Oxhey Jets 1-2 Hendon
FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
Saturday 1st October
The Boundary Stadium
I think, for the first time ever, I was part of a club’s record attendance on Saturday. Sure, it was ‘only’ 376 and it was ‘only’ at a club that have been playing in FA Competitions for a handful of seasons, but it’s still a rather pleasant feeling. And what a lovely day it was too.
The Boundary Stadium is set at the southern end of the ‘notorious’ South Oxhey housing estate which once featured on Newsnight as an example of an area of crime, youth unemployment and so on and so forth. Walking through it on a Saturday afternoon was actually quite pleasant. The sun was shining, people seemed happy. There was a thriving precinct on my right with a busy looking pub at the top and it looked as though the local community was getting behind the Jets with more than one shop displaying posters advertising the match. The closer I got to the ground, the more apparent it was that the sunshine had spread FA Cup fever across the estate. Cars were queuing to get in and out of the car park, which doubled as a car park for the local swimming pool (lovely day for a swim it was too) and people tried to cram their cars into the small new-build estate just in front of the ground.
There was a healthy queue of people waiting to get into the ground, and a healthy gaggle of people outside nursing cold pints in plastic glasses. Five minutes, an extremely reasonable £6 and complimentary programme later I descended the half a dozen or so large steps to pitch level and made my way onto a shady bit of the grassy bank that runs down the side of the pitch and read the programme in amongst the hordes of youngsters running around with footballs and doing gymnastics on the crash barriers. Great to see so many kids out watching football. On the pitch was a table with what was either a badly publicised visit of the FA Cup trophy on it, or more likely, a convincing replica.
The sides were announced, and presently the two sides emerged down the steps in the middle of the slightly crude looking, but well packed stand. I stood up and as the players exchanged the obligatory handshakes (I can never understand the need for this at our level) I noted the lovely view across towards Grimsdyke Golf Course. It was a beautiful vista, quite honestly a refreshing tonic to what happened on the pitch.
The reasons for Hendon’s largely disjointed performance were threefold in my opinion. Firstly, it was a very hot day not suited to a high tempo performance. Secondly, the onus was very much on us to take the game to our lower division opponents and although we lined up with two orthodox centre forwards for the first time this season, Elliott Charles partnering Greg Ngoyi, the way the side has been set up this season has largely been to contain opponents, and that is a difficult habit to get out of. Thirdly, and I think most importantly, was the efforts of our opponents. They sat fairly deep, allowed our back four to have possession and then crowd out the midfield and the two strikers before looking to break quickly. They were extremely well organised, kept their shape well and made life very difficult for Hendon.
Chances in the first period were few and far between, Ngoyi went close early on heading narrowly wide from a long driven Michael Peacock cross, and Elliott Godfrey’s free kick hit a blue head taking the ball high over the bar. Apart from that, until stoppage time, Hendon did little with their possession. Oxhey for their efforts did provide a sporadic threat, and their best effort came from a 30 yard drive from Chris Ingram that had Sean Thomas scrambling across his goal. Fortunately for the goalkeeper, the ball flashed just wide of the post.
The breakthrough came as the clock began to massage half time. Ngoyi got away down the right and cut a low cross into the box. Charles, who did extremely well all afternoon holding the ball up and winning headers, was able to get across his marker and turn the ball inside the near post from about 10 yards out past the statuesque Mark Jessop for his 2nd goal in consecutive matches. It was a well worked goal, and gave the yellows a lead that to be honest, probably flattered them at the break.
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| Elliott Charles: Pre Adebayor makeover |
Gary Mac made a couple of changes at the break, Byron Bubb replacing the leggy looking Carl McCluskey and the two Maclaren’s swapping places. Any hope Hendon’s faithful had of the floodgates opening were disappointed just 3 minutes after the restart. Oxhey Jets, clearly encouraged by their first half efforts, got back on terms with another goal that was extremely well taken. My view was obscured, sadly, but I did see Lewis Putnam drifting into the penalty area off the left flank, gliding, inviting the challenge that never came and simply slipped the ball inside the far post with the smoothest of finishes. As he was engulfed by team mates in blue, and the local crowd erupted, those in yellow shirts looked around helplessly. 1-1, game on.
For the next 10 minutes or so, Oxhey Jets looked more likely to be honest. Their players were more vocal, roaring eachother on with encouragement, vigorously contesting every challenge, and the crowd responded appropriately. Hendon’s players looked a little shell shocked, and needed some geeing up from Scott Cousins to re-focus their energies. To their credit, they did and regained the lead just before the hour mark.
A free kick was sent into the box by James Archer and headed on by Charles. Ngoyi had done well to elude his marker but delayed his shot. I thought he should have taken it first time on the volley, but he waited an extra second or so. As the defender recovered and looked to have cut out the danger, Ngoyi hit the ball on the half volley low across the goalkeeper and into the net off of the far post. A third well taken goal and overwhelming evidence, if ever any was needed, that I should never don the number 9 shirt at any level.
Again, the goal was a little harsh on the home side and with each decision that went against them, the temperature rose another degree. Stephen Brown picked up a booking, and simultaneously ‘pointless caution of the month’ award, for running fully 25 yards to remonstrate with the referee midway through the 2nd half as Oxhey looked to find away back into the game. They gave it absolutely everything. The experienced Gavin Hart twice went close with volleys from outside the box, Chris Ingram headed not far over from a corner and late on, Spencer Bellotti had a golden opportunity with a free header after some defensive density, but did not get any power behind his effort at all, allowing Thomas to simply pluck the ball out of the air and kill a few seconds.
At the other end, chances were at a premium. Godfrey went close with a chip that narrowly eluded the angle of post and bar, but when in possession for the most part, the yellow shirted band of merry men were content to keep the ball and run the clock down. The clock did run down in the end, and the referee brought things to a halt. Oxhey’s players slumped to the ground, partly I expect in exhaustion and partly in disappointment at having come so close to taking the tie to a 2nd match. I don’t think anyone connected with Hendon would have begrudged them a replay after providing us with a much tougher test than AFC Hayes did in the previous round.
I’m loathed to describe Oxhey Jets as ‘plucky underdogs’, it doesn’t do their efforts justice. I was hugely impressed by the set-up at the club. The welcome was extremely friendly, the bar impressive. The ground is not only pretty tidy, but they have plenty of room for expansion should they need in the future as well. Below the main pitch they have a couple of training pitches. They have a thriving youth and academy set-up and clearly, a lot of support from within the local community. I genuinely wish them all the very best for the future, it looks very rosy and will certainly be visiting again sometime in the not too distant future.
For Hendon, progression was the key. In the draw for the next round yesterday, Dave Vadhiou struck drawing us away at either Maldon & Tiptree or Whitehawk, who replay this week. Both sides will be familiar to the Greens having been in opposition during last season’s run to the 1st round. From that point of view it’s not so attractive a draw as it might have been but again and although both sides will provide very stern opposition, the draw is certainly winnable. I’d certainly have rather got this than away at Dover or Woking.
Player Ratings
1. Sean Thomas: Didn’t have a great deal to do, but looked confident. There’s something more polished about his style than Berkley’s that was probably born on the training grounds of QPR. 6/10
2. James Parker: Apart from slamming a clearance against Lee Armitt in the second half, Parks did well alongside Michael Peacock and used the large amount of possession he had well. 6
3. Scott Cousins: Did really well, picked up heads after the equaliser, usual good use of the ball and did really well against the direct Lee Armitt as well. 7
4. Michael Peacock: Dominating in the air, dealt well with the lively threat of Spencer Bellotti and Lee Inch, usual good performance. 6
5. James Archer: Got forward well on a couple of occasions in the first half, did well again defensively against the impressive Lewis Putnam. Continued his impressive start at Hendon. 6
6. Kevin Maclaren: Not his best performance truth be told. Gave away possession cheaply on a few occasions and was booked after a couple of late challenges. Replaced at half time by his brother. 5
7. Jamie Bubsy: Had a really good battle with Gavin Hart and was the best Hendon player in possession. Didn’t get any shots away at goal, but rarely gave the ball away. 7
8. Carl McCluskey: Looked a bit tired and laboured on the right flank in the first half and put in his least effective performance of the season. 5
9. Greg Ngoyi: An excellent finish for his 6th goal of the season, and a good assist for the opener. Looks to be forming a decent understanding with Elliott Charles already. 7
10. Elliott Godfrey: A touch unlucky not to score in the 2nd half, but like other midfield colleagues, found his threat pretty well smothered by hard working opponents. 6
11. Elliott Charles: Excellent performance leading the line. Held the ball up really well, won lots of balls in the air, finished well to give Hendon the lead and set up Greg’s goal nicely too. 8
Subs
12. Casey Maclaren: Came on at half time and gave the Hendon midfield a little more direction. Did ok. 6
15. Byron Bubb: Also came on at the break and although showed some nice touches, didn’t really seem to achieve a great deal. Looked lively enough though. 6
18. Michael Lewis: Replaced Greg Ngoyi and looked very lively and dangerous down the left flank. Hope we get to see more of him over the next few weeks.
Star Man: Elliott Charles
Match Rating: 4/10
Verdict: Hendon had to dig deep to overcome an impressive and very well organised Oxhey Jets side and in the end, the clinical edge in front of goal made the difference. The win was more important than the performance, and that was duly delivered.
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