PECKHAM COME ALIVE TO BAG FIVE

Football finally returned to the Menace Arena after more than a two month absence due to postponements. In fact you would have to cast your mind back to the 25th November last year for the last time football graced the Menace Arena. After last week's extremely late postponement against Borden Village (ten minutes prior to kick off) Mary Phillip’s team finally returned to action against Bermondsey Town.

Ross Jefferies returned in between the sticks with Hassan Omar at right back and Adam Carrick returning from injury at left back. Jeremiah Duah Danso returned to the centre of defence to partner Fareid Yassein. With a change of formation, Joe Thomas partnered Jacob Kemp in the centre of a midfield four with Raymond Agyemang on the right and captain Nicky Meta on the left. Kieren Dowding started up front alongside Nosa Obaguedo, on the bench were Chris Weber, Tidi Barry, Gbolahan Jimoh, Peter Tarrant and Rashane Wilson.

Bermondsey got the game underway but Peckham soon took control of the game. When the visitors did try to attack they couldn’t find a way through the Menace defence. The deadlock was broken in the tenth minute after Peckham won a corner when a Jacob Kemp's pass was deflected out. Captain Nicky Meta sent the ball into the near post but it was headed clear by a Bermondsey defender. Raymond Agyemang used his strength to nick it away from another Bermondsey player just outside the area and immediately played it back to Nicky Meta. The skipper sent it first time deep into the visitors area where Nosa Obaguedo took a touch before slotting the ball home at the back post from five yards.

Peckham continued to dominate, and despite the soft pitch were managing to play a decent passing game. They got there reward just after the half hour mark albeit in somewhat bizarre circumstances. Hassan Omar took a throw in over on the far side to Fareid Yassein just inside the visitors half. Unchallenged, the defender took a couple of touches before launching the ball goal wards. As the visitors keeper started to back track he lost his footing on the edge of the 6 yard box and the ball looped over his head and into the goal on 31 minutes to make it 2-0. Whether the Peckham defender meant to go for goal or not, it didn’t stop the home supporters from admiring his speculative effort. A contender for goal of the season maybe, we will have to wait and see!

Peckham almost had a third two minutes later when Nicky Meta's close range strike was blocked by a last ditched lunge from a Bermondsey defender and out for a corner. The third goal did come however, seconds later from the resulting corner. Captain Nicky Meta turned provider once again, taking a short corner he played a one-two with Joe Thomas before sending the ball deep towards the far post. It was headed clear by a defender but only as far as Raymond Agyemang on the edge of the 18 yard box. The midfielder took a sublime touch before hitting it on the half volley through the crowded six yard box and into the goal.

With only 34 minutes played Peckham were now three goals to the good and firmly in control. As half time approached Kieran Dowding went down in the penalty area, and despite a couple of shouts for a penalty from his team mates, the official waved play on. Three added minutes were played before the half time whistle was blown, two very different half time teams talks to come for sure. Mary Phillip opted for two changes before the restart, Chris Weber replaced Nosa Obaguedo and Rashane Wilson replaced Raymond Agyemang.

Peckham kicked of the second half and it was business as usual from the off. They almost made it four-nil three minutes after the restart were it not for two decent saves from the Bermondsey keeper. Nicky Meta sent a ball into the box from the far side, the half clearance then found Jacob Kemp just inside the area. He hit it first time only to see the keeper parry his effort, Rashane Wilson attempted to smash the loose ball in from close range only for the keeper to save again, this time with a stretched out leg.

As the second half progressed only one team looked like scoring so it was no surprise when Kieran Dowding popped up to get his name on the score sheet on 55 minutes. The Peckham winger-cum-striker has scored some impressive goals in his time and this was yet again
another of those. Picking up a loose ball inside the centre circle, he skipped over one challenge and weaved his way towards the goal. As he entered the area he cut inside on his left boot and fired the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the Bermondsey goal to make it 4-0. Another contender for goal of the season without a doubt.

Manager Mary Phillip decided on another change on 66 minutes, Tidi Barry replacing captain Nicky Meta, opting to go for a midfield three. As the game entered the final twenty minutes the visitors won a free kick in a dangerous position some twenty yards from goal. Up to this point, and correct me if I’m wrong, they hadn’t had a shot on goal and Ross Jefferies had so far been a mere spectator. But fair play to them as the free kick beat the wall and the outstretched Menace stopper finding its way into the top left hand corner of the Peckham goal. At this point it was merely nothing more than a consolation, but an impressive strike nonetheless.

Three minutes later though the game was finally put to bed when Tidi Barry bagged a fifth for Peckham. Jeremiah Duah Danso played the ball into Joe Thomas in the centre of the pitch. Spotting the run of Tidi Barry, he played into the area and despite an attempted interception from Bermondsey defender he ran in behind him and faced with an acute angle he managed to slot the ball in at the far post.

Two minutes later and it was almost number 6 for Peckham, Jacob Kemp had the goal at his mercy only to side foot the ball well wide. The Peckham midfielder then saw another strike hit the woodwork in the 80th minute with the keeper well beaten. Peckham’s final change followed as Peter Tarrant replaced Fareid Yassein for the final ten minutes. The visitors almost doubled their tally in the 85th minute, their number 9 heading just over the bar from 6 yards. A minute later, Rashane Wilson, and everyone inside the Menace Arena was wondering how his 25 yard effort didn’t go. He struck it well but it took a slight deflection looping it over the keeper on onto the post before hitting the keeper again before he through himself onto the ball before it could trickle over the line and in. Tidi Barry had another effort saved in the 89th minute before the official finally called time after 6 added minutes.

A much needed, very convincing win for Peckham and a decent all round performance in tricky conditions too. There were a couple of players up for the King of the Match award, Fareid Yassein had a good shout, but ultimately it went to Kieran Dowding in the end. Next Saturday we face a day out at the seaside when a win could see us leapfrog our opponents, New Romney.

Peckham Town FC (4-4-2): Ross Jefferies; Hassan Omar, Fareid Yassein, Jeremiah Duah Danso, Adam Carrick; Raymond Agyemang, Jacob Kemp, Joe Thomas, Nicky Meta (c); Nosa Obaguedo, Kieran Dowding.
Subs. Chris Weber (on for Nosa Obaguedo), Rashane Wilson (on for Raymond Agyemang), Tidi Barry (on for Nicky Meta), Peter Tarrant (on for Fareid Yassein) & Gbolahan Jimoh (not used).