MINSTER EGGSTATIC AS PECKHAM ARE HIT FOR SIX

Mary Phillip’s Peckham travelled down to Ramsgate for what turned out to be a not so ‘Jolly Boys Outing’. With both Ross Jefferies and Nathan Gamester unavailable, new signing Billy Reid made his debut in goal. Raymond Agyemang started at right back, and with Adam Carrick a late withdrawal through injury, Lucas Grego made his first start for Peckham at left back. Fareid Yassein started in the centre of defence with Joe Thomas deputising alongside him. Michael Agyemang sat behind the midfield duo of Jacob Kemp and Tidi Barry with captain Nicky Meta on the left and Camilo Andres Nieva on the right. Rashane Wilson started as the lone striker, on the bench were Chris Weber, Mohamed Bah and Thibault Machefert.

The hosts got the game underway with both teams looking to play direct attacking football early on. Captain Nicky Meta had Peckham’s first real chance at goal on 5 minutes but hit his effort wide from 15 yards out. However, the Menace skipper was caught after he struck the ball and needed lengthy treatment which eventually saw him leave the field on a stretcher seven minutes after the incident. There was a good case for a Peckham penalty but the match official set the tone for the remainder of the game and a goal kick was given. So an early enforced change was called for with Thibault Machefert replacing the captain with Joe Thomas taking the armband. A minute later and another Peckham player needed treatment, Billy Reid was caught and landed awkwardly as he came out of his area to clear the ball in the 16th minute, the game restarting with a drop ball two minutes later.

The two stoppages early on seemed to disrupt Peckham’s rhythm and the hosts took advantage with 23 minutes played. Joe Thomas failed to clear the ball from just outside the Peckham area eventually losing possession to the Minster number 17. He turned the stand in captain and played in their number 7 who dinked the ball passed the Peckham keeper and into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. Peckham then had a great opportunity to get back in the game from a set piece 20 yards from goal. Raymond Agyemang stepped up to take but hit it straight at the Minster wall and despite the ball coming back to the Peckham right back his second attempt went well wide. Peckham began to look frustrated as decisions went against them with the stand in captain getting a stern talking to from the match official as the game entered the half hour mark.

With 34 minutes played the hosts doubled their lead from another set piece after Michael Agyemang looked to have won the ball with a perfect tackle on the Minster number 14. Their number 8 stepped up to loop the free kick over the Peckham wall and past the outstretched arm of Billy Reid and into the top right hand corner of the goal. It only got worse for Peckham as Michael Agyemang was then sent to the sin bin two minutes later on 36 minutes. Peckham would now have to see out the remainder of normal time in the first half a man down, and with Rashane Wilson dropping into midfield they never really posed a threat to the Minster goal. Still, Peckham pushed forward when they had the ball but as the clock ticked onto 44 minutes they were caught out by a Minster counter attack and the hosts bagged a third goal, and despite there being a hint of offside, the goal stood.

The game entered added time and after the first added minute Peckham were back to 11 men as Michael Agyemang left the sin bin to re-join the action. With an additional ten minutes played the match official brought the first half to an end and it couldn’t come soon enough for Peckham as the players went into the half time team talk arguing amongst themselves. Things were about to get even worse for Mary Phillip’s team as it soon became evident that debutant goalkeeper Billy Reid could no longer continue. This meant a frantic change was required as the match officials were already on their way out to restart the game. Chris Weber was quickly readied to replace the injured keeper, with Lucas Grego donning the gloves for the second half and Thibault Machefert dropping to left back. Despite the setback Peckham should’ve pulled a goal back with barely two minutes played in the second half. Rashane Wilson ran on to a Tidi Barry pass through the Minster defence and with the goal at his mercy he hit it high and wide.

With such an early threat from Peckham the hosts upped the ante and put the game to bed on 51 minutes. Michael Agyemang was bundled off the ball in the centre circle and as the official waved play on the Minster number 14 played a defence splitting ball allowing their number 8 to slot home for his second of the game making it 4-0. The pressure from the hosts was now relentless and it took a decent save from Lucas Grego to deny them a fifth goal four minutes later as the hosts took advantage of a short corner. The fifth goal did come however, as the game entered the hour mark. The Minster number 12 ran onto another through ball and got his shot away between two Peckham defenders from 20 yards out. The stand in keeper managed to get a hand to the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep it out, Thibaut Machefert then went into the book for his challenge in the build up to the goal. Peckham then made their final change on 63 minutes, Mohamed Bah replacing Tidi Barry. The hosts almost made it six as the Peckham defence failed to clear, but amazingly the ball was blazed over an empty Peckham goal. The introduction of Mohamed Bah to the game added some pace to the Peckham attack and they began to look dangerous every time they pushed forward in search of a consolation.

They were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 75th minute as Joe Thomas ran forward with the ball. As a tackle looked imminent the Peckham defender squared it to Jacob Kemp who hit it first time from just outside the ‘D’. The ball soared high over the Minster defence and keeper and into the net to make it 5-1. Peckham were then denied a blatant penalty two minutes later after some great work from Mohamed Bah. The Peckham player weaved his way into the Minster area but was hacked to the ground as he was about to cross the ball. Despite the protests from the Peckham players and supporters, a corner was all they were given for their troubles. As the game entered the final ten minutes the Peckham physio went into the book, this was seconds after the official booked the Minster number 11 for shirt pulling! Jacob Kemp almost snatched a second from a quick throw in from Raymond Agyemang, his cross-come-shot took the Minster keeper by surprise and although he got his hands to the ball it almost bounced over the line but he gathered it at the second attempt. The hosts wrapped up the game in the 89th minute as their number 9 tapped home a cross from the right, the official ending a miserable afternoon for Peckham after five added minutes.

And it was a miserable afternoon, losing the skipper after five minutes, then a debutant keeper at half time only added to Peckham’s woes, but at the end of the day they just weren’t good enough. But we know they can play a lot better, and have done many times this season, so we draw a line under this result and move forward to our next game. Easter Monday the date, 2.45pm KO BST the time, Menace Arena the place, Ashford the opponents, no fooling!

Peckham Town FC (4-5-1): Billy Reid; Raymond Agyemang, Fareid Yassein, Joe Thomas, Lucas Grego; Camilo Andres Nieva, Jacob Kemp, Michael Agyemang, Tidi Barry, Nicky Meta (c); Rashane Wilson.
Subs. Thibault Machefert (on for Nicky Meta), Chris Weber (on for Billy Reid) & Mohamed Bah (on for Tidi Barry).