Match Report
Camberley Town 0 v 1 Cobham, League, April 26th 2008
Report by Nigel Rousell.
The home sides programme notes clearly explained what was about to unfold on the last day of the season; first Guildford would lose 1-0 to Bedfont and Camberley would triumph 13-0 against basement side Cobham thus ensuring that Camberley would finish second. Well, Guildford kept to the script kindly losing 1-0 but Cobham’s teenagers, lead by Dan Rousell who at 17 years became the youngest player to captain the senior side, were to be party poopers with a battling win to finish their season on a high. This followed on from their 2-2 midweek draw away at Chessington and Hook in which the 'Russian Linesman' made a guest appearance signalling that Chessington’s second goal which came back of the cross bar before being cleared had in fact crossed the line and with it Cobham’s mathematical chance of avoiding the second from bottom berth. Their fate now rest in the hands of the Combined Counties League and its politics and with only a single seeming to finish in the top three in Division 1 having the necessary ground conditions, it looks likely that Cobham should retain their position in the Premier Division. This would be an incredible feat given that in January the Chairman and his manager resigned with 12 players moving on in the same week, it was a bleak start to the new year but the youngest were given the chance and whilst it has not been an easy few months on the pitch, the club is looking strong both on and off it.
With the average age of the squad at 19 and free of the shackles of relegation they took the game to the home side and on quarter of an hour Scott Day went on a run chasing the ball and thus forcing the centre half to play back towards his keeper. Day kept the pressure on, getting to the ball first and flicked it over the home goalie who was appearing for the last time at this level. The script had been well and truly torn up and it was Cobham who got the ball down and passed it with the ever impressive Shane Rideout controlling the tempo whilst being ably supported by Shaun Powell. Camberley resorted to the long ball game trying to hit it in over the top but the back four stood tall winning everything. How Cobham didn’t score more is anybody’s guess with first Andy Dalhouse having an effort cleared of the line and then Powell thought he scored only to see his effort cleared of the line by an outstretched arm. A clearer penalty you will never see not given. Where is that Russian when he is needed? So the season ended in bright sunshine and Cobham now await their fate at the league meeting on 14th May 2008.
