Frimley Town 2 - 6 Sunninghill FC
Parker 15' & 77', Charlie Harcup 55' & 73' Bennett 62', McDowell 84'
Sunninghill Back To Winning Ways...
Against all odds Sunninghill got back to winning ways this week against a struggling Frimley Town, the morning started poorly with only 7 players at the ground at 10.25, 5 of whom had been out on a pre match bender that the late George Best would have been proud of, and things got better when Ali Azarian and Tim Finch turned up just before kick off and Paul McDowell was dragged off his death bed to at least give us 10 players to start the match.
The game kicked off with Sunninghill holding their own despite the numerical disadvantage and started to look the more threatening side, with the first chance being squandered by Bennett when Parker was released and looked up to find Bennett 25 yards out, the striker took a touch into the area before firing wide of the far post. Parker then shot over soon after as the game was played out mostly in the home sides half, Ben Moutrey turned up 10 minutes into the game and now it was 11 a side and Sunninghill continued to press, and were rewarded on 15 minutes when a Clinton Harcup free kick struck the wall and looped up and Parker was able to out jump the keeper to head home off the far post to make it 1-0 and well deserved, controversy was to follow when Bennett controlled a loose ball in the area before being taken out quite clearly and obviously right in front of the referee, who for some reason known only to himself waved play on with both sets of players shocked! what made it worse was that the contact of defenders boot on strikers shin was heard by Chris Reagan in the opposite penalty area through the sound proof mop he currently appears to be wearing on his head, and before half time Frimley got an equaliser against the run of play when a free kick was awarded on the corner of the area and a great effort was curled into the far top corner.
There was still time before half time as a Bennett cross was met by an unmarked Finch who could only glance his header wide of the far post, and also volleying over when well placed moments later.
Half Time 1-1.
The second half started brightly was Sunninghill attacking down the slope forced the home side back, and after some sustained pressure it was Charlie Harcup making his 50th appearance who regained the lead for the visitors, Clinton Harcup decided to swap Charlie Harcup and Azarian on the flanks and it paid immediate dividends when a superb through ball released Parker and with the keeper bearing down at an acute angle cut the ball back, the ball was challenged by Bennett and the opposition centre back with the ball rolling free for Harcup to arrive late and smash the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards. 2-1.
The lead was doubled soon after when Titus Bramble got caught in posession by Bennett, the striker won the ball in the challenge and 1 on 1 with the keeper finished confidently slotting the ball past the Frimley stopper to mark his 22nd birthday with a goal.
Frimley started to cause a few problems commiting men forward with player manager Lewis Hugill the biggest threat but he was superbly marked by Clinton Harcup and when he drifted out wide to recieve the ball saw no way past the excellent Gurr at left back, eventually they did pull a goal back when a ball on the right was crossed and the striker was able to glance a header in unmarked to make it 3-2.
What happened next can only be described as the worst miss on the planet possible of all time! A through ball from Parker released Bennett and with the keeper committed the striker squared the ball to Azarian 18 yards out, un marked, not a player within 20 yards, goal side of the keeper, no wind, no bobbles on the goal line, if ever there was a chance for a player to score his first goal for any club anywhere in the world this was it, the stage was set, the players set to celebrate...... only for Azarian to fire horribly wide and quite rightly deserve the ridicule of all football fans across the country.
What was worse was that it was 3-2 and this would have finished the home side off! But up popped Charlie Harcup who showed his fellow winger how it should be done, winning through 3 50/50 tackles in the area before firing across the keeper into the bottom corner, with the game now comfortable Sunninghill still looked threatening and after a very harshly awarded free kick against the Frimley left back who to be fair had a miserable 90 minutes Clinton Harcup whipped in a great ball for captain Parker to power his header home.
Paul McDowell who had performed very well for someone who was suffering from the plague during the game should have had a goal when he out jumped his marker to head home, but for some reason was disallowed for offside, before McDowell was then booked for telling the referee: "Thats not pushing thats strength", a booking in anyones eyes! Clinton Harcup followed him into the book soon after with a late tackle on Hugill, before finally with 5 minutes left the scoring was completed when McDowell finally got on the scoresheet tapping in from all of 2 yards after the ball came back off the post following a corner.
And from todays game we have learnt 2 very important lessons about this team, firstly we can still compete when we have our backs against the wall, and secondly not to pass the ball to Ali Azarian anywhere near the opponents penalty area..... ever!
Player Ratings...
Chris Reagan - Good communication and did what was asked, not at fault for goals. 7.
Ben Moutrey - Solid performance at right back. 7.
Jon Keough - Starting to fill the gap left by the departure of Toni Flisik also gave good performance under the influence!. 8.
Clinton Harcup - Still drunk but this seemed to rejuvinate him to not give the Frimley forwards anything. 8.
Jonty Gurr - Solid at left back, strong in the challenge and looked to start play from the back. 8.
Charlie Harcup - Best performance of the season, worked hard for 90 mins and capped with 2 goals. 8.
Dan Parker - Controlled the midfield, dominated in the air and got forward well to finish with 2 goals. 9.
Tim Finch - Dominated alongside Parker, showed some nice touches and was unlucky not to score. 8.
Ali Azarian - Worked hard, showed good touches, would have got a 7 but unfortunately a series of horrendous missed cost him!. 4.
Jon Bennett - Striker also still drunk showed with early miss, sobered up towards the end and capped 50th game with a goal. 8.
Paul McDowell - No one would have guessed he was almost dying prior to kick off but played well and linked up well with Bennett, scored well deserved goal. 8.
