Cambridge University vs Amateur Football Combination

Cambridge University 2 (Alex Coleman, Brendan Threlfall) 

Amateur Football Combination 4 (Jamie Brown, og, Dan Salanson, John Butler)

played at Fenners on Wednesday 6th December 2006

The Amateur Football Combination’s new management team of Paul Rumley, Rory Vermeulen and John O’Brien expressed themselves as being highly satisfied with a convincing away result against Cambridge University at Fenners on Wednesday last while conceding that their side was somewhat favoured with the rub of the green. Paul Rumley put down this win to the first rate selfless and enthusiastic attitude of the squad which came from eight different clubs. Many of the players were only introduced to each other during a hectic pre-match dressing room session, but they knuckled down and had become a cohesive and effective unit by early in the second half. 

All the goals came in a first half which was end to end, with both sides finding  defences accommodatingly porous. In the circumstances, it was as well that the A.F.C. got off to a flying start only two minutes in when Leon Smith’s volley from ten yards took a deflection from Jamie Brown to wrong foot the keeper. The Varsity were constantly getting in behind their visitors’ defence but were hampered by a lack of finish while at the other end Peter Eguae’s twenty five yard shot clipped angle to go over. On twenty minutes the hosts were given a lesson in overcoming shot shyness by John Butler whose twenty yard volley caught their keeper out. Almost immediately they got a just penalty converted by Alex Coleman to reduce the arrears but this was quickly cancelled out when Damien Swann was pushed in the box and pin-ball wizard Dan Salanson manoeuvred the ball into the net via both posts and the keeper, Ed Bonner. The A.F.C’s next was a genuine own goal by Tony Russell and the Blues completed the scoring when the visitors’ offside trap failed and Bill Threlfall broke through to score.

Paul Rumley’s half time admonition that the Blues’ superior fitness would now tell was heeded as the A.F.C. now began to gel, with their defence snuffing out a spirited response from their hosts which had them stretched to the limits. There were no more goals but the visitors had the edge, hitting the woodwork twice and creating several other chances. At the whistle Paul Rumley gave the squad a soothing verbal rub down, thanking them for their willingness to work for each other. Bill Blackwell of Old Bealonians was also thanked for his support. The A.F.C. MoM award went to Paul Tumelty.

Amateur Football Combination: John Reid (Bealonians), Dan Salanson (Old Meadonians), Matt O’Sullivan (Old Ignatians), Paul Tumelty (Shene Old Grammarians), Jerome Britton (Old Parmiterians), Steve Craddock (Reigatians), Damien Swann (Old Aloysians), John Butler (Bealonians), Peter Eguae (Southgate County), Ian Sawyer (Bealonians), Leon Smith (Old Meadonians). Subs: James Kearns (Bealonians) for Sawyer, John O’Brien (Old Ignatians) not used.

Cambridge University: Ed Bonner, Jamie Brown, Tony Russell, Anthony Murphy, Chris Turnbull, Alex Coleman, Dave Mills, Jonny Chavkin, Nick Pantelides, Matt Gethin, Brendan Threlfall. Subs: Stephen Bailey (for Turnbull), Alex Mugan (for Chavkin)