Old Challoners v Southgate County
LOB Senior Semi Final

Team: Sunil, Walsh, Rodgers, Cawley (Gardner 60), Weisz, Fallon, Lowes, Allen (Powell 50), Croucher, Fuzz, Baker

Score: 2:3, Croucher

Attendance: 70,000

Challoners were in questionable form leading up to their biggest game of the season. There were no concerns about complacency leading up to this game -this was going to be a tough match. Challoners had high hopes though, given their recent history of giant-killing.

After the first 5 minutes of scrappy poor-quality football, both sides began to play a little. Lowes began to probe behind the industrious Allen, and Fuzz chased the passes of varying quality that were finding their way through the average Southgate defence.

10 minutes into the game the Southgate forward - undoubtedly the most effective striker our defence has encountered to date - broke down the right. Walsh seemed to have limited the damage by forcing the player out wide and into the corner, but with some outrageous skill he skipped past Walsh, Cawley and Redpath and neatly slotted the ball home.

Challoners are used to going behind and reacted appropriately. Lowes began to organise things in the middle and Challoners began to dominate. The hard work from Fuzz was eventually rewarded when he turned in a perfectly weighted through ball. 1-1.

Only minutes after Challoners' equaliser, the Southgate striker struck again. Another superb piece of skill created the space for him to shoot from an outrageously tight angle, scoring at the near post.

Once more Challoners reacted well to going down. From Southgates' second goal to half time Challoners created numerous chances, notably a Fallon one on one - saved, a Fallon volley - wide, and Gardner (on for the injured Baker) heading just over from a corner. Half time.

Upon returning to the field, Challoners seemed to have lost the momentum from the end of the first half. A Southgate corner was half cleared and a free kick conceded 40 yards out. Some woeful marking resulted in a free header at the back post. The lines women failed to see the offside and a goal was given 3-1.

2 goals down with 40 minutes to go, Challoners had to push forward. Croucher, Fallon and Allen pushed on in an effort to support Fuzz and this created the space in the midfield for an open game. Allen saw more of the ball and caused problems for Southgate by finding the gap between their midfield and defence. Croucher came close when his shot fizzed across the area before being clumsily cleared over. Fuzz had 2 half chances and there were a number of goal mouth incidents. As the game drew to a close, the last shot of the match was Allen into the side netting.

Challoners were the better side, but left the pitch beaten by a competent opposition with an outstanding forward. Scoring 2 normally wins the game for Cs but in 2006 this doesn't seem to be enough.