Chawton Lose Battle of Waterloo.

ADSFL Division 7
22 January 2012

WATERLOO  2
CHAWTON ATHLETIC  1

Starting XI:  Martin Booth (GK).  Jamie Oakley (RB), Steve Merritt (CB), Marc Taylor (CB), Elliot Watkins (LB).  Will Rietzler (RM), Jake Channon (CM), James Harvey (DCM), Ben Hodkin (CM), Andy Vickers (LM).  Ryan Furey (FW).
Substitutes:  Pete Goodall, Ashley Brooks, Kyle Bale, Mikey Phillips.
Referee:  Graham Smith.

Chawton Athletic finally got to play a match in 2012, following Alton Wanderers' demise and Rushmoor Celtic's frozen pitch, but failed to get any of the points their possession deserved in this closely fought encounter at Waterloo.

Rietzler puts in a tackle.

The almost-two-month break seemed to have taken its toll on Athletic, who were slow out of the blocks.  An early chance fell to Waterloo with the Chawton midfield caught in possession from the kick-off.  The striker couldn't compose himself though and didn't test Martin Booth in goal.  The warning wasn't heeded either as the home side had another clear cut chance from the game's first corner but, despite some slack marking at the back post, the header went over.

It was fully five minutes before Chawton properly tested the experienced Waterloo keeper.  When they did, it was a result of some trademark slick passing but Ben Hodkin's shot was well saved.  The resulting kick was shanked right out of play, allowing the Yellows to keep the pressure on.  A through ball from Hodkin found a marauding James Harvey who's shot was saved down low.

Taylor takes a free kick.

The game was beginning to become end-to-end.  Waterloo countered and drew a smart save from Booth.  His kick wasn't brilliant and only made it as far as Marc Taylor, back after a long injury lay off.  Taylor's clearance was left by an offside Will Reitzler and found its way to Harvey who had closed down an attack.  Harvey coolly round the keeper and slotted home to give Chawton a 1-0 lead.

Energised, the away side started to boss the game and some tasty tackles flew in.  Elliot Watkins slid in and committed a foul, before Jamie Oakley riled the Waterloo number 12 with a crunching tackle.  The ref called it, but it didn't stop the Orangeman squaring up to the Athletic right back.  After a quick word, play resumed.

Furey keeps his eye on the ball.

From the free kick, the home side won a succession of corners.  The first was headed by Jake Channon on to his own post, but the second was expertly tipped away by Booth.  After that the game finally settled down.  There was a lot of Chawton possession, but the final ball seemed to constantly go to an orange shirt.

Following a Ryan Furey free kick which went harmlessly over, the Yellows attacked again and a Rietzler through ball to Furey found him apparently offside... or so the Waterloo defence informed their assistant referee who duly obliged with the flag, a debatable call at best!

The next attack saw Andy Vickers have a shot blocked, followed by a bit of pinball in the box.  Nobody could get the final shot off though and it was cleared.  A poor low corner from Rietzler somehow found its way to Channon at the far post.  After rounding one player, he was crowded out by the other defenders before being able to pick out a teammate.

Goalkeeper Booth.

The pressure was relentless, with Oakley the next to have a long range pop at goal.  Given acres of space down the right, he ran forward with the ball and hit a swerving shot from twenty five yards which was headed for the top corner.  Alas, there was not enough power behind it and the keeper easily caught it.

The three musketeers then combined to set Furey through on goal.  But following too much time on the ball he tried to find Hodkin, but the pass was cut out.  Again the final ball wasn't there.  Shortly after, Furey find Rietzler down the right and he puts in a peach of a ball, splitting the defence, to find Hodkin.  He tries to round the keeper, but he showed his experience and dived at the striker's feet just at the right time.

Completely against the run of play, a sliced clearance from Taylor results in Waterloo winning a corner.  The corner deceives everybody and the ball goes in off a combination of Jamie Oakley's head and the crossbar for a totally undeserved equaliser.

That was practically the last move of the half, bar some abuse from the assistant ref!  The game delicately poised at 1-1 with Waterloo definitely the happier to be level!

Channon getting up above the Waterloo defence.

Athletic started the second half as they finished the first, on the front foot.  There was plenty of neat passing until near the opposition box, when the ball was lost.  Another Harvey long shot went wide of the post, the midfielder proving he has developed a taste for shooting!

Next it was Waterloo's time to show they could pass the ball.  But try as they might, they could not get past a resolute Chawton defence, with Taylor, Merritt and Channon putting in some decent blocks.  Oakley and Watkins also reminding the Oranges they weren't afraid of putting in some decent challenges.

Channon stops the striker hitting Harvey (who's clearly scared!).

Watkins then found his long range passing game and a sweeping pass forward set Furey free down the left channel.  Unfortunately, he was forced too far wide and could only shoot across and past the far post.

The ref then made a bad call regarding an advantage, following a foul in the middle when Vickers had been set through, down the left.  From the free kick, thirty five yards out, Taylor blasted over.  Vickers then almost turned to villan as a sloppy pass put the defence under attack, but the midfielder's shot was hit way over the bar.

Watkins then combined with Furey again, with the latter drawing a foul a few yards outside the area.  Channon stepped up, but couldn't keep his kick down.

Watkins enjoyed a good game at left back.

Then, again from nothing, the ball is lost in midfield and a slip at the back leaves the Waterloo striker one on one with Booth in goal who can't stop him from putting the home side in front.  Chawton's profligacy had haunted them again!

Athletic look to get back on level terms immediately and a cross finds Vickers at the far post, with his post wide after some good control.  Another long ball then finds Furey down the right.  He keeps the ball on the pitch and pulls back for Rietzler.  His shot down low is well saved, and then held on to - the keeper not looking like giving away an easy goal.

Waterloo could have made sure with quarter of an hour to go.  Substitute Kyle Bale stretching to head clear a long ball over the top, but inadvertently finds the Waterloo winger.  His shot beats Booth but also the far post.

Substitute, Goodall.

The game again looked to fizzle out, with Pete Goodall coming on to replace Will Rietzler on the right.  A Kyle Bale cross looks a good one, but nobody is in the box to meet it.  The cross comes back in from the other side and only James Harvey gets anywhere near, with the ball being inches behind him.

The final move of the match sees a Chawton corner headed over the bar by Ben Hodkin, with the Yellows' keeper in the opposition box to try and get something out of the game.  But that's pretty much the final touch and the game ends a disappointing 1-2.



It was a game that Chawton did not deserve to lose and the home side can count themselves very lucky to take all three points.  That said, it was a mixture of some good, at times desperate, Waterloo defending and some wasted Chawton passes that allowed them to hold the lead.  There some positives and the battling in the middle of Jake Channon and James Harvey was good.  The two full backs, Jamie Oakley and Elliot Watkins also impressed, and there was nothing Booth could do about the two goals - he looked solid throughout.

Elstead Lighting Man of the Match:  Elliot Watkins.  Another commanding performance from the young defender.  Although blogger Wulfy actually chose James Harvey!  Strong and commanding, particularly in the first half, and got the Yellows off to the start they needed with his goal.

Blog Man of the Match, Harvey (foreground) and Merritt.