for a couple of seasons - in the first half that is.  Conceded three totally avoidable goals in a disastrous forty minute spell and could have been more.  Kendal looked OK while Chorley were woeful.

Two substitutions at the start of the second half saw Chorley dominate for long spells and being rewarded with two goals in reply.  However, it wasn't enough but at least some faith was restored.

and lots of goals to be fair!

[TR]

Good news as I have been off for the week, boxing day Bonanza against the top team.

Needham Market 0 Leiston 5
 
 
 
Leiston served up a banquet of festive fare with a resounding hammering at leaders Needham Market. After a goal less first half two goals in as many minutes from Gareth Heath and Danny Smy set the tone and further strikes from Luke Hammond and Rhys Henry and an outstanding strike from Danny Smy completed a very good afternoon. Rhys Henry also hit the post and had a goal disallowed as did Nathan Stone as the Blues dominated.

Leiston stunned the Ryman League Division One North leaders Needham Market with a fantastic display to totally overwhelm their hosts. The Blues welcomed back Luke Hammond to the centre of midfield but were missing the injured Stuart Boardley, Mark Goldfinch and Leon Ottley-Gooch. There was certainly going to be some feisty fare with several ex players on show, Harrop and Bradley Barber for Needham with Henry, Smy and Stone for Leiston. Needham kicked off with the wind advantage and started the opening quarter confidently. Johnson and Wright both got themselves in good positions but their finishing was woeful and both chances sailed well wide. The visitors gradually got a foot into proceedings and began to dictate the tempo but the Leiston goal had a let off midway through the first half as Espinoza headed wide Thrower’s left wing cross with the goal at his mercy. Leiston responded with a fine run from Wardley that cut into the Needham rearguard but his finish lacked quality and his shot cleared the bar. Leiston were now certainly playing the better football while Needham’s agenda was to get the ball forward as quick as possible. As a decent half began to close the visitors had a good shout for a penalty as Henry’s cross struck the arm of Wright and then Heath fired over when in sight of goal. But the deadlock was finally broken early in the second half from the industrious Heath. Leiston had started the second half strongly and got their reward on 50 minutes. Henry’s penetrating run down the right ended with a cross that was parried into the path of Heath who from twelve yards picked his spot to open the scoring. The large travelling support were in raptures two minutes later as Leiston doubled their lead. Smy timed his run perfectly to side foot home P Brothers in-swinging corner. It was a balmy start to the half and a third goal almost followed as P Brothers cross found Henry whose sweet shot rattled the inside of the post and along the goal face to safety with Plummer rooted to the spot. But the visitors relentlessly continued their assault on the home goal and from another P Brothers centre Hammond swept a half volley majestically into the right hand corner from fifteen yards. With twenty minutes left Louis Johnson produced an outstanding right handed save to deny Espinoza from getting Needham back in the game but this was merely a respite as Leiston sought further goals. Plummer did well to deny Smy and then made a great save to keep out Heath. Henry had a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside before Smy hit a stunning fourth goal. P Brothers free kick struck the wall and when Heath’s shot was blocked, it fell invitingly to Smy who from around thirty yards sent a looping half volley high into the home net. Henry, who had tormented R Barber for most of the afternoon, got a goal his display deserved albeit from a deflection beyond Plummer. Stone then entered the fray and was denied a goal from the Assistants flag when he was clearly on side but it didn’t hamper an emphatic result.     
 
 
 
Not even the ardent Leiston supporters could have seen this coming but it was a fantastic team performance against the leaders. Leiston looked classy while our hosts looked ordinary. But, let’s not get too carried away as Needham were top for a reason and will undoubtedly bounce back from this. As for Leiston, lets milk the win a little longer but hope this is a springboard for the second half of the season.
 
 
 
Needham Market: Plummer, Pemberton (Evans 66 mins), R Barber, Fenn, G Johnson, Wright, Harrop, Espinoza (Napier 81 mins), Bloomfield, Thrower (Wilkinson 81 mins). Subs not used: Chaplin and De’ath.
 
 
 
Leiston: Johnson, Driver, Wardley, Head, Jefford, Calver (Saker 81 mins), Henry (Merritt 83 mins), Heath, Smy, Hammond (Stone 76 mins), P Brothers. Unused subs: Ottley-Gooch and Munson.
 
 
 
Man of the Match: Gareth Heath

[Simon]

How was / is the criuse?

[chorleydave]

Great result there, Terry!   

[TR]

How was / is the criuse?

thats another story? out for a few pints at the moment

[TR]

Well....as it stands we could go top for the new year? 

Plus I will be main sponsor for our match v Soham on Bank Holiday Monday 

[TR]

I did tell you 

[chorleydave]

Marine 2 - 4 Chorley.

Couldn't go today as I had family commitments.  However, it appears that those who were there might just have seen a record for goals scored within two minutes.  Apparently, Marine made it 2 - 2 in the 70th minute and by the 72nd minute it was 4 - 2 to Chorley!  Cements our position in the play-off places. 

[TR]

As match sponsor today . . I'm pleased to say we won 2 - 0