 19 February 2012 00:00 - CPR Panthers 3:4 Hythe Hornets |
| 19th February 2012
Curley Park Panthers 3:4 Hythe Hornets (Plate Competition)
After a three week break due to freezing weather conditions, we played today’s match on a very sunny but chilly morning at Collingwood and it was not a match for the faint-hearted spectator. It was good to welcome back Dan for his first match for the Panthers since his injury which, coincidentally, was also against Hythe back on 4th December. Another statistic to note was that our last match against Hythe was also our last win in either cup, league or friendly. Conclusion? We’ve missed you Dan!
The Panthers got off to a flying start and with the first real attack of the game Dan put the ball in the box for Chris to calmly shoot past a rather static Hythe keeper. That was about as straightforward as it got and from then on we had a real match on our hands. Hythe responded with two impressive shots on goal and were always threatening to score. Their first goal came after 15 minutes from a good cross and a good finish. Hamish, Adam and Ruairidh all worked hard throughout the first half. They tackled well, closed down the opposition and made life uncomfortable for Hythe. Ali did well to protect his goal, including a brave, point blank save to deny Hythe a second before half time. Matt H took a well aimed free kick which unfortunately went straight to the Hythe keeper and Adam struck the ball well just past the post to narrowly miss putting the Panthers ahead.
The drama really began early in the second half. Matt H was brought down in the box for an obvious penalty. Not only did the Hythe keeper manage to save the penalty kick but as the Panthers watched it all happen, Hythe seized the moment and only seconds later had put the ball in the back of our net to go 2:1 ahead. Robbie took two excellent free kicks on goal from long range which panicked the Hythe defence but which we couldn’t quite convert. Robert had a great shot on the half hour mark and Max had his chances. At this point Ben decided to take matters into his own hands, scoring two goals within five minutes to put the Panthers back in the lead with just five minutes to go. The first came from a cross from Robert which Ben converted to a goal. The second was scored from a deflection off a Hythe defender which Ben was quick to follow up and slot home on the rebound. The Panthers hung on to the lead for a few short minutes. Ali bravely dived at the feet of a Hythe player to prevent him shooting at goal but Hythe’s number 2 completed his hat-trick with another impressive finish from the edge of the box to level the game at the very end.
With twenty minutes of extra time, the match was wide open once again. Joseph had a good chance in the first half of extra time which he couldn’t quite make count and Matt and Ben worked well together to try and complete Ben’s hat-trick. Unfortunately it was Hythe who had the last word with yet another well struck goal from Hythe’s number 2 and by then the Panther’s luck seemed to have run out with too little time for a final comeback.
All players put in a good performance today. Dan had an impressive comeback and seemed remarkably fit after his time out. Ruairidh never stopped running and working for the full 100 minutes today. It was good to see Ben and Matt on the pitch together and they always looked likely to score. Matt M, Alex. Robbie and James worked hard in defence against very quick and confident Hythe forwards. Steve gave special mention to Ruaridh, Ali and especially Hamish who worked so hard today. But MOM had to be Ben for creating some excellent chances and in particular his two goals which brought about an amazing comeback which so very nearly won the match. |
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 29 January 2012 00:00 - CPR Panthers 1:4 Staines Town Blades |
| 29th January 2012
Curley Park Panthers 1:4 Staines Town Blades
Today’s return fixture at Connaught against current top of the table Staines told a similar story to our first away encounter in December; namely a game of too very different halves. Unfortunately, the ending was all too familiar - and not a happy one!
The Panthers got off to a positive and determined start and a casual observer would not have known which team was top of the table and which at the bottom. The first Staines goal came out of the blue after twelve minutes and against the run of play from a corner which was well struck and left the Panther’s defence rooted to the spot.
Undeterred, the Panthers continued to create chances with good shots from Julian and an excellent cross from James which unfortunately nobody could quite get on the end of. The boys all defended well and worked hard in mid-field against Staines players who were clearly used to having things their own way. Finally, the pressure paid off and Adam, finding himself with a free shot, took his chance well and scored with a perfect strike from outside the box which beat the defence and the Staines keeper with ease. Minutes later, Matt H came very close to putting the Panthers ahead when the keeper spilled the ball, but unfortunately he found himself on the floor unable to push the ball home.
Staines were clearly surprised not to have it all their own way and made a couple of significant substitutions to boost their attack and just before half-time, they scored their second goal to go in 2:1 ahead.
The second half started well for us with the play still evenly balanced and the Panthers still creating chances. Just on twenty minutes, Staines had a free kick within range of goal and once again we were beaten by a well-executed set-piece.
The Panthers were unable to raise their game again, and conceded one more time. Staines, finally, won the day, although the game wasn’t quite as comfortable for them as the score would suggest.
The boys did play well today but a couple of lapses in defence and a few missed chances in attack made all the difference. Well done to Hamish, Ruairidh, Conrad, Robbie and Alex, who worked hard all match and especially well done to Adam, Steve’s MOM, who played the perfect role in mid-field today. He led by example, holding up play, passing well, defending well, supporting both his forwards and defence and, of course, taking his chance to score with poise and style! |
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| 22 January 2012 00:00 - Panthers 3 : 4 Manorcroft |
| The Panthers narrowly lost an entertaining seven goal thriller against Manorcroft in blustery conditions at Collingwood, despite being 3-1 up with less than 20 minutes left on the clock.
The game started brightly with Manorcroft hitting the post after just 2 minutes, followed by a Matt Heater shot after a fine through ball from Adam. Minutes later Julian picked out Man-Of-The-Match Heater with a pass into the box, but the striker was denied by a last ditch defensive tackle. Play then switched to the other end, with Manorcroft hitting the woodwork again after 14 minutes. The game ebbed and flowed, with Julian looking dangerous on the left wing, and Ruairidh breaking up play with some strong tackling.
The game’s opening goal came on 20 minutes, after Max cleverly flicked a long downfield punt into the path of Matt Heater, who showed impressive strength and skill to hold off the chasing Manorcroft defenders and slot the ball into the far corner. Cue wild celebrations amongst the Panthers fans (okay, parents!). The Panthers were suddenly oozing with confidence, and further shots quickly followed from Matt and Max (plus an ambitious overhead kick from Julian). Unfortunately Manorcroft equalised (somewhat against the run of play) on 28 minutes, after passing their way through a strangely static Panthers midfield and defence.
The second half began with Manorcroft hitting the woodwork yet again with a free kick, but this only served to stir the Panthers into arguably their best fifteen minute spell of the season so far. Six minutes into the second half Alex smashed in our second goal after a Panthers’ corner led to the mother of all goalmouth scrambles, to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead. Ali then leapt like a salmon to make a fine save from a free kick, and the boys increased their lead just minutes later, when Hamish carried the ball from the edge of his own box up to the halfway line, brushing off several hefty tackles en-route, before sliding the ball expertly into the path of the onrushing Matt H, who once again finished impressively past the keeper. Cue even wilder celebrations from the masses!! Chris then hit a superb 25 yard pass to Julian, who was only just denied by the keeper.
Having been in command of the game for 15 minutes, the Panthers then visibly stepped down a gear and allowed their opponents to take control of the game. First, a Manorcroft corner was allowed to bounce right across the area and was headed in to bring the scores to 3-2. Manorcroft duly levelled the scores minutes later, and then hit the post for the fourth time. Finally they were awarded a penalty just 6 minutes from time, which they converted to complete the scoring.
Despite the disappointing end, it was a highly entertaining game, and the boys should feel proud of their efforts. It’s certain to feature in my end of season speech, and was much more watchable than our previous two (rather dull) games against Manorcroft! |
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| 15 January 2012 00:00 - CPR Panthers 0:1 Rushmoor Saints Scorpions |
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Curley Park Panthers 0 : 1 Rushmoor Saints Scorpions
Today’s match was played out on a very sunny, very cold day at Collingwood. Fortunately the pitch was just about thawed out in time for kick-off.
The first half was evenly matched with neither side looking seriously likely to break the deadlock. Ali pulled off a good save on the half-hour mark when Rushmoor had a shot right on target but as usual Ali was perfectly placed to deal with it. Ruairidh, at left-back, had an excellent first half, as did Alex, Conrad and Robbie, as the defence cut out most of the Rushmoor attacking play to protect Ali and to keep the score at 0:0.
After the break, The Panthers looked more determined and pushed further forward to keep more of the play in the Rushmoor half. Julian and Ben worked well together to create more chances. The first shot from Ben went over the bar and the second looked certain to go in the net but hit the right-hand post to rebound back into play, but unfortunately not to a Curley Park player. The match had nil-nil written all over it when Rushmoor scored what can only be described as a fluke goal. An excellent high cross from the right touch-line just kept going goalwards until it floated into the top left-hand corner of the net just out of Ali’s reach. The Rushmoor forwards looked even more surprised than our defence and, unfortunately for our boys, it was that one stroke of good fortune for Rushmoor that was to decide the game.
Steve’s MOM was Ruairidh (and so say all of us!) for his hard work and excellent play throughout, both at left-back and left mid-field. And also well done once again to the defence who were joined by James in the second half and supported well by Adam and Ruairidh from mid-field. They were disciplined and efficient throughout and definitely deserved a better result at the end.
PS Apologies and thanks to Ruairidh who has very politely refrained from pointing out that I’ve been mis-spelling his name for the past four and a half months! |
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| 08 January 2012 00:00 - CPR Panthers 1:3 Crookham Rovers Bulldogs |
| 8th January 2012
Curley Park Rangers Panthers 1:3 Crookham Rovers Bulldogs
The first match of 2012 saw us at Connaught on a chilly January day for a New Year friendly against a very well-organised, very successful and extremely tall opposition! Crookham are literally in a different league (NE Hants Div1 to be precise) so the match always promised to be tough. Game on!
The opposition got off to a flying start (sound tediously familiar?) with a goal after three minutes. A shot from Crookham hit the bar and rebounded perfectly for a second attempt which found the target. Given the pedigree of the opponents (and the size!) the signs looked ominous. The Panthers however, were undaunted and defended well, cutting out much of the attacking play. Rory, Adam, Alex and Matt M all worked particularly hard in the first half and Ali dealt confidently and clinically with the rest. Ben unwittingly had our first attempt on goal when he took a ball hard in the face from close range which headed goalwards. Julian and Max worked hard, to hold off players in mid-field, Giacomo, used his speed to outrun and hassle his much larger counterpart. After 35 minutes the Panthers were awarded a corner. Julian received the ball, turned brilliantly, released the ball for Alex who took his chance well to make it one-all. Unfortunately, just before half-time, Crookham managed to beat the defence and once again took two attempts to get the ball past Ali for their second goal. Rob worked hard and came very close to equalising just before half-time when he found himself one on one with the Crookham keeper and was unlucky not to score.
Five minutes into the second half, Crookham scored their third with a run down the wing, well-crossed and with a good finish. For the rest of the half, The Panthers continued to defend well. Robbie and Hamish used their speed and strength to hold up the opposition and Conrad, Chris, Joe and Matt H were determined and tenacious as always to thwart the opposition and keep play forward.
Today was not just a whole team performance but a whole squad performance with all eighteen boys there and involved. Dan, still unable to play because of his knee injury, was there to support and even James, recovering from a virus, put in a 10 minute cameo performance to play his part! Well done boys and good luck for 2012! |
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| 18 December 2011 00:00 - Staines Town Blades 5:1 CPR Panthers |
| 18th December 2011
Staines Town Blades 5:1 Curley Park Panthers
Our match today was set in freezing Staines and unfortunately it took our boys the whole of the first half to defrost!
The first half can be summed up briefly. Two minutes after the start of the half, Staines were 1:0 up and two minutes before the end of it they were 4:0 up and we did very little to stop them.
The second half was a different story, however and Curley Park came out like a different team. Matt H surprised the opposition with an impressive solo effort to score in the first minute of the second half. Our boys defended much better and finally got the measure of some very fast and skilful Staines forward players. Alex particularly worked hard throughout and thwarted a lot of the Staines attacking moves and Conrad was committed as always with some tenacious tackling. The mid-field was much more organised too. Joseph produced some good passes from central mid-field to split the Staines defence and Julian held up play well and came close to scoring on several occasions. Ben used his strength well today and made a good physical contribution against equally strong opposition. Max put together some intelligent moves and almost scored the coolest of goals when he very nearly lobbed the Staines keeper just before the final whistle. With five minutes to go, Curley Park appeared to have at least won the second half. The Staines fifth goal was unfortunate for us and a lucky break for them when Robbie who, as always, was in just the right place at the right time, went to clear the ball from the goal-line and instead put the ball in his own net.
The better side overall won today but Curley Park proved once again that we can be the equal of any other team in the division when the belief and the desire are there. |
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| 11 December 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 1:2 Meadow Sports |
| 11th December 2011
Curley Park Panthers 1:2 Meadow Sports
This week was a match of just two halves. The first, where our boys played with belief and determination and were unlucky to end the half at 1:1 and the second half which was rather lack-lustre and uninspired.
The first half showed all the commitment which secured us the win last week against Hythe and we looked and were the stronger side. Ben worked hard up front and Adam, Rory and Julian played well, created chances and kept the play forward for much of the time. Alex’s height was key in cutting out balls and protecting the defence. Unfortunately we lost Alex with a knee injury during the first half. After 25 minutes the Panthers were rewarded with a goal when James put a long ball forward into the box which Ben headed back for Julian in turn to lob over the Meadow Sport’s keeper. For the next 10 minutes we looked comfortable and dealt with any threats from the Meadow Sport forwards. Disappointingly, just before half-time, the defence hesitated just enough to let the ball through for the Meadow Sport’s forwards to equalise against the run of play.
The second half is usually our strongest half but not today. We had chances and moments of good determined play but we lost our shape and commitment for parts of it and paid the price. The midfield continued to press forward but, unlike last week, we did not defend enough as a team when required, leaving the back four under too much pressure too much of the time. Meadow Sports finally took advantage of that and scored their winner 10 minutes before the end.
Steve has not named a MOM today but he says well done to Rory for 100% commitment in both halves. |
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| 04 December 2011 00:00 - Hythe Hornets 0:1 CPR Panthers |
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Hythe Hornets 0:1 Curley Park Panthers 4th November
Today’s match was a match of three halves(!), played out on a very cold, exceedingly damp day in Staines against second in the league Hythe. In his email to the boys last week Steve predicted that our first win was just a matter of time and how right he was.
The Panthers started the match with such a positive attitude. They looked the stronger team from the start and after less than five minutes, Ben hit the bar following a corner and could have scored a hat-trick within the first twenty minutes. Our boys were winning the battle for possession in mid-field, with Julian, Rory, Ben and Robert all working hard and outplaying bigger, stronger boys from Hythe with some clever footwork and excellent passing play. Matt H worked hard up front and outpaced the defence on several occasions. Hythe had chances but Alex, Matt M, Conrad and James stood firm and cut out much of the attack and everything that went through to Ali was dealt with confidently and cleanly.
The only goal of the match came fifteen minutes into the second half. Joe put a good ball through to Julian who slotted the ball past the Hythe keeper to give the Panthers a well-deserved lead. From then on the boys had to dig deep as Hythe were determined not to be beaten. Hamish, Adam and Dan were solid and determined in mid-field and Chris played some clever football to out-manoeuvre the Hythe players. Hythe played some good football and were unlucky not to score from an excellent free kick after 25 minutes which just cleared the bar and Ali had to make some inspired saves to keep the score at one-nil.
The Panthers were delighted to shake hands after what they thought was the final whistle only to have to restart the match a few minutes later when it was agreed that the referee had blown ten minutes early. The “third half” was a real test of character for the Panthers who had to refocus, keep their shape and discipline and defend their lead once more. Hythe attacked relentlessly for the remainder of the game, forcing corner after corner and every Panther player defended as one to preserve their one goal lead. Late in the match, Joe had a last run on goal shrugging off a Hythe player in hot pursuit to put the ball just past the far post. The relief was palpable at the end as the whistle went and the win was finally secured.
Every player today played a huge part in securing our first victory for some weeks. It was a test of team spirit, stamina and belief and the boys showed all today against determined opposition who are used to winning. Well done all round but a special thank you today from all of us to Steve’s deserved MOM, Ali who was calm and assured in goal as always, but who produced several match-winning saves today and a clean sheet at such a crucial time.
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| 27 November 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 1:4 Frimley Athletic |
| 27th November 2011
Curley Park Panthers 1:4 Frimley Athletic
Following last week’s mist and fog, it was good to have a clear, sunny day at Connaught for a tough match against unbeaten Frimley. The Panthers started strongly and had a few early chances. Frimley responded quickly and with their first serious attack of the game, split our defence with a good ball through the middle which was put in the back of the net, leaving Ali with no chance. When the second Frimley goal went in after 20 minutes, our boys did not hang their heads. Frimley, however, kept up the pressure and forced some good saves from Ali until the Frimley keeper made a poor clearance, which Matt H took advantage of to score a welcome goal to put the Panthers back into the match. We looked set to go in at half time with just a one goal deficit, when Frimley scored another impressive goal just a couple of minutes before the whistle.
In the second half, the Panthers defence had to be at their sharpest and quickest to contain the very quick and confident Frimley forwards. Alex managed to cut out many of the dangerous, high balls forward, James and Matt M were solid in defending their respective wings and Conrad was always busy at the back and ready to take the ball forward. We were caught out by the fourth goal. Giacomo, battling hard on the left wing was barged off the ball into touch. The free kick seemed inevitable, but play continued and while Giacomo was recovering his breath, Frimley put a long ball forward and scored. It was a hard goal to concede and effectively put the game beyond our reach. As always, the Panthers finished strongly and were once again the fitter team at the end. We did get the ball in the net one more time, when Rob put the ball straight into the net with an amazing cross in from the right-hand touch-line. Unfortunately, the whistle had blown for off-side before the ball had even left his boot!
The boys did well to contain an in-form Frimley team today and everybody played their part. We defended well from corners against excellent strikers. Hamish and Rory were strong in midfield, Max, Ben and Julian worked hard to keep the play forward. Rob and Matt H were always busy and Giacomo and Joseph worked hard on the wings to keep play going forward. Frimley were perhaps our toughest opponents so far this season and yet the score was still respectable because we played as a team and kept our discipline as always until the final whistle.
A final well done to Rory, Steve’s MOM, who of all the boys set the best example in all areas today. He used both his feet and head well and showed tenacity and determination throughout the match. |
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| 20 November 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 1:3 Horsley A |
| 20th November 2011
Curley Park Panthers 1:3 Horsley A’s
(Surrey Primary League Cup)
Through the mists of a cold, November, Collingwood morning, our boys kicked off against the premier side Horsley in the first round of the League Cup. The old cliché “a game of two halves” was never more appropriate than today.
The first half saw a brief positive start from the Panthers which looked very promising, with our first attack spearheaded by Adam, whilst at the other end, Ali pulled off an impressive save in the first few minutes. However after only 10 minutes, Horsley scored their first goal with an excellent chip over Ali’s head and into the top corner. Horsley piled on the pressure, finished well and before half-time we were three goals down. Our boys showed plenty of fight but our poor defending at the back and our finishing up front made Horsley look by far the better side.
After a severe verbal thrashing by Steve at half-time, the Panthers came out a different side. Joe created a good early chance and Ben and Rob put some good moves together. The goal came when the Panthers were awarded a free kick. Matt H struck the ball well from about 20 yards out, the Horsley keeper could only parry it straight back to Julian who slipped the ball neatly into the net. Despite good forward play by Joe and Matt, a fantastic lob from Julian which so nearly beat the keeper, we could not find that second goal although we came preciously close on several occasions. However, some determined play by Hamish, and Adam in mid-field, some solid second-half defending from Conrad, Alex, Robbie and James and some brave keeping from Ali kept the Horsley forwards in check. The cavalry (in the guise of Giacomo, Rory and Dan) came back on for the last few minutes to provide some new impetus and some fresh legs, but by then the game was beyond our reach. However, the Panthers most definitely finished the stronger team, once again, and convincingly won the second half.
Well done Joe, who was our MOM for a solid performance and for “doing the simple things well,” which proved so effective today. |
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| 13 November 2011 00:00 - Farncombe Vipers 2:1 CPR Panthers |
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13th November 2011
Farncombe Vipers 2:1 Curley Park Panthers
Today’s match was played out on a sunny remembrance day afternoon in the beautiful rolling hills just South of Guildford and both teams took part in a respectful one-minute silence in the centre of the pitch before the start of play.
The Farncombe forwards began strongly and our defence was under pressure from the start. Farncombe’s first goal came after just five minutes when Ali was beaten by a well-struck high ball against the sun which found the top corner of the net.
The Panthers, however, were quick to respond with more positive passing play and the chances started to come. Matt H struck an excellent free kick from 20 yards out, which the Farncombe keeper couldn’t hang on to. Unfortunately the Panthers were too slow to follow in to take advantage. James ran out of defence to strike a lose ball from well outside the box which the keeper fumbled and which we all believed (or hoped!) had actually crossed the line. Joe, Ben Julian and Matt H all worked hard to create chances up front and Adam, Alex and Dan worked well together at the back. The momentum was all in our favour when we allowed ourselves to be caught out. When the referee didn’t award a free kick for a foul against Matt H, the Panthers hesitated and Farncombe took advantage by racing down the pitch to catch us on the break. And it was only an excellent save into the sun by Ali just before the half-time whistle that spared us from going in three goals down at half-time.
After a break and a good talking to by Steve, the Panthers were set to turn the match around. Hamish was strong in mid-field, Chris worked hard and Alex stood tall to cut out the Farncombe attack. Finally the Panthers broke through when Matt H crossed to Julian who was beaten to the ball by a Farncombe defender who obligingly put the ball in his own net. After an impressive five minutes at right back(!), Rob went up front and scored an excellent goal from Adam’s cross. The celebration was short-lived, however as the goal was ruled off-side. It was good to have Giacomo back in action and he worked hard on the left and teamed up well with James to keep the ball forward. Try as they might, the Panthers just could not find another goal and despite a good attacking move and a near-miss from Max the score remained 2:1 to Farncombe. As always our boys finished the stronger team and played well enough to beat Farncombe today. Luck was not on our side, however, and too many key decisions just did not go our way.
Well done boys and well done to Conrad as Maggie's MOM today for his sheer guts and determination to get the better of Farncombe's sizeable number 19 time and time again. He summed up for me what the Panthers are all about. Whatever the odds, don't give up, keep believing and we can make it happen. |
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| 06 November 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 2:2 Feltham Youth |
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6th Nov 2011
Curley Park Panthers 2:2 Feltham Youth
(Friendly)
Feltham got off to the better start today with a few early scares to test our boys. However, Curley Park soon picked up the pace and passed the ball well. With Julian, Ben, Matt H and Joe working hard up front, our boys created plenty of chances of their own but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Feltham were just as determined, but Robbie, Alex, James and Dan stood firm in defence and together with Ali who pulled off an amazing save, managed to thwart their chances. On the half hour mark it was Feltham, however, who broke the deadlock with a good headed goal from a corner. Their celebration was fortunately short-lived when the Panthers replicated the same move and Alex rose majestically above the Feltham defence to score a great goal from Conrad’s perfectly placed corner. The Panthers tried to press home the advantage and could have scored twice more when they were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty and Max’s shot hit the bar. So it was that the teams came off at half-time with just one goal apiece but the Panthers now had the momentum.
The second half was the reverse of the first. Hamish, and Giacomo worked hard in mid-field and Adam’s early shot went just over the bar. Max’s determination finally paid off when he just wouldn’t give up in front of goal to score on his debut. Unfortunately Feltham equalised with a well-taken goal a few minutes later and from then on it was end-to-end stuff with neither team able to clinch the win. Nerves jangled when Rory brought down a Feltham player outside the box. The Feltham free kick was hit perfectly but Ali pulled off his second outstanding save of the match to deny them a goal. Hopes were raised when Matt H took three good corners in succession, any one of which could have resulted in a goal. From that moment the draw seemed inevitable.
This was another good all-round team effort with everyone playing their part but especially well done to James who was Steve’s MOM for his impressive work-rate at left back today and over the past few weeks. |
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| 16 October 2011 00:00 - Meadow Sports 2:1 CPR Panthers |
| 16th October 2011
Meadow Sports 2:1 Curley Park Panthers
Since the last report we have now officially lost 4 out 5 of the league points previously won. This follows the demotion of Ashford and Walton Casuals in the latest (AND FINAL) league reshuffle. The Panthers were therefore keen today to recoup some of those points against Meadow Sports in Woking.
The opposition, however, had not read our script and also came out in a determined mood. The Panthers had chances to score early in the first half and Julian aimed a well-placed free kick just over the bar after about 10 minutes. Meadow Sports picked up the pace and took advantage of a defensive slip to score after 15 minutes. Despite some good passing play between Julian and Joe and good shots from Matt H. our boys just couldn’t find the target. Worse was to come, however, when we let Meadow Sports through to score their second just before half-time.
The Panthers regrouped at half-time and the second half was a close-run contest with The Panthers creating even more chances. Hamish, Adam, Matt M and Rob worked hard in mid-field, Joe continued to battle well on the right (with some impressive nifty footwork!) and the back four of Alex, Robbie, Conrad and James, had to work hard but together with Ali stood firm and organised to keep the opposition attack at bay. As the game progressed the momentum switched and our boys had more of the play. Dan, back after his injury, made some impressive runs down the right hand-side and Julian, Matt H and Ben created so many chances up front!! Finally, with less than 10 minutes to go, Adam broke through the Meadow Sport’s defence with a well-struck low ball which finally and thankfully hit the back of the net. The Panthers finished the stronger team as usual, showing their superior fitness and determination not to be beaten but just ran out of time to press home the advantage.
This was perhaps an opportunity lost for us but shows beyond doubt that we not only deserve our place in division one, but that we are going to be a force to be reckoned with in our division!
And finally, well done to Julian, Steve’s MOM today, for his constant hard work in mid-field and his strength in attack. |
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| 09 October 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 0:1 Manorcroft |
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9th October 2011
Curley Park Panthers 0:1 Manorcroft
(Friendly)
An interesting contrast from last week’s game meant a great start to the match in chilly conditions. The Panthers clearly dominated the first half, leaving goal keeper Ali with little to do in the first half and with many opportunities to score but frustratingly, none of them could find the back of the net. Matt H had a chance early in the first half and another good cross from him was almost converted by Hamish but denied by a good save from the Manorcroft goalkeeper. The whole Curley Park team passed the ball well and kept most of the possession, with the first dead ball goal kick for the Panthers not coming until the 30th minute. Plenty of good chances were being created but at the end of the first half there was still no score.
Unfortunately, in the second half, the Panthers had the slope and the wind against them which did not help their cause but unhindered by this, they continued with the same grit and determination as in the first half. Robbie and Chris took well-struck free kicks which both just cleared the cross bar. Ben and Julian had some good chances to score but the goalkeeper was strong and denied the Panthers once again. After 23 minutes, a slight slip in the Panther’s defending left Manorcroft with a clear run on goal from which they scored, greatly against the run of play. Manorcroft gained confidence from this and the Panthers seemed slightly stunned allowing Manorcroft more shots on goal, but thanks to a good show of defending from James and Conrad and some good pressure from Adam and Robbie, the score remained the same. Some excellent forward runs from Giacomo, Robert and Rory did keep the Manorcroft on edge until the end of the game but regrettably, the score did not alter.
The final score did not reflect the overall match with the Panthers dominating the game for the whole of the first half and most of the second. As the Manorcroft coach said: ‘You should have won that about 5-1’! |
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| 02 October 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 2:2 Walton Casuals |
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2nd October 2011
Curley Park Panthers 2:2 Walton Casuals
Indian summer conditions didn’t bode well for today’s football match but the Panthers were not phased by this. With the sun glaring out across the pitch the match got under way and within 5 minutes Walton Casuals scored their first goal. Unhindered, the Panthers continued with some good solid defending by the back four: Matt M, Alex, Robbie and James, and goalkeeper Ali making some brave saves. Some promising runs from Matt Heater and Ben finally paid off with a well taken goal by Matt 5 minutes later. Both teams looked equally matched with opportunities for both sides but a second goal came from Walton Casuals right on the stroke of half time.
The first 15 minutes of the second half was again fairly even with both teams looking likely to score. With more strong defensive play and midfield work from central midfielders Hamish and Adam and wingers Conrad and Giacomo, the score remained unchanged. A deep corner ball from Robert and a flying leap from Joe at the far post secured the Panthers’ second goal after 17 minutes of the restart. Unfortunately, a good save from the Walton goalkeeper denied Ben a beautifully struck goal and Robbie’s free kick from a metre or two inside the Walton half only just cleared the cross bar (to the obvious relief of the keeper).
The match was pretty even throughout which was reflected in the final score. The Panthers’ determination brought them back from behind again to secure a well earned draw. Steve gave MOM to captain Alex for yet another unfaltering defensive performance. |
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| 25 September 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 2:2 Chertsey Town Whites |
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Curley Park Panthers 2:2 Chertsey Town Whites
Following last week’s success against Ashford, the Panthers’ faithful supporters were expecting great things on a sunny September noon at Connaught. After only five minutes Matt H had the best attempt of the half when he let fly a shot from outside the box which beat the keeper and was saved only by the far post! But after ten minutes of play Chertsey had a good run on goal on the break and from then on had by far the better chances and looked more likely to score. The Panthers’ defence had to work hard as Chertsey gained in confidence. Matt M worked tirelessly to chase down their forwards and James’s goal-line clearance thwarted yet another Chertsey attack. The first goal finally came from yet another corner after 25 minutes but fortunately the opposition squandered many other chances and were only one goal ahead at half-time.
Ten minutes into the second half, Chertsey struck again from close range and looked set for an easy win. The Panthers just could not seem to find the commitment and form that served them so well last week, but they held on and defended everything that Chertsey threw at them. Half-way through the second half, Alex struck an excellent free kick for the Panthers inside the Chertsey half which was headed away but which could so easily have found its target. From then on the Panthers seemed to start to believe and strung some attacking passes together until finally, with ten minutes to go, Ben put a great cross through to Robert who put the ball confidently past the Chertsey keeper to score our first goal. The Panthers now had the momentum and the determination to push forward and they saved their best attacking football for the last ten minutes. They were finally rewarded when in the dying seconds, Julian ran at the opposition for a final attack, was tackled by the Chertsey defence and as the ball came loose, Ben struck the ball cleanly and composedly into the back of the net!
This was not the best display of football we will ever see from our boys, but I think we were all proud of their composure, self-discipline and team spirit to pull off an amazing result against very challenging opponents and seemingly against all the odds today. Well done once again boys. Steve’s MOM award this week goes to Matt Marr for his determination and tireless work at right back. |
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| 18 September 2011 00:00 - CPR Panthers 3:2 Ashford Town |
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Curley Park Panthers 3:2 Ashford Town (A’s)
What a terrific match to start the season! The Panthers got off to a flying start and for most of the first half looked the keener, stronger team. Our boys created plenty of chances early in the game. Matt Heater and Julian had the two best early attempts but just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. Finally, on the half hour mark, The Panthers’ hard work was rewarded with the first goal. Conrad passed a good ball in from the right which Julian buried from close range. Five minutes later Adam let fly from outside the box and the Panthers were deservedly 2-0 ahead. Ashford, however were not to be beaten that easily and took advantage of some poor defending on our part to put the ball past Ali just before half-time.
Ashford’s deserved second goal came early in the second half following an excellent run from their number 10 and the Panthers had to dig deep to prevent further Ashford goals. Ashford’s tactic of the high ball forward was constantly thwarted by Alex’s relentless defensive headers, Robbie’s pace, Matt M’s determination, Hamish’s solid midfield play and some brave goalkeeping from Ali. The Panthers kept their shape and discipline and after 25 minutes were awarded a free kick just inside their own half. Robbie stepped up and nonchalantly struck the ball the length of half the pitch over the heads of twenty watching players (including the stunned Ashford keeper) to score a stunning goal! Once in the lead again, the Panthers defended their advantage to a man and refused to concede again with some dogged defending against a determined opposition who clearly were not used to losing.
Well done to all the team today who outclassed the opposition with their team spirit, discipline and sheer hard work. Special congratulations to Steve’s MOM Hamish for outstanding work in midfield. |
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| 12 June 2011 00:00 - Manor Colts 3 : 4 Panthers |
| Firstly well done to all of the parents who braved the wind and the rain this morning.
I continued with our experimental formation (3 at the back) which we tried against Aldershot last time out.
The match started at a blistering pace despite the conditions, both sides had early opportunities to score.
Manor capitalised and took the lead with a lob shot after 10 minutes and quickly doubled their advantage from the narrowest of angles just 3 minutes later.
The Panthers started to get their passing game together and were rewarded with a Matt Heater goal on 15 minutes. The Panthers were now pressing their advantage with competitive tackles and good movement. At 20 minutes, 2 changes were made Topham for Marr and Walker for Barnett. The equaliser came on 30 minutes with a long range shot from Daniel Bonnett that the keeper could not hold, 2 – 2 game on. Another good passing move through midfield created a good opportunity for Heater, with the keeper rushing at his feet he kept his composure and lifted his shot over the keepers body into the corner of the net, 2 - 3. At half time 2 more changes Marr on for Gower and Barnett replacing Pearman. The second half started with good football but few clear cut chances at either end. Panthers had a succession of corners but could not convert the opportunities. At 60 minutes 2 more changes Pearman for Heater and Gower on for Davis. Goal! Good tackling from Marr and Gower, the loose ball span to Pearman who calmly side footed home from 12 yards. An elaborate goal celebration followed with the substitutes joining in – Pearmans first of the season! At 75 minutes Heater came on for Grosey. Manor scored a well worked goal near the end but the Panthers did enough to secure their third win in a row.
Men of the match – Heater & Holland – Heater for his double and Holland for keeping us in the game with some fine last man defending. Well done to all of the boys today, they are all playing with a smile on their face and enjoying themselves – Terrific! |
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| 22 May 2011 00:00 - Panthers 1:0 Aldershot B&G |
| An encouraging performance from the squad today in difficult blustery conditions. Well done to the new boys who came along today, they fitted in well when called upon.
Well done to Ben for scoring the winning goal, and to all the boys for playing really well against a team which included two players from Aldershot's A team.... |
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| 10 April 2011 00:00 - Aldershot B&G 0:1 Panthers |
| I just thought I would send a quick note to you all regarding today’s encouraging performance against Aldershot Harriers.
We only had 10 players today, including a potential new player Dan playing at Right full back. For the first half in defence we had Dan, Robbie, Hamish and James. In midfield we had Joseph, Dillan, Chris and Giacomo with Matt up front on his own.
Possession was about 50:50, Aldershot’s main danger coming from their right winger number 3, James had a good first half keeping him quiet with some tenacious tackling. Some good passing moves from the Panthers midfield kept our opponents busy but we could not find the finish we deserved. We were awarded a free kick about 25metres out which Robbie stepped up to take from our left. Robbie found the top right corner and the Panthers were a goal up.
In the second half I moved James into midfield alongside Hamish, Dillan and Chris. Joseph went up front on his own and I repositioned Matt and Giacomo dropping them into defence. We created further chances with James, Dillan and Chris inter passing well in midfield and Hamish’s strong tackling in the centre. We forced a few corners but did not really trouble their goalkeeper. Aldershot had a chance to equalise late on but fortunately their number 3 poked it wide.
I was pleased with the overall performance and the boys competed well for the majority of the game. We played with 10 v 11 on a hot day and kept our first clean sheet for 3 games.
Well done to all of you.
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| 03 April 2011 00:00 - Curley Park Panthers 0:5 Hook United |
| Curley Park Panthers 0:5 Hook United
The Panthers held their own against the formidable league winners until half way through the first half when Hook scored from a very well-struck ball on the edge of the box. A second followed just before half-time. The Panthers as always defended well throughout against a very confident and fast Hook forward line, but the second half brought three more well-worked goals from Hook. The Panthers forwards worked hard to create chances but the Hook defence were strong and quick to close them down. Hook still remain unbeaten this season so today's score is no disgrace and well done to all the boys today who kept fighting and battling to the final whistle to try and put a goal past Hook. Special mention today from Steve for Ali Lovelace in goal for another very solid performance and to MOM Robbie Holland in defence, who's pace at the back was invaluable.
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| 27 March 2011 00:00 - Camberley Boys Maroons 3:1 Curley Park Panthers |
| 27th March Camberley Boys Maroons 3:1 Curley Park Panthers
The Panthers got off to a flying start with a goal (according to Gary's watch!) after 40 seconds. An excellent free kick from Robbie headed out by the defence only to be crossed in by Conrad staight to Joe who took his chance confidently to find the back of the net. The Panthers enjoyed the lead for about 20 minutes before conceding to a rather scrappy Camberley goal.
At the start of the second half, the Panthers had their best spell of the match but were caught on the break and conceded a second goal. Ali and the Panthers defence worked hard to contain some fast and determined Camberley strikers and a snatched draw was always on the cards. However it was only with a couple of minutes to go that we were finally beaten again by an impressive Rooney-esque overhead kick and Camberley won with a victory far less comfortable than the score suggests.
A brilliant team performance today but special congratulations to Steve' two MOM - Conrad Grobien for his excellent play at right mid-field and to Matt Marr who worked so hard and effectively in defence today. Well done boys.
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| 20 March 2011 00:00 - Rushmoor 2 Panthers 0 |
| 20th March - Rushmoor Saints Scorpions 2:0 Curley Park Panthers
Once again the Panthers fell prey to two early goals in the first half after which their defence looked solid and unlikely to give the Scorpions any further chances to score. In the second half the match was much more evenly balanced and although the Panthers created several opportunities to score, they failed to take their chances and fell far too often into the off-side trap! Steve's MOM today was Hamish Miller for his excellent performance in central defence.
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| 13 March 2011 00:00 - Manor Colts 2:0 Panthers |
| 13th March Manor Colts 2:0 Panthers
Manor Colts got off to a flying start with two well-worked goals in quick succession in the first half. From then onwards the Panthers defence had to work very hard with most of the play in their own half and unfortunately, despite some excellent passing moves, the Panthers just couldn't create enough goal scoring opportunities to be a real threat to the Manor Colts defence. Centre backs Alex Langedijk and Robbie Holland and today's goalkeeper Hamish Miller deserve special mention for their roles in containing some very fast and determined Manor Colt's forwards.
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| 06 March 2011 00:00 - Milford Pumas 0:0 CPR Panthers |
| Milford Pumas 0:0 CPR Panthers
This match shows the continued commitment of the Panther's squad as all 15 players were available and played for all or part of the match. As the score suggests, both teams defended well, although Panthers keeper Ali Lovelace was kept a lot busier than the Milford keeper! Milford created a huge number of chances to score, fortunately most of which they squandered by shooting off target. This was not an epic encounter, but a lot more entertaining than the scoreline suggests and as Milford beat us 7:3 at home in September, they should be the more disappointed team this weekend.
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| 06 February 2011 00:00 - Panthers 5 : 2 Manor Colts |
| Curley Park got off to a flying start. Another massive goal kick from Ali Lovelace was fumbled by the Manor Colts defence who put the ball into their own net and a second goal quickly followed when Conrad Grobien beat the goalkeeper at close range. All the Panthers played with confidence, were first to the ball and mixed good passing play with a few long balls to vary the attack and it worked! Giacomo Schiaffini took his chance to score well and put away a lose ball in the penalty box but Manor Colts responded with a well-deserved goal just before half-time.
The Panthers defence worked hard to keep some fast Manor Colt forwards at bay with a particularly commanding performance in defence from captain and MOM Alex Langedijk. Joseph Barnett won a satisfying tousle with the Manor Colts defence to score his goal and Lewis Holliday finished the scoring for the Panthers with an impressive strike from outside the box into the top of the net above the keeper. Manor Colts threatened to score all through the second half but only managed one more goal.
Well done to the Panthers who have threatened a big score on so many occasions. Today, belief, perseverance and a united team effort made it finally happen!
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| 24 January 2011 00:00 - Panthers 2 : 4 Shinfield |
| The Panthers played impressive passing football for the first 25 minutes. They just couldn’t get past the excellent Shinfield keeper who for the first half was their best player. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Shinfield scored two goals just before half-time, completely against the run of play.
It took until half-way through the second half before the Panthers recovered their rhythm when Dillan Patel beat the defence to score a well-deserved goal. Lewis Holliday scored an impressive goal from outside the box to equal the score. With 10 minutes to go the Panthers again had the advantage and looked set to clinch the win but Shinfield had other ideas and scored twice in the last minutes of the game, catching the Panthers out at the back with long balls forward.
Congratulations this week to Ryan’s MOM Chris Bromley who worked so hard in mid-field today. |
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| 16 January 2011 00:00 - Shinfield 1:1 Panthers |
| Shinfield Rangers1:1 Curley Park Panthers
The Panthers started strongly and kept up the pressure from the start. They were first to the ball, passed the ball well and looked the more determined side throughout and Joe Barnett put the Panthers ahead with a well-taken goal over the keeper half way through the first half. Unfortunately Shinfield scored an equaliser just seconds before the half-time whistle completely against the run of play. The Panthers created plenty of chances in the second half but just couldn’t score again in a match they so deserved to win. Everybody put in a performance to be proud of today, but special congratulations to Ryan’s MOM James Gower for working so hard down the left-hand side.
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| 21 November 2010 00:00 - Ash United 1 Panthers 4 |
| Ash 1:4 Panthers
The Panthers really stamped their authority early against Ash in the first half and created plenty of chances. The first goal was an unfortunate o.g. by Ash but by half time James Gower and Lewis Holliday had put the Panthers 3:0 ahead.
Ash came out fighting in the second half and caught us out by scoring on the break. With 10 minutes to go, Lewis scored the best goal of the match with an excellent shot to beat the Ash keeper.
A special mention fpr Adam Grose and Robbie Holland for their performances in defence today. Well done boys! |
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| 31 October 2010 00:00 - Hook United 3 Panthers 3 |
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Three goals down with fifteen minutes to go, league leaders Hook looked set to secure yet another win. But with remarkable team spirit, the Panthers staged an amazing comeback, scoring three late and well-deserved goals from Dillan Patel, James Gower and a blistering 30 yard shot from fullback Robbie Holland in the final minutes. |
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| 04 October 2010 14:00 - Curley Park Panthers 1;1 Alton United Blue |
| Curley Park Panthers 1;1 Alton United Blue
Once again The Panthers put on a good defensive display against a very well organised opposition. Alton's goal came half way through the second half but a determined Panthers finished very strongly and mid-fielder James Gower snatched a late equaliser five minutes from time. Another excellent performance from goalkeeper Ali Lovelace and captain Alex Langedijk |
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| 26 September 2010 02:00 - Westwood Wanderers 0:1 Curley Park Panthers |
| Westwood Wanderers 0:1 Curley Park Panthers
Both teams defended extremely well today so goals were always going to be scarce. Well done to the Panther's back four, Hamish Miller, Adam Grose, goal scorer Alex Langedijk, and MOM Robbie Holland who stood firm throughout. |
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| 19 September 2010 02:00 - CPR Panthers 3:0 Pinewood Panthers |
| CPR Panthers 3:0 Pinewood Panthers
Curley Park showed real teamwork and produced some good passing moves. Dillan Patel and Joe Barnett scored in the first half and Lewis Holliday made it three just after half time. Despite missing plenty of chances in the second half, Curley Park were still the comfortable winners today. |
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| 12 September 2010 02:00 - Curley Park Panthers 3:7 Milford Pumas |
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This was the first match for a reformed Panthers side against a well-organised opposition. Dillan Patel scored twice and Joe Barnett once for the home side who created plenty of chances but the Panthers were beaten by the better team on the day. |
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