Match Report: The Terror

Tuesday 25th August 2009

The Terrors

0 - 2

Cray Wanderers

GOALS J Wood (25), L Wood (28)
1 King  
2 Hamlin  
3 Byatt  
4 Nelson  
5 Vines J  
6 York  
7 McLeod s15
8 Goode  
9 Vines P
10 Batchelor s14
11 Hartburn  
12 Pitterson  
14 Henry s HT
15 Clayton s HT
16 Ogunkoya  
17 McDowell  
Tooting slumped to their first defeat of the season with another disappointing home performance.  Returning from two fine away wins with confidence high, Terrors found themselves up against committed opponents superbly piloted by former favourites Scott Kinch and Aaron Day.

The main home threat throughout came from Jamie Byatt, who gave the experienced Aris a torrid time at right back. From as early as the fourth minute 'Busy' set out his stall,  breaking down the left flank from the half way line, circumventing the defender and cutting into the penalty area to win a corner.

The first spell of sustained pressure from either side came after fifteen minutes when Paul Vines set up a shot for Batchelor which Knight turned away for a corner. A scrambled clearance produced a second, which gave Nelson the chance to fire over from the edge of the box.

Crays first corner arrived ten minute later. King parried the resulting fierce back post volley, but only into the path of Wood who tucked away the rebound.  Three minutes later the keeper could only slow down a fierce close range shot from the other Wood, who had been able to stroll unmolested through the Terrors rearguard to score the second.

The irrepressible Byatt did his best to pull one back immediately with another run from deep, but no one could to connect to his tempting set up cross.
  Knight 1
Aris 2
  Sterling 3
  Muguo 4
  Kinch 5
  Day 6
  Tyne 7
Quinn 8
  Wood L 9
  Power 10
Wood J 11
  Bremner 12
  Luckett 14
  Osbourne 15
  Plummer 16
  O'Shea 17

 Crays robust commitment briefly turned ugly when well known berzerker Jamie Wood scythed down Matt York. Using the old 'pretend to be injured yourself' ploy.  He succeeded in escaping with just a yellow card, but was sensibly substituted soon after. 

Just before the break Byatt managed another left flank raid, this time forcing a smart low save from Knight. 

Half Time: Terrors  0-2  Cray Wanderers

With Sam Clayton replacing the injured McLeod and Henry on for Batchelor, Tooting reverted to 4-4-2.  Moving Matt York into midfield alongside a very subdued Aaron Goode, Hamlin and Hartburn reverted to full backs.  However, Cray refused to let the hosts settle and enthusiastically contested every challenge, winning a good proportion of them. 

Bremner had a chance to make it three after 63 minutes, but shot straight at King.  Byatt continued to buzz and worked one nice move with Clayton, but there was no support to help them finish the job.  Aris finally received a booking as Busy tried to slip past him once too often and Paul Vines also saw yellow for a pointless show of dissent.

Tooting never looked like scoring, with only a half chance header from Goode following a York free kick even worthy of a mention.  Cray played out the game under little pressure as Terrors started to make unforced errors, seeming to have lost hope of rescuing anything from the evening.
Attendance: 227  Referee:  A Power

              View from the other end