Five Things From Peckham Town vs Fleetwood United

Styles Make Fights: Anticipating an Attack vs Defence Classic

For the first time since about three Prime Ministers ago I woke up on a Saturday without the shadow of a “pitch inspection to follow” tweet from the club hanging over me. A relatively less wet week and a huge amount of work protecting stickier areas of the pitch by Bryan and Mary meant that the referee could enjoy a lie in rather than heading to the Menace Arena early doors.

Peckham’s 4-1 win over Bexley had moved them up to ninth in the table, 11 points clear of the relegation places and with several games in hand on those above them. It was their third win in succession, after victories away to New Romney and home to Bermondsey Town. All three of those sides are below the Menace in the table however, making today’s challenge against third-placed Fleetdown United a step up in difficulty.

Fleetdown came into the game in good form, having won four out of four in ’24, including their last three matches away from home. Their success this season has been built on a defence that has legitimate claims to be the tightest in the League; just 23 goals conceded going into the game. This has perhaps come at an attacking cost, as the side’s goals total of 36 was the lowest of any team in the top nine. With Peckham Town’s 47 goals scored second only to leaders Halls AFC on a goals per game basis, the encounter on paper had the look of Unstoppable Force meets Immovable Object.

Peckham lined up with three changes from the win over Bexley. Their own immovable object, Ross Jefferies, remained in goal behind a back four of Duah Danso, Omar, Raymond Agyemang and Elton Romaku, who replaced Adam Carrick. Jacob Kemp returned to the midfield alongside Joe Thomas and Tidi Barry. Michael Agyemang on the right and Nicky Meta on the left supported top-scorer Kieran Dowding in attack; this meant that Rashane Wilson, last week’s unstoppable nine minute hattrick hero, and Chris Weber, scorer of the opener, had to be satisfied with places on the bench.

Peckham Make The Uphill Running

For the second week running Peckham lost the toss and were turned around, meaning they played the first half going uphill – but as with last week it did not stop them coming quickly out of the blocks. The first fifteen minutes were played almost entirely in the Fleetdown half, much of it in and around the area as Peckham swarmed their opponents in search of the opening.

For the most part though, Fleetdown’s organization and last-gasp defensive heroics meant that the hosts were generally limited to shots from the edge of the box, albeit that several of these came close to breaking the deadlock. Just five minutes had gone when a curling shot from Tidi Barry left the keeper stranded, only to smash off the crossbar. On 13 minutes, the keeper needed two efforts at holding onto a thunderous strike from Raymond Agyemang, who was always happy to get forward in support of attacks. Dowding could have done better with an effort on 24 minutes after being freed by Barry, and on 34 minutes captain Nicky Meta spun away from defenders on the edge of the box and sent a lovely chip just over the bar with the keeper stranded.

Fleetdown did have one or two spells of sustained pressure. On 15 minutes a poor attempt at a clearance ultimately resulted in a corner to the visitors, who then penned the Menace in their own half for the next five minutes or so, but a series of set piece opportunities lead to nothing save for a threatening break for the hosts, who were clearly nervous of Dowding’s pace on the break. Peckham had more than one chance to spring him during the half, but couldn’t quite find the killer ball, and the break came with the game goalless.

Peckham Make The Downhill Running

Mary Philip would have had the easier of the two team talks – and it was certainly the calmer, judging from the yelling coming out of the visitors dressing room – and her Peckham side began the second half as they had the first, dominating possession and territory but this time with the advantage of playing downhill. The pattern of the first half played out again, with Peckham on top for large spells, and Fleetdown having shorter moments of pressure, usually revolving around a threat from set pieces.

Peckham’s second half openings were again high in number but arguably low in xG – you suspect a central part of Fleetdown’s organizational approach is to deny big chances, but allow low value ones, relying on an excellent keeper and trusting that few will be taken over the course of the season. And they were excellent in closing down and denying space in the box, so that on the three or four occasions where Peckham had numbers in the area the ball just wouldn’t fall for them – because it fell for the away side instead, who were able to scramble clear.

The most dramatic opening came on the hour, when a cross from Meta on the left was met in spectacular fashion by Michael Agyemang: his overhead kick from ten yards out fizzed low to the keeper’s left, but was kept out and cleared at the second attempt.

Sensing perhaps that it would take something spectacular to prise open the Fleetdown rearguard, Peckham made a series of progressively more attacking substitutions. After the like-for-like swap of Tarrant for Barry, striker Rashane Wilson was introduced on the hour, with Meta moving to left back in place of Romaku. Ten minutes later striker Chris Weber came on in place of midfielder Jacob Kemp. But even with this additional attacking intent, Peckham just could not find a way to get the opener, and the last few minutes of the game were played out in and around their own box as the visitors tried, but failed, to snatch it at the death.

“We Battered Them 0-0”

Ultimately then, Fleetdown secured the draw that it appeared they had come for. It seemed an odd approach for a side starting the day in third who ought to have been pushing for a win to keep the pressure up on the leaders (as it is they drop back to fourth), but ultimately their approach over the season has been effective and they look like improving on last season’s sixth place finish and 50-point haul.

For Peckham, despite all their dominance and far greater number of chances, this was a first draw of the campaign, indeed their first home stalemate since last March. Indeed, if you discount results during the unfinished Covid seasons (and the FA website does because it’s “voided” them so technically speaking they never happened!) you have to go back to 25th November 2017 for the last time Peckham drew 0-0 at home (to Greenways). That’s an amazing 2,275 days since a goalless home draw.

I have to say, I am bang into this. Football at the Menace Arena is a constant outcome-seeking thrill, the home side never wanting to die wondering, always striving to put the opposition under pressure and score. This doesn’t mean they can’t be disciplined and wait for the best moment to push, as last week’s controlled win over Bexley shows. But it does mean that the best team to watch in south London for footballing entertainment is Mary Philip’s red and blue army.

Palace have missed a trick passing her up….

The Menace: Making Dreams Come True Since 1982

After the match was over, the Peckham players and staff toured the ground, thanking a season-high 247 supporters for their backing, and trying to make a few more dreams come true before it was time to head home. As they came off the pitch, the players were greeted by a small army of young fans desperate for fist bumps, high fives and autographs. Coach Rohan ensured that one young fan got the entire set of signatures by taking a programme into the changing rooms to be signed in full, and he emerged with a special gift for another fan my eldest son, in the shape of a pair of goalie gloves signed by stopper Ross Jefferies. There are moments when you look at someone and you can see in their eyes they don’t know how they’re going to contain the joy they’re about to feel; that was the look I saw on Finn’s face as he reached out to take his gift, and it was magical. Thanks so much to everyone…

The crowd was a record for the season so far, and coincidentally the highest since Fleetdown’s last visit on the final day of the 22/23 season. While I am sure they would argue the numbers were swelled by travelling ranks, I think last season’s may have had more to do with it being a sunny May bank holiday weekend and today’s with new fans curious about this club having seen the excellent Copa90 film (link here). I am sure all enjoyed their day, despite the highly unusual lack of goals, and I hope we will see many of them return next week for the visit of Ashford, and in the weeks, months and years to come as we all help Bryan chase his dream of a place in the FA Cup. Up the Menace!

Peckham Town: Jefferies; R.Agyemang, Romaku, Omar, Duah Danso; Kemp, Barry, Thomas; M.Ayemang, Meta, Dowding.
Subs: Tarrant (for Barry), Wilson (for Romaku), Weber (for Kemp), Suleman (for M.Agyemang).