Post by oap on Mar 30, 2014 20:32:51 GMT
29 Mar – Rams 2 Eastbourne 0
Published on March 29, 2014.
Today the Rams welcomed Eastbourne Town, and with another clean sheet the Rams took all the points in Justin Luchford’s first game in charge at Southwood.
The Rams kicked off and in the 2nd minute a cross by Tom Chapman from the right was headed over the bar by Curtis Robinson. The Rams kept pressing forwards but Town had a chance in the 8th minute when a freekick from the halfway line was headed on by Liam Upton but was very wide. The Town had a better chance 3 minutes later, when a deflected blocked shot ran through to Dominic Clarke in the 6 yard box, but ‘keeper Nick Shaw reacted well to block the close range strike, and the 2nd ball from the edge of the area was well off target. These were the last chances of the half for the visitors, mainly because of staunch defending from the centre pairing of Laurence Ball and Ollie Gray, flanked by Ashley Groombridge and Greg Skinner. In the 14th minute Ian Pulman turned in the area and fed the ball to Chapman, but his shot was turned out for a corner by ‘keeper James Broadbent. Five minutes later Connor Heffernan crossed from the right into the path of Chapman cutting in from the left but his volley on the run went just outside the left-hand upright. In the 26th minute a short freekick by the Rams just beyond the ‘D’ went around Town’s wall to Groombridge running in on the right, but although his low driven shot was clearly palmed away by Broadbent the Referee gave a goal kick. Eight minutes later and a corner from Heffernan was met by the head of Ball, but another good save by Broadbent pushed it over the top corner of the goal for a 2nd corner. This time Heffernan initially reached the head of Robinson, and although Town desperately tried to clear their lines Gray managed to intercept the ball and laid it back to Chapman on the edge of the area, whose shot found the back of the net (with a slight deflection from Pulman on the way). A minute before the interval Groombridge was provider for Chapman running in again, but again a great save from Broadbent kept the Rams’ advantage to a single goal.
The 2nd half continued as the 1st ended, and 3 minutes after the restart a left-footed volley from midfielder Aaron Beech tested Broadbent. Two minutes later and a goal kick by the Town ‘keeper was met by the head of Gray just inside the Rams’ half, which reached Heffernan running forward who, after a neat one-two with Beech, was curled over Broadbent from 25 yards to double the Rams’ lead. The Rams kept pressing, with the majority of the play in Town’s half, and in the 64th minute another volley on the run by Heffernan from the edge of the area actually knocked Chapman off his feet. Heffernan was replaced by James Sherman in the 65th minute, and a freekick for Town shortly after saw the visitors get the ball into the Rams’ area for the 1st time in the 2nd period, although it was intercepted and cleared. Another freekick to Town 2 minutes later saw the ball enter the Rams’ area again, but the defence were on hand to clear before Town could reach it. In the 72nd minute Chapman was brought down running through on the right, and a concerned referee stopped play for a freekick and requested the Rams’ physio to enter the field of play. Chapman got to his feet before the Physio was half-way across, not requiring or receiving any treatment, but the referee still asked Chapman to leave the pitch as if he had. In the 79th minute Skinner’s freekick from the right reached Ball to the left of the goal, and after his header hit the right hand post it fell to the ground where Sherman tried to scramble it across the line before it was cleared by Ross Sutton. In the 82nd minute Town’s 3rd and final ball into the Rams’ area came through a forward cross from open play, but Laurence Ball headed back up the field again. Four minutes later and a back-heel by Robinson in Town’s area found Pulman, and although the striker pounced and slotted the ball past Broadbent, the assistant’s flag went up for offside. This was Pulman’s last involvement, with Kane Rowland replacing him for the last 7 minutes (including stoppage time).
A real feast of football-to-feet for the home fans, just in case any believed the rumours of the long-ball game, and with the visitors not having a single shot in the 2nd half the new manager’s stated intent of tightening the Rams’ defence looked well in hand.
The teams at the bottom of the league with Town had differing results. Corinthian Casuals lost for a change but Three Bridges took a point with a good draw at Faversham. John Maggs now knows
the size of his task at Crawley Down with a 6-0 defeat at Redhill after having his goalie sent off for handball in the first few minutes. Ex Town player John Lansdale appears to be one of Maggs first signings. Town have only 9 games left and are away at Whitstable on Tuesday and at home to Hythe next Saturday.
Published on March 29, 2014.
Today the Rams welcomed Eastbourne Town, and with another clean sheet the Rams took all the points in Justin Luchford’s first game in charge at Southwood.
The Rams kicked off and in the 2nd minute a cross by Tom Chapman from the right was headed over the bar by Curtis Robinson. The Rams kept pressing forwards but Town had a chance in the 8th minute when a freekick from the halfway line was headed on by Liam Upton but was very wide. The Town had a better chance 3 minutes later, when a deflected blocked shot ran through to Dominic Clarke in the 6 yard box, but ‘keeper Nick Shaw reacted well to block the close range strike, and the 2nd ball from the edge of the area was well off target. These were the last chances of the half for the visitors, mainly because of staunch defending from the centre pairing of Laurence Ball and Ollie Gray, flanked by Ashley Groombridge and Greg Skinner. In the 14th minute Ian Pulman turned in the area and fed the ball to Chapman, but his shot was turned out for a corner by ‘keeper James Broadbent. Five minutes later Connor Heffernan crossed from the right into the path of Chapman cutting in from the left but his volley on the run went just outside the left-hand upright. In the 26th minute a short freekick by the Rams just beyond the ‘D’ went around Town’s wall to Groombridge running in on the right, but although his low driven shot was clearly palmed away by Broadbent the Referee gave a goal kick. Eight minutes later and a corner from Heffernan was met by the head of Ball, but another good save by Broadbent pushed it over the top corner of the goal for a 2nd corner. This time Heffernan initially reached the head of Robinson, and although Town desperately tried to clear their lines Gray managed to intercept the ball and laid it back to Chapman on the edge of the area, whose shot found the back of the net (with a slight deflection from Pulman on the way). A minute before the interval Groombridge was provider for Chapman running in again, but again a great save from Broadbent kept the Rams’ advantage to a single goal.
The 2nd half continued as the 1st ended, and 3 minutes after the restart a left-footed volley from midfielder Aaron Beech tested Broadbent. Two minutes later and a goal kick by the Town ‘keeper was met by the head of Gray just inside the Rams’ half, which reached Heffernan running forward who, after a neat one-two with Beech, was curled over Broadbent from 25 yards to double the Rams’ lead. The Rams kept pressing, with the majority of the play in Town’s half, and in the 64th minute another volley on the run by Heffernan from the edge of the area actually knocked Chapman off his feet. Heffernan was replaced by James Sherman in the 65th minute, and a freekick for Town shortly after saw the visitors get the ball into the Rams’ area for the 1st time in the 2nd period, although it was intercepted and cleared. Another freekick to Town 2 minutes later saw the ball enter the Rams’ area again, but the defence were on hand to clear before Town could reach it. In the 72nd minute Chapman was brought down running through on the right, and a concerned referee stopped play for a freekick and requested the Rams’ physio to enter the field of play. Chapman got to his feet before the Physio was half-way across, not requiring or receiving any treatment, but the referee still asked Chapman to leave the pitch as if he had. In the 79th minute Skinner’s freekick from the right reached Ball to the left of the goal, and after his header hit the right hand post it fell to the ground where Sherman tried to scramble it across the line before it was cleared by Ross Sutton. In the 82nd minute Town’s 3rd and final ball into the Rams’ area came through a forward cross from open play, but Laurence Ball headed back up the field again. Four minutes later and a back-heel by Robinson in Town’s area found Pulman, and although the striker pounced and slotted the ball past Broadbent, the assistant’s flag went up for offside. This was Pulman’s last involvement, with Kane Rowland replacing him for the last 7 minutes (including stoppage time).
A real feast of football-to-feet for the home fans, just in case any believed the rumours of the long-ball game, and with the visitors not having a single shot in the 2nd half the new manager’s stated intent of tightening the Rams’ defence looked well in hand.
The teams at the bottom of the league with Town had differing results. Corinthian Casuals lost for a change but Three Bridges took a point with a good draw at Faversham. John Maggs now knows
the size of his task at Crawley Down with a 6-0 defeat at Redhill after having his goalie sent off for handball in the first few minutes. Ex Town player John Lansdale appears to be one of Maggs first signings. Town have only 9 games left and are away at Whitstable on Tuesday and at home to Hythe next Saturday.