Cobham Football Club - Season 2007/2008

Report by Nigel Rousell.

The talking point in the ground after the game between the home and visiting supporters was all about the 84th minute penalty awarded to the visitors - although grateful for the decision, no one agreed with the referee's decision. So it was a fortunate North Greenford that left Anvil Lane with a share of the points. However it would be fair to say that a draw was perhaps the right result and certainly had you offered Cobham's manager Ken Reed the draw after 20 minutes, which saw his new look side 2-0 down, he would have snatched it from you.

Four players were left out after the away defeat at Colliers Wood, which saw Simon Taylor make his debut on the right side of midfield. Up front saw the welcome return of Dean Pitcher who partnered Andy Dalhouse. Cobham got off to worse start possible on a pitch that was looking heavy after all the rain - North Greenford's first corner was headed clear, the ball felling to a visiting midfield player who had far too much time to chip it back into the box where the unmarked centre half fired home with a thunderbolt from 18 yards giving Nick McGregor no chance. It was only a fine save from McGregor from the next corner that prevented an increase in the score line - it was going to be a busy first half in which the Cobham keeper was in fine form. But on 17 minutes, as the Cobham defence tried to play their way out the back, play broke down in the midfield and they were punished with North Greenford grabbing their second to leave Cobham looking to be on the end of a heavy defeat.

It took a captain's performance from Mark Remnant who got at his team and, with his never say die attitude, started to win the midfield battle with his partner Scott Day, who must have covered every blade of grass. However, it took a great last gasp tackle by Dave Andrews at centre half to prevent it from becoming 3-0 as he managed to knock it out of the path of the centre forward, who still managed a weak shot that McGregor saved well to his right. Cobham managed to pull one goal back thanks to Remnant taking a 37th minute free kick from just inside the opposition's half that found the head of Andrews who guided it over the advancing keeper. This visibly lifted the home side as they started to turn the tide. Indeed it was now Cobham that were playing and passing with more confidence and a good one-two down the right side saw Robbie Wilson deliver an inch perfect cross to Dalhouse who headed home to level the scores on the stroke of half time.

A double substitution at the start of the second half saw Andrew Charles replace the unwell Lee Gamble and Taylor made way for Anton Douglas, a speedy winger making his debut. And what an impact he made, with some quick foot work he found some space to deliver a low cross across the six yard box which saw Pitcher stab home to put the home side 3-2 up. It stayed that way, mainly thanks to the visiting keeper, who now became the busier of the two with a fine one handed save from a Day volley and then another Day effort was saved well with his legs kept the score line at 3-2. With McGregor now becoming a spectator it took a bizarre penalty decision from the referee to give him some action. What looked like a good tackle from Andrews, sending the ball out for a throw, was deemed a foul and to everyone's astonishment, he pointed at the spot, a lifeline that Greenford make no mistake with to level the scores with six minutes remaining.

Cobham still found the time to have a couple more efforts with firstly Dalhouse firing wide and in time added on, Charles sending a free kick over the bar but to no avail.

Overall, an improved performance from a Cobham side determined to pull away from the drop zone.