Not Stung this time

Action at French School Meadows

Penn & Tylers Green FC win tough local derby

Penn played local rivals Chalfont Wasps on Saturday, who are joint top of Division One East, and in an excellent, sometimes fiercely contested, encounter, which you would expect and relish, they came out worthy winners by three goals to one.

On the back of two rather disappointing results, Penn would have no respite and would have to be at their best to beat a good Chalfont side, who have been scoring for fun of late and obviously therefore deserve to be at the top of the table.

Penn had three debutants in the line up today, namely Owen Hunte-Millgan at right full back, Leo Dinmore in Midfield and Rourke Pickford in Goal. Antonio Sepede moved to centre half today in the absence of injured Dan Arnett, who was on the bench. Over the last few seasons Penn had never beaten a team above themselves in the league. Manager Johnny Sepede started with a bold 3-5-2 formation.

The first twenty minutes was a cagey affair with neither team taking control, although Penn’s five across the midfield were having the upper hand in the early exchanges, and Hunte-Milligan’s forays down the right wing and Sam Walters probing down the left were beginning to cause Chalfont problems and a couple of good crosses were not met by the Penn forwards. In the middle Jamie West was a handful all game as he won most of his ariel battles. Leo Dinmore also slotted in comfortably into the midfield alongside Hursty and Robbo. In the 20th minute a delightful through ball from Hurst sent Jamie West on his way and in on goal, and he was brought down from behind for a definite penalty and a compulsory booking for the defender. Jamie dusted himself down and took the spot kick himself and with great confidence placed it beyond the keepers right hand and low into the corner of the net.

Chalfont then had their spell of the game and forced a number of corners where they looked dangerous but some last ditch clearances and some assured goalkeeping ensured the Penn lead remained intact. The back three of Sepede, Dean and Louison were holding Chalfont at bay, until the 27th minute when a good attack down the Penn left resulted in a delightful cross to the far post and steaming in on the blind side at the far post with a precise bullet header was Simon Williams. Good goal. 1-1.

The Packed crowd of 77, squashed along the new Andy Walker “old gits” grass terrace were enjoying this encounter, and Fergus’s camera was clicking away with gusto.

The game ebbed and flowed(good cliché!) then in the 37th minute Penn launched an attack and were three on three, and the ball was played to the left to Rino Sepede, with the crowd screaming for it to go to the right. Rino must have heard the groans, as he proceeded to side step his marker, and do what he has done for years, and unleashed an “excoset” of a shot into the top corner of the Chalfont net over the despairing dive of the goalkeeper. 2-1.Crowd firmly put in their place, what do we know ?? There was time before the break to witness an incredible point blank save from debutant Rourke Pickford in the Penn goal which ensured they went in 2-1 up at half time.

In the second half it was Chalfont who, as you would expect,after the customary colourful halftime team talk,who came out all guns blazing to try and retrieve the situation. They had some good chances and the Penn team were throwing their bodies on the line for the cause and breaking up and getting in some last ditch clearances and Pickford in goal was calmness personified in amongst all the panic. Also, to be honest Chalfont were also guilty of a couple of glaring misses during their superiority spell. Tempers were fraying and Chalfont picked up a few bookings as they became frustrated at not getting the equaliser. Antonio Sepede was also booked during this lack of discipline stage of the game. The voiceferous crowd were loving it and so were the players. In the seventieth minute Danny Robs legs finally gave up as he must have run miles for the cause today. Liam Ratcliffe came into the fray and gave Penn another attacking option up front with Rino. Bold move, although they say the best form of defence is attack? 75 Minutes and Liam goes through and from a tight angle forces a great save at the near post by the Chalfont goalkeeper. Penn were now coming back into the game, and then on eighty minutes, Antonio Sepede retaliates and gets the inevitable red card. So, ten minutes with ten men. Wayne Booth came on to bolster the defence, and ,as often happens, the ten men raised their game and continued to press Chalfont, with Hunte-Milligan being a great outlet with his decisive runs down the right wing eating up valuable minutes. With 88minutes on the clock and Penn looking comfortable, they launched another attack down the right wing and a perfect cross to the far post was met by striker Liam Ratcliffe, who rarely misses, and as the ball came down he majestically side footed the ball into the far corner for the decisive goal. The last two minutes were comfortably played out and a great victory was achieved with every player doing their job today and with a collective responsibility and spirit which had been missing in previous weeks. Something to “bottle up” and take into the coming weeks as there are no easy games in this league as we all know. Well down both teams today for being a great advert for this league and Well done to Johnny and the team.

Tony Hurst