Round 3!

TP were without big Steve Speroni in goal for this clash with a team who have consistently been at the top of the table for the last couple of seasons, so this was always going to be a hard match without their established number one.

Dave Hambridge stepped in for his third appearance in goal. Frankie was on the bench as TP stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that worked against Walthamstow Parish. Calvin, Nathaneal, Rowan, and Arsan all came back into the equation, as injured target man Gareth watched from the sidelines.

And a historic moment for TP - Brother in Laws John & Rowan started alongside each other at Centre back for the first time.

TP started strongly and overcame the opposition in all the 50-50s. Trevor Lindsay and John Helm were dominating in the air and Rowan and Sam stood their ground against some pacey, talented Springfield players.

TP took the lead via Calvin Lindsay, scoring his second goal of the campaign, burying a cross shot from just inside the area, after being played in by Ferris Lindsay.

TP’s confidence was sky-high as Dan and Arsan ran the midfield well, and didn’t waste possession. The partnership is beginning to form and they communicated well with each other through-out. Springfield equalised when a midfielder muscled his way through the backline and finished low and hard.

Springfield carried on playing strongly and just before half time they got their second, a striker sneaking down the channel and sliding his shot in of the post.

TP came out in the second half and gave a good account and deservedly got their equaliser through Ferris. A cross was spilled by the keeper under pressure from substitute Greg and Ferris fired home.

With 10 minutes to go there would be an enthralling finale. Would one team snatch it? Or would it stay a draw, as the objective neutral (or unbiased fan!) would say the game deserved to stay.

Fortune seemed to be smiling on TP as Rowan, who had battled against the number 10 all game was rarely beaten, but Sam Heskey cleared off the line. But the resulting quickly taken corner saw fortune desert TP as a corner was headed in past Dave in goal.

There were plenty of other chances throughout the game, the most notable for TP being a header from Rowan blocked on the line and a vicious free kick – the taker unfortunately forgotten (you know who you are!) that eluded Arsan at the back post but had the crowd celebrating it was that close; For Springfield, a shot from all of 25yrds that was bending into the back post and would have been a contender for goal of the season had it not been for an outstretched hand from David.

The game was wrapped up 2 minutes from time as “the little one” who had been so well marshalled by Calvin and Sam wriggled past Calvin and crossed under the keeper for a striker to finish.

Team:

D. Hambridge;
S. Balogun, R. Clift, J. Helm (c), T. Lindsay (D. Passfield);
C. Lindsay (1), A. Aryanpour, D. Spinola, N. Speroni (D. Mitchell);
F. Lindsay (F. Dooknah), N. Field (G. Perkins);

Unused Subs: J. Middleweek, D. Ong

Blog Writer Man of the Match:

There has been a little history with Springfield which was glady brushed aside in this encounter, but for a performance that was a good defensively (against Springfield's own Robinho) as going forward, Calvin Lindsay takes the honours.