Pinewood Pumas 0 - 3  Binfield Torpedoes.

9.00 kick off.  Sat 25th Oct 2008. 

Venue : Pinewood.  League Match.

Conditions :  Cold.   Pitch firm.

Attendance - 22.

Binfield Players : Adriano, Billy, Jamie, Josh, Louie, Michael, Seb, Tom.

Coming into the game on the back of three defeats in a row and playing one of the top teams in the division, some improved play was required. Today they did play better..... much better.

First Half.

The Torpedoes started slowly but soon got into the tempo of a game that was end to end attacking football. Tom and Adriano were strong and tough tackling at the back and kept Pinewood at distance. Even so, Jamie had to be in control of his area and his calling for the ball and shot stopping injected the whole team with belief. Not only is Jamie a great keeper, he is a brave keeper, diving at the feet of an attacker saving a certain goal and taking a blow to the head for the Torpedoes cause. Riding out the storm of early Pinewood pressure the team now started to put some good attacks together, Louie had a snap shot well saved and Josh and Billy combined well to make a chance for Seb and then another for Michael that scuffed the post. The game was hotting up and the first goal was going to be vital. Michael picked the ball up in midfield and ran straight for goal, his shot was punched out by the goalie to Josh who hit another shot, again the goalie parried, and there was Seb, in the right place and the right time to score a typical poachers goal that ended a three and a half hour barren spell, much to the relief of the whole team and supporters.

Second Half.

Pinewood reacted strongly to going a goal behind and threw everything at the Torpedoes. The Torpedoes defending was fantastic to watch, Seb and Louie closing down from the front Billy and Michael tracking the midfield runners, Tom and Adriano resilient at the back, Josh sweeping up behind the defence. Even then Pinewood had one last obstacle to try to overcome.....Jamie.  A one handed diving save quickly followed by a full stretched dive that saw the ball tipped over the bar were typical of a brilliant goalkeeping display. The boys were under pressure but still forced the game back to Pinewood, Billy narrowly missed a chance of a goal at the far post, but his running off the ball opened up a chance for Josh to strike a well placed shot into the net for a nerve settling second goal. This was a very important goal, Pinewood seemed demoralised that all their attacking efforts had come to nothing. The opposite was true for the Torpedoes, they now relaxed and started passing the ball with extra confidence, and when Adriano set up Michael for a shot that found the top corner of the net the game was won.

This was a great football game between two very evenly matched sides. The Torpedoes played for each other today and every member of the team gave everything....... the losing run is over !

Goals -  Seb, Josh, Michael.

Man of the Match -  Jamie - brave and unbeatable.

09h00 kick off.  Saturday 11th Oct 2008. 

Venue : Stubbs Lane.  League Match.  

Conditions : Mild and Sunny.  Pitch firm.  

Attendance - 43

Binfield Players : Adriano, Billy, Jamie, Josh,  Louie, Michael, Seb, Tom.

1^st  Half

The Torpedoes were under pressure right from the start but managed to keep the Arrows at bay for the majority of the first half. Whilst not creating too much going forward the defence remained fairly much in control until a corner was volleyed in at the far post giving the Arrows the lead that their pressure deserved. Moments later a flowing Arrows move and great cross was headed in. It was going to be an uphill struggle, even more so, after an unfortunate third goal was conceded just before half time.

2^nd Half

In the second half the Torpedoes tried to get a goal, but couldn't convert a couple of half chances that would have made the score line more respectable. Whilst committing more players forward the Torpedoes conceded two more goals on the break. In the end the boys were well beaten by the better team, but can still take positives from the match....  for the first time in this fixture they were not out muscled and gave as good as they got, nor could their effort or attitude be faulted, they gave it a go, but today was not their day.

Man of the Match - Seb.

Whitegrove Rangers 2 - 0 Binfield Torpedoes.

10.30 kick off.  Saturday 4th Oct 2008. 

Venue : Whitegrove.  League Match.

Conditions : Cold.  Pitch Firm.

Attendance -  22.

Binfield Players : Adriano, Billy,  Jamie, Josh,  Louie, Michael, Seb, Tom.

A disappointing game from a Torpedoes perspective, having plenty of shots, but unfortunately none on target! Unable to turn possession into goals, they started slowly and only after going 2 - nil down did they start to play with any urgency. They put Whitegrove under concerted pressure, again creating chances but failing to convert. The team that was scoring for fun early in the season just couldn't quite muster a goal that they probably deserved. However, Whitegrove had a game plan and stuck to it, and won the match. Defending in numbers the Torpedoes struggled to break down a very tough and solid defence. Whitegroves' outlet ball was to their fast forward who had two chances a took both of them, scoring a good goal and unselfishly setting up a team mate for the second.

The boys should not get deflated by this result, you get days like these, the goals will come again, hopefully next week in the derby game.

Man of the Match - Tom.