Fastfield United JFC - Match Reports

Crayford Arrows 1 Fastfield United 3 (Sunday Sep 6th 2009)

A useful friendly workout for the boys ahead of the new league season saw them come from behind to earn a victory at the home of Crayford Arrows. After 6 weeks without a match the team looked a little rusty early on and the home side took advantage with a well taken headed goal from a throw on the left. Fastfield rode their luck a little in the remainder of the first half as Crayford hit the post twice however it was the away side that levelled the score shortly before the break when Z Robinson scored with an excellent long range shot that beat the keeper low to his right. In the second half Fastfield passed the ball better and took greater control of the midfield. They were rewarded with a second goal when L Milner finished well from Z Robinson's pass following a good clearance from S Hayes. Z Robinson grabbed his second and Fastfield's third shortly before the end of the match with a neat finish from L Milner's corner. Man of the match: Z Robinson, an all action performance in midfield capped with two goals and an assist. Special mention also to T Branwhite abd D Jackson, both excellent on the flanks on their Fastfield debuts.

Fastfield United 0 FIF 4 (Sunday Sep 13th 2009)

A tough start to the boy's league campaign on Sunday as they played host to the impressive FIF. The away side were quickly into their stride and for most of the first period the boys were penned into their own half. Despite constant pressure Fastfield defended well as a unit however with half time approaching FIF took the lead when a shot from the edge of the area crept in at S Hayes' right hand post. The second half followed a similar pattern with the team stuggling to get a foothold in midfield and get their passing game going. Z Robinson battled manfully in the middle of the park and up front B Wells put in a lot of running however as the boys tired FIF added three further goals. Fastfield's best chance came near the end when L Quan forced the keeper into a fine save following a neat one two with L Milner. Man of the match: R Moon, put in a lot of hard work in defence, plenty of important tackles and interceptions.

Meopham Colts 1 Fastfield United 2 (Sunday Sep 20th 2009)
The boys travelled to Gravesend on Sunday for their first away league fixture of the season and after a hard fought match they were perhaps a little fortunate to come away with all three points. The first half was pretty even with chances at both ends however it was the home side that took the lead when they were awarded a fortunate looking penalty midway through which S Hayes did well to get a hand to but could not keep out. Despite this setback the boys responded well with T Branwhite in particular the source of a number of quick breaks down the right flank. As half time approached J Fearn, already denied by an excellent save from the Meopham keeper, latched on to an excellent clearance from S Davis to skilfully lob the ball over the opposing no.1 into the net. In the second half the boys lost their shape a little and Meopham laid seige to the Fastfield goal for long periods. Despite constant pressure the home side could not find a way through and they were eventually made to pay when late in the match L Milner collected a good pass from J Fearn wide on the left, turned superbly and shot into the far right corner of the net out of the keeper's reach. Further late pressure from the home side failed to produce an equaliser as the boys held on to claim their first league victory of the season. Man of the match: B Wells, asked to play in two positions, solid in defence in the first half full and full of running throughout.

Invicta Lions 1 Fastfield United 1 (Sunday Oct 4th 2009)
This weekend the boys travelled to Gravesend to face unbeaten Invicta Lions. Against quality opposition Fastfield produced their best performance of the season, almost running out winners after a strong second half showing. With L Milner in defence for the first time the team had a slightly different shape but they started confidently matching Invicta's passing in midfield and keeping it tidy at the back. As half time approached Fastfield enjoyed more and more possession in the opposition half however this proved to be their undoing when Invicta's striker took advantage of the team's high line to latch on to a long clearance and score after a one on one with the keeper. This spurred the home side on and but for a fantastic two handed save by S Hayes high to his left they would have taken a two goal lead in to the break. In the second half Fastfield took the game to Invicta. Z Robinson dominated the middle of the park, T Branwhite was lively on the right wing and J Fearn was full of running and tricks in both halves of the pitch. Eventually Fastfield's pressure paid off when R Moon struck a good free-kick into the opposition area which Z Robinson did well to get his head to, notching a well deserved equaliser. Both teams had chances to win the match - Z Robinson and J Fearn both came close with difficult chances whilst at the other end S Hayes continued to thwart Invicta with some excellent and very brave goalkeeping. Eventually though a share of the spoils seemed a fair result. Man of the match: S Hayes, kept Fastfield in the game with a string of great saves. Special mention also to L Milner who was assured and calm on his debut in defence.

Fastfield United 1 Fleetdown United Orange 6 (Sunday Oct 11 2009)
A below par performance from the boys on Sunday resulted in a second home defeat of the season. Such an outcome looked unlikely as Fastfield took the lead early on when T Branwhite collected a throw in from the right and scored with a well taken shot from inside the area. After equalising from the penalty spot Fleetdown began to play the neater football however Fastfield still had chances to restore their lead notably when R Moon shot just wide from long range following which T Branwhite was denied a second goal by a superb save from the Fleetdown keeper. With the scores level at half time Fastfield were unable to make home advantage count in the second period as Fleetdown notched up five unanswered goals, producing some great passing football in the process. The boys did have further opportunities to score however the opposition keeper and defence remained solid. Man of the match: T Branwhite, took his goal well and always looked lively up front.

Fleetdown United Black 2 Fastfield United 3 (Sunday Oct 25th 2009)
The boys faced their first ever competitive cup fixture on Sunday away to Fleetdown United Black and ran out winners by the odd goal after an entertaining and incident packed match. With the home side unbeaten in the league this season this was always going to be a tough match however it was Fastfield that took an early lead when Fleetdown failed to clear their lines following some good work down the right flank. J Fearn was on hand in the area to notch his second of the season with a well struck shot low in to the left corner. Despite scoring first the boys struggled to reproduce their form of last season and as the home side pressed forward in search of an equaliser they were thwarted by some solid defending. Fastfield's second came just before the break from an unlikely source. After keeping his side in the game with some great goalkeeping S Hayes got himself on the scoresheet with a long clearance down field which bounced and looped up and over the unfortunate Fleetdown keeper into the net. Two nil at half time became 3 soon after the break when B Wells forced the Fleetdown defence and keeper into a mistake to grab his first of the season. A three nil lead should have led to a comfortable victory but two quick goals from Fleetdown produced a tense final 15 minutes however the team held their nerve to secure a hard fought victory and progress to the next round. Man of the match: B Wells, worked hard throughout, held the ball up well in the second half and scored the crucial third.

Halls 1 Fastfield United 9, Sunday 29th Nov 2009
After successive home defeats in the cup and league the boys maintained their unbeaten away record and restored some confidence in the process with a comprehensive 9-1 victory away to Halls FC. Despite the cold, wet and windy conditions Fastfield took the game to the opposition from the first whistle, rediscovering their passing game in the process. Despite dominating early possession the opening goal was a while in coming however it was T Branwhite that grabbed it with a well taken shot from wide on the left which crept in at the near post. The home side almost grabbed an equaliser from the restart however two more goals before half-time from J Fearn and B Wells put Fastfield in control at the break. The second half was largely one way traffic with the boys laying siege to the home side's goal although on occasion Halls broke quickly from defence to cause some panic at the back. Halls did bag one consolation goal however S Hayes remained solid between the posts and the team were rewarded with a further 6 goals in the second period including 3 from J Fearn, and one a piece from T Branwhite, B Wells and Z Robinson. Man of the match: J Fearn, full of trickery and neat passing plus a return to his 2008/09 goal scoring form.

Lewisham Youth Green 4 Fastfield United 3 (Sunday 13th December 2009)

Despite the scoreline this was probably Fastfield's best performance of the season underpinned by some great passages of passing play and numerous shots on the opposition goal. In the ascendancy for much of the first half, the boys were undone by two quick goals midway through the period. The first came as a result of a poor defensive clearance whilst the second was down to a great piece of skill and a clever lofted finish over S Hayes from tight on the left. Just before the break Fastfield pulled a goal back after a great cross from the left by L Milner was followed by a cool finish from J Fearn. In the second half Fastfield pressed for an equaliser but conceded a third following another quick break by the home side. The never say die attitude that served boys so well last season was in evidence throughout though and J Fearn responded almost immediately with his second of the match. As the game entered its final phase the home side must have thought they'd sealed it when they scored their fourth only to be pegged back again, this time by R Moon who chased down a back pass and squeezed it past the keeper from close range. This was the final score of the match. Despite the scoreline the boys could be proud of their performance - on another day they might have had two penalties which could have resulted in a different outcome. Man of the match: L Quan, lots of determined running and tackling, always found a player in red.

Fastfield United 2 Kingfisher Colts (Sunday 24th January 2010)

A solid friendly performance from Fastfield which they probably would have won by a higher margin but for a great performance by the away keeper. After six weeks without a match the boys showed no signs of rustiness as they built on the previous month's solid performance at Lewisham Youth. This time however they added strong defence to their rediscovered passing game. Shots rained in on the opposition goal however the Kingfisher stopper was in great form between the posts. Eventually the deadlock was broken with both goals coming before the break, the first a superb left footed chip from outside the area by Z Robinson after good work down the wing from J Fearn. It was J Fearn who added the second soon after by way of another great left footed finish this time from a more acute angle. In the second half the team pressed for more goals. The boys passing and movement was excellent - Z Robinson, T Branwhite, B Wells and L Quan were all instrumental in some great passages of play but ultimately none of them could find another way past the oppositon keeper. Man of the match: S Davis, a typically solid no nonsense defensive performance, rarely troubled.

Fastfield United 1 Long Lane JFC Lions 1 (Sunday January 31st 2010)

The boys first league match for over a month saw them make an uncertain start in difficult conditions against strong opposition who took the game to them from the off. Despite the pressure they were under the defence held firm and Fastfield were unlucky not to take the lead when B Wells intercepted a loose pass out of defence and shot low and hard, producing a great save from the keeper. Midway through the first half Long Lane took the lead when a shot from the edge of area bounced up awkwardly off the hard surface and over the unlucky S Hayes in the Fastfield goal. As the half progressed the boys confidence grew. Shortly before the break B Wells and T Branwhite forced a corner following a neat exchange of passes on the right edge of the opposition area. R Moon stepped up to loft the resultant set piece directly into the far right corner of the opposition net. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with the away side starting the stronger however R Moon, S Davis and L Milner stayed solid at the back and S Hayes produced a couple of tidy saves. Both sides were going for the win and Fastfield were getting stronger - Z Robinson was dictating play in the middle of the park whilst J Fearn and T Branwhite were causing problems on the flanks. Up front B Wells was a constant danger to the opposition however he, like the rest of the team, were unable to find a way through a disciplined Long Lane defence. Man of the match: B Wells, lots of neat turns and passes coupled with some mazy and determined runs, unlucky not to score.

Meopham Colts 0 Fastfield United 3 (Sunday 7th Feb 2010)

After the previous week's terrific effort the boys produced another outstanding team display to notch their second league win of the season and move out of the bottom two in the process. This was achieved despite the absence of the injured S Hayes in goal who was ably replaced by the ever enthusiastic T Branfield. Fastfield exerted a measure of control from the first whistle with Z Robinson dictating play in the middle of the park and J Fearn looking menacing on the left. The home side were a little fortunate to go in level at half time however it was only a matter of time before Fastfield struck and it was the skipper Z Robinson who broke the deadlock shortly after the break when he met a Meopham clearance with a fierce left foot shot that flew high into the net. A second soon followed when R Moon capped a superb performance with a clever lob over the keeper from the outside the area. At two down the home side left gaps at the back as they went in search of a goal and J Fearn took full advantage to round off a swift break with a well taken third for the team. Man of the Match: Z Robinson. Special mention for the three goalscorers who were all excellent throughout however Z Robinson edged it for his industry and creativity in the centre of midfield creating numerous opportunities for his team mates.

VCD Athletic 5 Fastfield United 1 (Sunday 14th Feb 2010)

A tough away assignment for the team this week on an energy sapping pitch which ultimately resulted in defeat however all the boys should be proud of the effort and commitment they produced. For the second week in a row T Branwhite deputised for the injured S Hayes in goal and throughout he produced a commanding and courageous display thwarting many of the home side's attacks in the process. With the home side perhaps more used to the pitch conditions they settled into their passing game more quickly and soon established a one goal lead. Fastfield found it hard to create opportunities in the first half however R Moon came close to scoring with a well struck volley that the VCD keeper did well to keep out. Just before half-time the home side grabbed a second after a quick break and this quickly became three and four in the second courtesy of their pacy centre forward. Despite the deficit Fastfield refused to give up and they were rewarded when L Milner latched on to a neat through pass from J Fearn to shoot hard and fast past the home keeper. As the boys pressed for a second they were unfortunately undone again at the back as VCD notched their 5th and last goal of the game. Man of the match: T Branwhite, definite competition for S Hayes following another great match between the sticks!

Fastfield United 0 FIF 1 (Sunday 21st Feb 2010)

The team's progress and improvement in the top division has been evident for all to see over the last two months however on Sunday the boys produced their most outstanding performance of the season coming within a goal line clearance of holding runaway league leaders FIF to a draw. Conditions were horrible with driving rain and a boggy pitch hampering both sides' footballing instincts. Playing three at the back to counter FIF's attacking threat the boys had to soak up a lot of pressure early on however B Wells, playing in the centre of defence, was quick to stamp his authority on the match with a series of crunching tackles whilst behind him S Hayes frustrated the opposition forwards early on with a number of important saves on his return from injury. With FIF doing most of the pressing it perhaps wasn't a surprise when they took the lead courtesy of a well-taken volley that went in off the underside of the bar. No chance for the keeper on that one. The boys response to going a goal down was immense - all over the pitch they harried the opposition, refusing them time and space on the ball. As half-time approached Fastfield created their first real opportunity turning defence into attack in the process. R Moon got good distance on a defensive header which fell to J Fearn just inside his own half. He released L Quan down the right whose instant cross was met first time by Z Robinson at the near post. Unfortunately the effort went wide but the speed of the move rocked FIF who suddenly realised they were in a game. The second half followed a similar pattern with B Wells, R Moon and S Davis maintaining their defensive hold aided by the excellent S Hayes behind them and the efforts of Z Robinson, J Fearn, L Quan and T Branwhite in tracking back. The team rode their luck on occasion thanks to some wayward finishing from FIF however as the half drew on the away team became more susceptible to the counter attack. Midway through the half the opportunity that Fastfield had been waiting for presented itself. With the FIF defence caught high up the pitch B Wells slid a pass through to Z Robinson who was suddenly one on one with the keeper. His shot was true and hard and the keeper did well to get his hands to it. Agonisingly for the home team the ball crept towards the empty net but didn't have enough momentum in the muddy conditions to cross the line before an FIF defender cleared the danger. For the remainder of the match the game became stretched as tiredness set in however neither side was able to find the net. Man of the match: all seven put in heroic performances however B Wells deservedly picked up the award for an outstanding defensive display. Hard to imagine that any defender has given the FIF forwards such a hard time this season. One bone jarring tackle in the first half was enough to win the award on its own.