SWPL Prem Div Stoke Gabriel V St Austell 12th September 2015

[Dave]

Southwest Peninsula League Premier Division

Stoke Gabriel AFC Vs St Austell AFC

Saturday 12th September 2015…….Kick-Off 3pm

Venue…….G.J. Churchward Memorial Ground

Referee Mark Senior Referees Assistants Eroy Alexis & Toby Scalan

Final Score Stoke Gabriel 1 St Austell 3

I had planed to watch a different game today, but due to a parcel being delivered at an estimated time of 2pm today, my plans had to be changed and a game picked closer to home to ensure I was there for the kick-off.

Stoke were still looking for their first win of the season, things have not gone to well out on the pitch and losing a few key players due to injury has not helped. They have been playing well enough but guilty of giving away a number of soft goals from set pieces, something they could ill afford to do against St Austell who before today’s game were sitting in second place in the league table.

Liam Prynn who is a product of the Torquay United Youth System joined St Austell on loan this week, it has been reported that they are paying his wages of £125 that Torquay were paying him . The lively striker turned down a move to Aston Villa in favour of staying at The Launa Windows Stadium and he has gone on to make a handful of substitute appearances for the first-team. He has recently been out on loan to Bideford Town

Before today’s game Stoke had played seven games drawing two of them and losing five. They had scored eight goals and conceded fifteen giving them a minus seven goal difference.

St Austell had also played seven games, winning four of them, drawing one and losing two. They had scored fifteen goals and conceded eight giving them a plus seven goal difference.

Stoke started the match as complete underdogs, but could the chosen eleven pull off what would a surprise result? Or was St Austell going to be too strong a team against a side being kept off the bottom of the table by St Blazey. The thing is Stoke are in danger of getting stuck close to the bottom of the table and do need to find a way to start picking up points.

Liam Prynn started the match on the bench but must have felt right at home wearing his yellow kit. He had to wait until late in the second half before he took to the field.

Before I talk about the match itself, I do feel the Stoke players deserve heaps of praise for the way they kept at it and not letting the score get to them. They are clearly missing one or two players who could turn games into winning ones, but first they need to learn to not give away goals in the fashion they are.

St Austell are the only team in the league that Stoke managed to not score against last season, at least that duck was broken today. St Austell had far to much pace and movement up front, stretching the Stoke players all over the place and as a result crafting so much space for their danger man Liam Eddy.

Any hope that the St Austell players might have been worn out after their long walk from the main road to the ground was soon forgotten. The coach driver would not take his coach up the lane and parked it half on the grass and the road causing a bit of a blockage on the road Paignton bound.

Right from the off Liam Eddy was played in on the Stoke goal, but he took the ball a bit wide of the target and fired his shot well wide of the right hand post. But he only had to wait until the tenth minute to put his side in front.

Always playing on the shoulder of the last defender, Liam was played through; there were shouts for offside but the linesman kept his flag down. Dan Law in goal for Stoke for the injured Nathan Murphy, came out to narrow the angle, but was unable to make a save.

Stoke then gave away a needless free kick out on the right hand side and the ball was fired over to the back post and Ollie Brokenshire rose the highest to head the ball home. Stoke were working hard enough but not able to play the right sort of balls up to the ever hard working Stuart Bowker.

Every time St Austell played the ball forward they looked like scoring and Liam Eddy was in on goal again and should have got his second goal of the match, but he missed. But the third goal for St Austell was not too far away and what a gift it was for Liam Eddy. A simple pass out of defence was completely mucked up with the ball going straight to him, he then burst into the Stoke box and slotted the ball past the helpless Dan Law.

Stoke refused to lie down and die and thanks to some wonderful forceful play by Stuart Bowker at least went in at the break with a goal of their own. Stuart was big and strong out wide on the left and got the ball across into the St Austell box where Ollie Aplin was able to shoot through a crowd of players into the back of the net.

That was it for the first half and St Austell really should have scored more goals in the second half. During the break we were entertained by a penalty competition featuring some Stoke junior players. Right from the off that man Liam Eddy was in on goal again but put his shot over the bar. Stoke were often pushing a bit to far up the pitch and by doing so gave Liam Eddy so much space to run in too. He was in again this time his shot went wide of the left hand post, he had one more effort that hit the crossbar.

Liam Prynn came on and showed his class when he went on a fine run, but he was not able to get a real goal scoring opportunity. That was it, another defeat for Stoke but I do feel their first win of the season is not that far away.

[Dave]

Tim Porters Views on the match




TIM PORTER says the pressure is on Stoke Gabriel now and that some of his players need to buck up their ideas – following the 3-1 defeat at home to St Austell yesterday.

Stoke are still without a win in the Premier Division of the Peninsula League – but were playing the champions and they are unlikely to come up against a much better forward line again this season.

St Austell were 3-0 up shortly after the half-hour but Stoke at least coped better with their Cornish visitors in the second half after getting a goal back through Ollie Aplin.

With just two points on the board, Stoke only have St Blazey below them – so Porter is desperate for his team to get something out of Wednesday night's trip to Elburton Villa.

"We were very timid and seemed to lack urgency from the kick off," said the manager.

"I am not sure if that is down to me and my team or the lads still feeling sorry for themselves from our recent results.

"But it was apparent after the first 10 minutes just how good St Austell were and every time we gave the ball away they looked like they were going to create something."

Lethal striker Liam Eddy scored twice and Ollie Brokenshire added another with St Austell 3-0 up by the 34th minute.

They were even able to boast of having on-loan Torquay United player – Liam Prynn – only on the bench!

Just before the break, Aplin pulled one back for the home side following some good work his captain Stuart Bowker.

Porter said: "At 3-0 down I can honestly say it started to feel like we were going to be on the end if a real hammering.

"But we managed to steady the ship somewhat for the last 15 minutes and grabbed a very good equaliser.

"After a half time chat which involved some pretty frank and honest words we came out with an amount of confidence which actually allowed us to play out from the back much more.

"Despite some decent passages of play, we never really threatened, and in the end St Austell probably took their foot off the gas and were happy to concede possession with us not looking like making the killer final pass.

"The pressure is really on us now. We play away at Elburton on Wednesday which has now become a must-win game.

"Despite the majority of the squad really sticking at it, I have been left disappointed by the commitment of a few.

"We had one no-show, one lad who decided to go and watch the Manchester United game at short notice, and one with a knock that against another team I am sure he would have been fit for selection.

"It's becoming pretty clear that some of the members of our squad can take it or leave it at the moment. That's disappointing as the effort and work load that myself, my management team and everyone behind the scenes is doing day in day out deserves more back in return.

"I must stress we are only talking about two or three players – but at this level we can ill afford to have anyone less than 100 per cent committed to the club."