HASSOCKS TOO TUFT OPPONENTS FOR PECKHAM

It feels a lot longer than two months since a football was last kicked at the Menace Arena. It felt good to be back for the 2023/24 preseason opener against Southern Combination Football League Premier Division opponents Hassocks FC. Manager Mary Phillip had nine players from last seasons squad and eight trialists at her disposal, eight squad members starting the game along with three trialists. With a crowd of 88 inside the Menace Arena and after a short delay, the game was underway.

Preseason friendlies are all about gaining match fitness but both teams started brightly. Kieran Dowding shot just wide on 3 minutes before Nathan Gamester pulled off two decent saves to deny the visitors their opener in the 6th and 7th minute respectively. It was the visitors that broke the deadlock on 19 minutes after Peckham gave the ball away just outside their own 18 yard box, the Hassocks number 9 slotting the ball past the advancing Nathan Gamester despite a desperate lunging challenge from Joe Thomas.

Suddenly the visitors had a spring in their step and should have doubled their lead three minutes later, the ball was hit high over the open goal from barely 5 yards out. Two minutes later Peckham escaped again as Hassocks hit the post, the follow up shot cleared off the line by Elton Romaku. With 25 minutes played the official called for a short break for the players to take on some much needed fluid. This obviously came as an advantage to Mary Phillip’s team as just after the half hour mark they got a much deserved equaliser.

Peckham had numbers forward and with a mix up in the Hassocks defence the ball fell kindly for the Menace number 15. A Trialist saw his chance, took a touch and fired towards the opponents goal from 8 yards out. Lady luck was on his side as his shot deflected off a Hassocks defender as he lunged towards the Peckham player in an attempt to block the his effort causing the ball to bounce over the advancing keeper and into the goal.

Peckham had a great chance to double their tally two minutes later after Kieran Dowding carved his way through the Hassocks defence. The ball eventually found Tidi Barry on the edge of the area but his effort went high over the visitors goal. Mary Phillip then opted for an early change, the Peckham number nine, A Trialist being replaced by another trialist wearing the number five shirt, a like for like swap up front.

Half time came and the Peckham manager made one change for the second half. Nathan Gamester was replaced between the sticks by another trialist. Peckham began to click and started to take control of the game. Tidi Barry had the ball in the back of the Hassocks goal two minutes after the restart but the assistant on the far side had already raised his flag for offside. On 56 minutes Camilo Andres Nieva should have scored after a mazy run down the left flank. He eventually cut back in towards the goal skipping past two Hassock defenders only to shoot straight at the keeper, anywhere else and Peckham would have taken the lead. Four minutes later and Kieran Dowding saw his effort from 20 yards fly just wide of the top left hand corner of the visitors goal.

The pivotal moment of the game came just two minutes later when the visitors made a triple change on 62 minutes. Within three minutes of the change the visitors were ahead although Joe Thomas looked to have been fouled earlier in the build up. The official allowed the game to continue and the goal stood.

With just over 15 minutes remaining Camilo Andres Nieva and the number 5 trialist were replaced by Patrick Keitel and another trialist wearing the number 16 shirt respectively. On 80 minutes it’s was another trialist swap, the number 13 replacing number 3. Within seconds if the change the visitors were awarded a penalty after Joe Thomas committed a foul just inside the Menace area. Up stepped the Hassocks number 14 to slot home at the far post sending the Peckham keeper the wrong way. Three minutes later the visitors were gifted a fourth goal as the Peckham keeper miss-timed his clearance. The ball fell to the feet of a Hassocks player who immediately shot towards the goal. Despite the trialist keeper getting a hand to the ball he couldn’t deny the Hassocks man from scoring.

The game came to an end after two added minutes, the visitors running out 4-1 winners. The score line could suggest a one sided game but it was far from that. Both teams played well and several Peckham regulars stood out along with a few of the trialists. As I said earlier, it’s all about getting that match fitness and bonding as a group at this stage of the season so the result isn’t anything to worry about. Our next friendly is on Friday at the Menace Arena with a 7pm kick off against Stonewall FC. Hopefully there will be a bumper crowd as this game forms part of the weekend’s ‘Freundschaft’ celebration of unity between Dulwich Hamlet FC and Altona 93 of Hamburg.

Peckham Town FC (4-2-3-1): Nathan Gamester; A Trialist, Elton Romaku, Joe Thomas, Nicky Meta (c); Jacob Kemp, A Trialist; Camilo Andres Nieva, Tidi Barry, Kieran Dowding; A Trialist. Subs: Patrick Keitel, A Trialist, A Trialist, A Trialist, A Trialist, A Trialist.