Caught By The Fuzz - Hendon 1-3 Met Police

Hendon 1-3 Metropolitan Police

Tuesday 25^th October 2011

Ryman League Premier Division

Vale Farm

Last night at Vale Farm, the Green shirted Hendonites fought the law and unfortunately, the law won, thus missing the chance to go into the weekend’s FA Cup tie at Luton on top of the division. I’ve been thinking about the game and the performance a lot since getting home last night and I cannot decide whether or not I am slightly heartened, despite the result, or a little bit worried. Perhaps this post will take the form of an essay with a conclusion at the end. Let’s see where we go.

Gary Mac made two changes from the side humbled at Canvey at the weekend with the fit again Ryan Wharton coming in for James Archer and Kevin Maclaren replacing the injured Greg Ngoyi. The Greens lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Dewayne Clarke partnering Elliott Charles up front, Casey Maclaren starting on the left side of midfield and James Parker moving to right back to allow Wharton to slot back in alongside Michael Peacock. Met Police lined up in a nominal 4-5-1 formation with Stafforde Palmer the lone striker, but with Sam Hurrell, Mu Maan and Tony Finn all breaking forward at pace to support him when in possession.

The game began at a pretty frantic pace with both the visitors looking to spread the play and get their two wide men Hurrell and Finn involved as much as possible, whilst Hendon were looking to hit Charles, in particular quite early and play off of him. It was Met Police who shaded the opening exchanges and were unfortunate not to have gone ahead after 10 minutes or so when a low drive from Hurrell who had beaten Parker quite easily for pace down the left was deflected towards goal instinctively by Palmer. Sean Thomas was beaten all ends up but the crossbar wasn’t and the ball bounced to relative safety.

The opening goal, when it arrived came from nowhere. The Greens had offered little in the way of cohesive attacking threat before Charles allowed a low ball into the box to run across his body and dumped on his posterior by a challenge from behind that appeared to get nowhere near the ball. I was in no doubt that it was a penalty, and nor was the man whose opinion really mattered, Gary Evetts who well positioned, blew his whistle and pointed to the spot with dour precision. Charles worked himself into a frenzy picking up the ball leading to shrieks from the Hendon bench of ‘BUZZER, GIVE IT TO BUZZER!!!’ The message eventually got through and Busby duly did the rest, powerfully dispatching the spot kick for his 6^th goal of the season.

This sparked the Greens into life and they enjoyed their best spell of the half. Dewayne Clarke showed a few nice touches and bursts of pace and a couple of dangerous crosses into the box just eluded a Hendon attacker – one particularly superb clearing header by Daniel Gwyther drew applause from both sets of fans. Peacock headed wide from a Cousins corner and then came the swift double sucker punch.

Both goals were preventable. The first came as a result of a needless free kick conceded 25-30 yards from goal. Ty Smith stepped up and powerfully struck the ball over the four man wall of green. Thomas got a strong hand to the ball but could do no more than palm the ball into the top corner of the net. The ball was well struck, but Thomas may feel disappointed that having got such a good touch on the shot that he wasn’t able to keep it out of the net. A couple of minutes later, nine green shirts stood and watched as a low corner was swept inside the far post by an unmarked Duran Reynolds, the Met left-back to give the visitors a 2-1 half time advantage that on balance, they probably deserved. 

His Name Isn't Rio - It's Duran. Promising left-back

Half time came and went in a heartbeat, despite the best efforts of Jamie Butler, the Police custodian who arrived onto the pitch a couple of minutes after everyone else delaying what was an entertaining and at times, frantic second period. Both sides had excellent chances, the Met to seal the game and the Greens to get back on level terms. Sean Thomas made a superb save from Stafford Palmer by staying on his feet and narrowing the angle whilst at the other end Butler made two good blocks from powerful Charles efforts that whilst well struck, were quite close to the goalkeeper. He did make one outstanding save though from a Casey Maclaren header late on at full stretch, Clarke headed badly off target when well placed at the far post, Isaiah Rankin had a header blocked on the line and shot wildly high, wide and far from handsomely off target from inside the penalty area.

At the other end, Tony Finn in particular reveled in the space he was receiving, showing pace, awareness and skill to give both Hendon full-backs problems on the break. Palmer missed another one-on-one chance to seal the tie when he dinked the ball over Thomas but into the side netting after Ryan Wharton had made his only mistake of the evening in selling the goalkeeper short with a back-pass. With Palmer having fluffed his lines, it was left to his understudy Carl Wilson-Denis to apply the coup-de-grace for the away side as Hendon were caught by the fuzz on the break, Finn breaking down the left, squaring for the former Kingstonian who showed the kind of clinical edge that had been lacking from the home side’s strikers all evening by driving the ball into the bottom corner beyond Thomas.

An entertaining game was brought to an end by the referee and it was the away side who were able to celebrate a well earned 3 points. I felt the man with the whistle had done well trying to let the game flow and not needlessly booking players, instead relying on a word to calm things down when they could have got out of hand. The two bookings he did hand out were spot on, Jamie Busby receiving one for cynically stopping a Met counter-attack in the centre circle and Sam Hurrell for catching Parker high up late. I suspect the fact that the Met number 11 led with one foot rather than two saved him from a worse fate. Both sides had penalty claims waved away, and certainly from my vantage point, none looked anywhere near as clearcut as the one that was given.

For Hendon, going into the game at Luton on the back of three straight defeats isn’t what anyone would have wanted. Not only that, but the defensive solidity and organisation that we’ve shown up until last week isn’t there at the moment and we look more vulnerable. Whether that is linked to a more permanent move towards having two centre forwards is a point of debate, certainly I think there could be an argument for reverting to 4-5-1 to give us the extra solidity in midfield against most sides. With so many strikers on the books though, it’s going to be hard to keep them all happy. Additionally, I’m struggling to see the value in a few of the signings Gary Mac has made. They’re all good quality players, but is Dewayne Clarke best deployed as an out and out striker, winger or just off the front men? Does Belal offer anything more / that different to Greg or Elliott. This isn’t meant as a criticism of the manager at all, he will know in his mind what his plans are and how the players fit into any system which is why he’s in the hot-seat and mine is considerably cooler. Of course, added to this it is easier to be picking holes in systems and personnel just after a defeat, or in a little run of disappointing results. The most important thing is that after the Luton game, whatever the result, we get back on track as quickly as we can against Horsham and Leatherhead.

He's Pleased - And so he should be.

And the Met? For all the scorn they attract for the way they may or may not be funded and just how many of their squad are actually policeman (it is a definite misnomer in my humblest of opinions), they looked a decent side who could possibly push for the play-offs with a bit of luck. I was particularly impressed with Duran Reynolds at left-back, I’d go so far as saying he’s the best opposition player I’ve seen so far this season, and if Tony Finn is in the mood, there are few better wingers in the division either. They didn’t look altogether secure defensively, particularly from set-pieces and with better finishing, Hendon could well have come away with a share of the points. Relegation is certainly not an option on last night’s showing.

Player Ratings

1. Sean Thomas: May be unhappy with the first goal, had no chance with the other two and made an excellent stop in the 2^nd half from Stafforde Palmer. 6/10

2. James Parker: Moved to right back and had his hands full all evening with the lively Sam Hurrell and Tony Finn. Did ok, and used the ball well enough, but was caught for pace on a few occasions. 6

3. Scott Cousins: Lost out in the battle of the left-backs, but not by much. Rarely gave the ball away and did well against Finn in the first half. 7

4. Michael Peacock: Pretty commanding in the air again and proved a threat at attacking set-pieces. Did ok. 6

5. Ryan Wharton: Considering he’d been out for quite a long while and was clearly feeling some stiffness in the 2^nd half in his back, he fitted back in very well. One mistake but he atoned for that on more than one occasion with some important challenges at the back. 7

6. Casey Maclaren: Stuck out on the left flank which is clearly not anything like his best position. Gave it everything as always, but hindered by his weak left foot. 6

7. Jamie Busby: Not at his best either, particularly when passing the ball. His radar was somewhat awry. Two powder-puff free kicks from shooting range as well in the 2^nd half, but took the penalty as reliably as ever. 6

8. Carl McCluskey: Looked leggy again on the right flank. Showed a couple of glimpses of his quality but slightly off the pace. 5

9. Dewayne Clarke: My first viewing of Clarke in the green and white and like most of his team-mates, showed flashes of quality. Missed a great chance with a header in the 2^nd half, and needs time to show an understanding with Elliott Charles. 6

10. Kevin Maclaren: Did well breaking up Met Police attacks, but use of the ball was sometimes poor, attempting the spectacular when simple would have sufficed. Substituted before he belted Ty Smith. 6

11. Elliott Charles: Again our biggest threat going forward, if he could work on his first touch and staying onside, he would be a hell of an asset. Worked himself two openings in the 2^nd half only to be denied by good saves. 7

Subs

12. Isaiah Rankin: Had two or three decent chances and showed good touches after coming on for Clarke. Maybe worth a start before long alongside Charles if we remain 4-4-2. 6

14. Belal Aite-ouakrim: Came on for a couple of minutes, didn’t have time to affect the game.

15. Byron Bubb: It wasn’t until I read the team on the website this morning that I remembered he’d come on! 4

Star Man: Ryan Wharton

Match Rating: 7/10

Verdict: On the balance of play I think the right team won, even if the two goal margin was perhaps a shade flattering. There’s plenty to work on for Hendon ahead of Saturday but the number of chances created was certainly encouraging. Next step is to take them again.

Cup Exits, Managerial Exits and Wayne Brown

If there are two competitions that bring me out in a cold sweat, then the League Cup and FA Trophy are them. It isn’t just the continually uninspiring draws we get, it’s the fact that even if we do well enough to get through the first stage of either competition, a disappointing, and in the case of the Trophy often heavy defeat is merely 90 minutes away. The 2011/12 season has proven no different in the last week. I mustn’t be too despondent because in the grand scheme of things, the start to the season has been outstanding. 23 points from 10 matches, a win in our Cup Final down the Picadilly Line at Ruislip, 4^th Qualifying Round and drawn away to Luton Town in the FA Cup, and up until Saturday, a defence that did look genuinely water-tight for the first time in living memory.

Maybe Next Season Scott, Maybe Next Season

I can’t comment too much on either match having not attended (terrible fan, I know, but all will be rectified tonight at home to Met Police) but any slight disappointment in conceding two goals in a pair of minutes at Earlsmead on Tuesday night to exit the League Cup was completely buried by the battering we received at a Rob King inspired Canvey Island on Saturday to extend our bafflingly bad run in the FA Trophy. There’s no disgrace in losing at Canvey, they’re a decent side who are enjoying a decent first couple of months to their season. 4-0 is a beating we haven’t looked like receiving so far this season though and I thought the days of butt whippings like these might have been a thing of the past. Alas not.

Credit to Canvey, all reports I’ve read suggest we were comprehensively outfought, outthought and outplayed with King particularly outstanding for the Gulls. They go on to meet fellow previous Trophy winners-cum-relegation-volunteers Grays Athletic at Rookery Hill on Bonfire Night. There is the potential for a decent crowd to attend that one as well as the £3,000 on offer for the winners. A nice little earner whichever way you look at it.

For Hendon, we have a brief return to league action this evening as we meet Met Police, the side we banished from the FA Cup this time last year in a 4^th Qualifying Round replay. The Met lost 1-0 in their Trophy tie at Folkestone on Saturday afternoon, which added to an early FA Cup exit at Beckenham Town has left them able to concentrate on their league campaign with only the midweek cups remaining to distract them. So far, they’ve started well winning 6 of their 12 matches and sitting comfortably in 9^th place meaning that barring a collapse of Eurozone economic proportions, a swift return to Southern Division 1 looks pretty unlikely, giving them every opportunity to look into allegations of racism in leafy West London.

Left a bit, right a bit, get together! A defensive wall

Their squad possesses plenty of quality, Jamie Butler trialed with Lincoln City in the summer after spending much of last season between the sticks at Tooting & Mitcham, earning rave reviews in the process, Orlando Jeffrey provides plenty of experience at centre back having been a student at the Alan Devonshire school of offside puppetry for a number of years. Further forward, former AFC Wimbledon wide man Tony Finn provides the guile and trickery from wide positions and Stafforde Palmer, currently the leading scorer at Imber Court is a dangerous customer up front. Jack Page and Craig Hughes are both part of the Met’s squad, fans may remember both players as youngsters enjoying brief spells on loan at Claremont Road. Hughes will definitely miss the game having suffered a massive injury earlier on in the season, whilst Page has also been missing recently as part of a long injury list that probably rivals Gary McCann’s.

Everyone will be looking to bounce back from the indifferent week just gone tomorrow night and put down a marker before the trip up the M1 to Kenilworth Road at the weekend. The last thing you want to be doing is facing a side like Luton having lost your last three matches. There will probably be question marks over Greg Ngoyi’s fitness tonight after he limped off at Canvey in the first half, but with Isaiah Rankin and Belal Aite-Ouakrim both no doubt chomping at the bit to stake their claim for a starting berth at the weekend, it’s not as if we’re going to have to resort to lumping Craig Carbo-Vargs up front on his own.

A win for the Greens will return them to the top of the table, at least until the weekend with the rest of the top 8 not in action. It’ll be a good test of exactly how far we’ve come over the last three months or so. Not just in terms of our ability to bounce back after a couple of disappointing results and performances, but as to whether we can truly be considered contenders this season. Realistically, come this time next week we’ll be preparing to take on Horsham and have just the two county Senior Cups to distract us from mounting a real challenge in the league. I certainly feel like I’ve more faith in this squad than I have previously, a lot of that comes down to the strength in depth and the character shown at times to grind out results. At half time tonight we will be at the quarter point of the season, so there’s still an awful long way to go. The general consensus around the blogosphere and forumsphere is that the quality of the division this season isn’t great (when is it ever?) so really, it’s all down to ourselves and what we believe can be achieved.

Elsewhere in the division, Sussex is currently completely manager-less as both Jason Hopkinson and Justin Luchford have paid the price for the indifferent starts made at Hastings United and Horsham. Hastings are apparently already in talks with a permanent replacement for Hopkinson and hope to be able to make an announcement soon whilst Horsham have placed Luchford’s assistant Hugo Langton in temporary charge. Fans of both clubs will be hoping that the changes in the hot-seats have the desired effect and signal an upturn in fortunes.

Wayne Brown - New Face at Bury Town

Wayne Brown is the latest former Premier League, and former Watford man to join the Ryman League ranks after signing for Bury Town. 34 year old Brown made more than 350 league appearances in a career that took in spells at Ipswich Town, Colchester United, Hull City, Leicester City and as recently as February this year Preston North-End. He made his debut last week in Town’s 1-0 League Cup win over Harlow Town. Another one for the nerdy autograph hunters to harass.

All being well, tomorrow I’ll be reporting on another 3 points for the Greens and looking down again from the summit of the division. The alternative might not make for the prettiest of reading. Until then..