Match Report
Cobham 2 v 4 Cove, League, January 26th 2008
Report by Andy.
In a week when Cobham lost a Chairman, a 1st team manager and a whole load of 1st team players, a bunch of previous reserve players stepped upto the mark to take on top-four placed Cove at Anvil Lane.
Cobham started the game with a 451/433 formation designed to use the pacey but diminutive attacking attributes of Cornell Mckoy and Michael Lee which paid almost instant dividends as Mckoy played the ball across to Robbie Wilson who in turn played it into the path of Lee on the right wing, who's cross evaded the visiting goalkeeper and into the net. Cove then started to press and showed exactly why they're sitting so high in the league with Nick McGregor in the home goal making a few key saves with Cobham looking dangerous on the break. After 20 minutes Cove drew level via a shot from the edge of the box which squeezed between McGregor's dive and the post. Disaster then struck the young home team as just before half-time a mix-up between McGregor and central defender James Berry as both converged on the ball and saw the latter slice the ball high into the air, leaving the Cove player the simple task to nod the ball home into the empty net. HT - 1-2.
Cobham needed to step up their game in the 2nd half and almost had the perfect start with Lee's dipping shot from long range skimming the bar, and fooling a number of spectators who thought it was in! In an attempt to put a bit of height up front the home side pushed Anderson upfield to partner Mckoy in a revised 442 formation, although it was Cove who had the ball in the net next but it was disallowed for offside. Cobham made a couple of substitutions in an attempt to salvage the game with more height being introduced up front with Mckoy replaced by Shaun Powell, and left-winger Alin Constantin exiting for Gonzalez and it worked with Andy Dalehouse being brought down inside the area, with the man himself shooting the spot kick into the goal. Unfortunately, the defensive frailties showed themselves again with Cove scoring twice more firstly via a long ball which wasn't effectively cleared and the latter via a corner which swept across the face of the goal, landing at the feet on a unmarked Cove player standing at the back post. Cove did have the ball in the net again at the end but if was once more disallowed for offside.
Overall, it was a good show from the home team especially considering the situation but Cove just showed why they're 4th in the league table.
Cobham team - McGregor, Wilson, Dynan(c), Anderson (sub ?), Berry, Reeves, Lee, Charles, Mckoy (sub Powell), Dalehouse, Constantin (sub Gonzalez).
