Summerbell Double Securs Promotion

Player of the Match - Tom Summerbell

Amersham Athletic 1 – 2 Penn & Tylers Green U15

A Thursday evening with the sun shining, the wind blowing and the pitch rock hard one could have been forgiven for assuming this was a pre-season friendly game and not a promotion decider between 2 teams who would grace Division 1. Penn arrived in the usual dribs and drabs with tales of their past few days in the real world (they were all on work experience and struggling to deal with an 8 hour day) and proceeded to warm up as if this was a Tuesday night training session until cone marker superiare, Stuart Rarity, got them focused on the job in hand.

The reality of the game was clear for both teams. Amersham had to beat us to have a chance of pipping Penn to promotion. Penn needed at least a draw to get promoted but a win to stay in the hunt for the Division 2 Championship. Penn hadn’t played a game for over 5 weeks and Amersham had played 3 times over the past week.

The game kicked off and started as expected when you have a rock hard pitch with both teams failing to control and pass the ball for the first 15 minutes and there were no chances of note until Tom Summerbell sparked the game into life.

Tom won a tackle some 25 yards out, looked up and let rip a shot that flew into the top corner. The usual uplift in confidence with a goal started with Penn, who were playing against the wind in the 1st half and Rousel Moore went on one of his mazy runs before cutting the ball back to Aaron Knight whose shot went wide.

On 25 minutes, Penn had a free kick that hit the top of the cross bar and a couple of minutes later, Amersham had their first real chance of the game with a shot that went wide.

After 37 minutes, a throw in by Tyler Abear to Aaron Knight was stolen by an Amersham midfielder who unleashed a shot from 30 yards that flew with the wind into the net to make it 1 – 1 at half time. Despite Dan Simpsons Swan Lake impression there was nothing he could do to stop that one.

Playing against the wind and not having played for a number of weeks, the management were more than happy to come in at half time all square.

Within a minute of the restart, a long throw by Aaron Knight, was chested down and volleyed by man of the match, Tom Summerbell, to take Penn in to the lead. Good skill young Thomas!!

This inspired Amersham to start to dominate the play for the next 15 – 20 minutes and Penns lack of match fitness / practice started to show.

Amersham had at least a couple of 1/2 chances and a freekick that was parried by Dan Simpson to another Amersham player whose reactive shot was excellantly tipped over the bar by Dan. The resulting corner hit the cross bar. The management team would have been sweating at this stage but the wind was starting to pick up, despite the wooly jumper under the tracksuit top.

With less than 20 minutes to play, Penn had an opportunity to increase their lead when a shot by Tom Summerbell went narrowly wide.

The final 10 minutes of the game saw both sides go for it. Penn had three chances to increase the lead. The 1st, with 8 minutes remaining, was by Curtis Chapple who picked up a clearance from Tawanda Makanda, who had an exceptional game today and ran some 50 yards before shooting wide.

The 2nd chance, with 4 minutes remaining again fell to Curtis Chapple who shot wide after a 50 yard punt upfield from Ryan Dickson, alah Wimbledon style. “AV IT” comes to mind here!

The final chance, in the final minute, came after good work from Connor Mills and Sam Rarity who played in Curtis Chapple and his shot was well saved by the Amersham goalkeeper.

Game Over & Promotion. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!