Sporting Club Balham - 2 (30, 59) Westminster Wanderers Football Club - 5 (Pottage 6, McGrory 14, 81, John 21, Austin 72) The Wanderers recorded their fourth win in succession this morning, away to Sporting Club Balham in a First Division league tie. In very windy conditions, the Wanderers went ahead early on when a Jimmy McGrory effort was blocked by a defender and the resulting loose ball was picked up by stand in centre back Chris Pottage 35 yards from goal. Pottage went for goal and saw his clean strike hit the back of the net from long range when perhaps the Balham stopper should have done better. Soon after it was 2-0 when VJ won the ball in the middle and laid off for John Austin, who brilliantly switched play to the left wing, finding James Kerry with acres to run into. Kerry took the ball towards the by line, cut in and crossed for McGrory whose first effort was saved by the keeper, but the rebound fell very kindly and McGrory nodded in from close range. Steve McCauley then went close after some excellent work on the right but unfortunately shot straight at the keeper. After just 20 minutes it was 3-0, when an exquisite pass from centre midfielder John Austin put VJ in on goal and the striker used pace and strength to hold off a defender before rolling the ball past the keeper into the net. The Wanderers were running riot, but the third goal seemed to spring Balham into life, who then had a couple of chances on goal themselves. Goalkeeper Tom Overbury had to be alert to tip one out of the top corner when the curse of having no linesman (and therefore no offsides) nearly caught the Wanderers out. On the half hour mark, the referee saw something nobody else did and awarded a corner while even the Balham winger was passing the ball to Overbury for the obvious goal kick. The resulting corner was swung to the back post where the initial header was saved but the rebound was smashed in for 3-1. Overbury picking up a yellow card for his protests. VJ then had a shot across the face of goal but the wind was making the football tricky and the rest of the half was played out with neither side really forcing any real chances. Early in the second half, Sporting Club Balham came out strongest and the Wanderers were struggling to get a hold of the ball for any decent amount of time. The period of pressure paid off for Balham as after another corner was swung to the back post, the striker got up highest again and sent a powerful header into the back of the net. The goal seemed to wake the Wanderers up though and the men in yellow were now getting some good possession. Dweezil Vandekerckhove, who was as solid as ever in the middle alongside Austin made way for Patrick Myles and impressive debutant Faical Orakzai moved into the centre of midfield. Orakzai was immediately involved, seeing his measured effort go just over the bar from 20 yards out. The killer goal came with just under 20 minutes remaining when some excellent work on the right from Steve Moody saw the Wanderers win possession just inside their own half. Moody got the ball to McGrory on the right wing, who used skill and pace to beat the left back and cross to the back post. Myles controlled the ball well and cleverly cut back towards Kerry. Kerry intelligently let the ball run for Austin who beat the defender with a shift of weight and shot past the keeper for his second of the season. The game was then put beyond doubt when captain McGrory got his second of the game and sixth of the season. After a throw in from Moody on the right, McGrory knocked the ball back out to him, and Moody whipped in a cross that was only partially cleared by the defender. The ball fell to McGrory who hit a first time volley with his left foot past the keeper. The Wanderers will be unhappy with the two goals conceded but with conditions, injuries and refereeing taken into account, it was a good win. 5 good goals scored and some excellent passing football at times. Nobody had a bad game and there were good performances right across the team, but a special mention again has to go to Steve Moody, who is in a great run of form at the moment at right back. Faical Orakzai impressed on his debut whilst playing out of position. John Austin looks to have returned to form of old and also chipping in with goals. VJ did very well too, making the most of his place in the starting line up with a great performance and a goal. Four on the trot and the Wanderers go marching on!
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 15:37:52 +0000