5 Star Penn outfox Finchampstead

Saturday 21^st August 2010
Hellenic League Division One East

Early attack from Penn

Penn & Tylers Green      5

Hunt 11, Hurst 24, Crick 37
Putnam 55, Taylor 64

Finchampstead                2

P. Selby 29, Hamilton 75

Attendance: 46

After last Saturday’s disappointment Penn & Tylers Green were determined to put things right at home to Finchampstead. However the away side, who were also on the wrong end of a tight game last weekend had a point to prove. This was a highly anticipated match up which produced the biggest crowd of the season at French School Meadows.

Penn started the better team shooting towards the Tree House End. The first chance came on the 5^th minute when a good run front Penn’s right back Gary Crick produced a measured cross onto the head of centre forward Jamie Hunt. However Perry Howard did well to save in the Finchampstead goal. Penn then exerted some heavy pressure on the Finchampstead back line until in the 11^th minute the deadlock was broken. Chris Hurst did well down the left wing; he beat his man and squared the ball across the box for Jamie Hunt to finish with an easy tap in. 1 – 0 to Penn & Tylers Green. A minute later Finchampstead’s number 11 Dwayne Hamilton was booked for kicking the ball away which would later prove decisive.

Chris Hurst heads just wide

In the 24^th minute Penn doubled their lead with the goal of the game. Jack Dean played a delightful chip down the line for Gary Crick, who cut inside his marker a laid the ball to Chris Hurst. A magnificent 25 yard strike was to follow which flew into the top left hand corner, giving the keeper no chance. Penn were 2 – 0 up. The home fans were in shock, many pinching themselves. This second goal seemed to spur on the away side. The heavy pressure the Penn defence was absorbing was nearly cracked when in the 26^th minute a free header from Pat Selby struck the post. This should have been deemed as a warning as only 3 minutes later Pat Selby had another free header, this time he buried the ball past John Harding into the back the net. 2 – 1.

A cagey few minutes passed until the 37^th minute when a brilliant solo run from Penn’s Gary Crick down the right wing resulted in a deflected shot from 25 yards which looped over Howard and dipped under the crossbar. Penn’s 2 goal cushion was reinstated. 3 – 1. A few minutes later Finchampstead’s Dwayne Hamilton went down in the box but the ref waved play on. This didn’t please the away support. The fan’s half time conversation topic was sorted when Penn’s striker Jamie Hunt was booked for simulation even though he seemed to get up after stumbling. The ref then blew the half time whistle and the arguments begun.

The second half began with Penn kicking towards the Farm House End and a few nasty challenges started to fly in. Ross Knight was booked for Finchampstead after a late challenge on Chris Hurst and just 2 minutes later Jack Dean was booked for another late challenge. This advertisement for the yellow cards then ended when in the 55^th James Louison broke down the Finchampstead attack and Penn’s Jack Dean played a great ball up to Ricci Putnam. Putnam beat his man and charged down on Howard in the Finchampstead goal. Just as the crowd thought he’d run it too far Ricci pulled out a brilliant finish beating the keeper to his left hand side. Brilliant counter attacking football, 4 – 1.

In the 60^th minute Chris Hollis and Adam Merrit came on for Steve Selby and Stewart Manicom. However this double substitution was to no avail as in the 64^th minute Aiden Taylor crossed the ball dangerously into the Finchampstead penalty area towards Chris Hurst. Hurst missed the ball but so did Howard in goal and ball went straight in. Was it a cross or was it a shot? I guess we’ll never know! 5 – 1. The home fans were in dreamland. In the 70^th minute Graham Potts replaced James Louison for Penn & Tylers Green. In the 75^th Dwayne Hamilton scores a conciliation goal after a cross from Dan Willis. 5 – 2. In the 79^th minute Chris Hurst was booked for rolling the ball into the back of the net after being called offside.

Finchampstead's No.11 receives his marching orders

A few minutes later Finchampstead’s Dwayne Hamilton came off injured but retuned almost immediately, it may have been better for him to stay off because a reckless challenge on Jack Dean earned Hamilton his second yellow of the game. Dwayne Hamilton was sent off and Finchampstead played the final 8 minutes with 10. Penn were content with the score line and kept the ball well for the final few minutes. Mike Benning and Matt Miller came on late for Jamie Hunt and Chris Hurst. The final whistle went, Penn had won their 1^st games of the season but for Finchampstead it was now 2 losses out of 2.

For the second time in a week 7 goals have been seen at French School Meadows so you know the place to be next week when Penn & Tylers Green take on Newbury.

Report by Cameron Sturrock