Match Reports - 2005/2006
A must win game for United that had pretty much everytyhing in it for the fans.
United we much the better team in the first half and opened the scoring from a corner when Lawsey headed home early in the first half.
United continued to control the game and after a good passing move from United, Sean blasted home to make it 2-0 and move to top goal scorer.
Newman wrapped up the first half latching on to a through ball to finish well and United looked totally in control.
At the break of half-time Lawsey got himself in to trouble for mouthing off ... a card that would prove costly later.
The second half was just fun,fun, fun.
Danny got himself booked in the first 5 mins for .... well .... we still don't know, and in the subsequent discussions with the ref he then walked off the pitch and threatened to abandon.
Persuaded to come back on, Danny left the field for fear of getting sent off (just looking at the ref in a funny way would have done it) and was replaced by his bro, Jimmy.
I think they scored a couple of times before all this by the way (3-2).
Anyway, Jimmy lasted 5 mins before getting a straight red for flipping Lawsey the bird and telling Sean to 'shut the f*ck up!'.
Earley re-organised, an defended well for the next 10 until Lawsey got his marching orders for a 'dangerous' tackle.
Earley re-organised again, and held out with a couple of goal-line clearances to secure premiership status for another season.
Short report this week as I'm still trying to discover what happened to the Earley side who played in the previous four games.
The game was hard fought with few chances for either side but the difference was decisive finishing.
Pagey was beaten for the first time this season with some daft goalkeeping to get lobbed the first half and in the second a great strike made it 2.
Earkley hung their heads in shame at the end of the game and rightly so .... they were never in the game which would have probably ensured premiership survival.
United fought from start to finish and on the back of a 3 game unbeaten run, took the game to the Saints and all points.
United started with the injured JC in goal and were fortunate that until Pagey turned up to take over, he wasn't really called into action.
United re-enforced by the return of Maldini, played thier (now normal) formation of packing the midfield, and had by far the best of the second half.
The dead-lock was broken by them when Newman and Sean worked wonders on the left to cross for Jimmy (top scorer) to strike an absoloute beauty into the top corner.
Earley continued to press for a second and created a few more opportunities, the best of which came from Greeny, who chipped the keeper, and the woodwork with a fine effort.
The score remained 1-0 at half time, but with United firmly on top.
The second half started much the same as the first, but as time wore on the Woodley outfit began to create a few chances.
Alex came on for Trev with 20 to go and after 5 minutes managed to get himself involved in a fight, and get sent off.
United struggled to come to terms with only playing with 10-men but despite the pressure, defended superbly to earn win number two in as many weeks, and thier first clean sheet of the season.
United started this game on the back of two draws and in the first 10 minutes looked far the better side, all be it that Kidmore only had 10 men.
The deadlock was broken half way through the first half when a fine passing move from united was finished in style by Sean to put United 1-0 up.
Kidmore found some shape though and started to mount a few attack of thier own until Pagey rose to head a cross goalbound, which the Kidmore defender handled, which gave United and Sean the second of the game.
Earley were in control for the remainder of the half but failed to create any more clear cut chances.
The second half was much the same as the first .... united having most of the possesion and Kidmore hitting them on the break.
After 10 minutes gone, another good passing move from United finished with Danny slipping the ball through for Dave, who rifled home a cracker from a tight angle to make it 3-0.
Even with 30 minutes to go, most would think that the game would be over, but oh no, not with us.
Kidmore got thier eleventh man and almost immediatley hit back when a long wind assisted ball found their striker in good form to finish finely.
Two minutes after that a very similar move saw Kidmore make the score 3-2 and United looked dumbfounded.
They struggled to regain their shape for the ext scrappy 10 minutes until Jimmy knocked down for Pagey to seal the win with a left foot fluff from the edge of the box.
It was a solid performance from United which gave then their first win at home and of 2006.
United started the brighter in the first half and camped in Whitley's half for the first 20 creating a hat-full of chances.
With this new formation it was imperitive for United's midfielders to get up in support and when Greeny, played in by Damien was upended in the box, United took the lead with Sean cooly slotting home the penatly.
United continued with an up-tempo and following an clearance from Jean, which Whitley were unable to defend found Sean, he broke through on goal, had his shot parried, only for Jimmy Perkins to tap in to make it 2-0, and go joint top goal scorer.
It was nothing less than United deserved from another cracking first half performance.
In the second half Whitley bucked their ideas up and came out all guns (and mouths) blazing.
United frustrated them though until midway through when a free-kick from 25-yards took a wicked deflection to give JC no chance.
With 5 mins to go United still lead until a cross bounced awkwardly in the 6-yard box and was unfortunatley turned in by United's own player.
United would have taken a draw at the start of the game following the 8-1 drumming they took a few weeks back by them, but in truth, with a little luck, they could have won it.
United faced a team this week that they played, and beat on the first day of the season.
Without manager Dance in charge this week United again started with thier new 4-5-1 formation and in the first half played some of the best football this season.
Chances were sparce for both teams, but United easily having the best of them and thought they had scored when Alex fired home from yards, only for it to be dissallowed.
The second half however Barton stepped up thier game and created a few great chances early on.
They finally broke through the United defense to take the lead with 20 to go.
Earley fought back though and the first 'glorious' chance fell to Denovan who did everything right but score.
Pagey subsitituted himself for Trev, and it was he who from a free-kick on the half way line floated in a beauty for 'The Legend' Chris Dye to power home a cracking equaliser with his head.
Earley pushed on in the last 10 and could have nicked it when lone striker Newman found himself 1-on-1 from a long JC clearance, but failed to find the target.
A deserved point for United who have finally stopped the bad run and got their first point at home of the season.br>
United battle hard in the freezing conditions but fail to find the cutting edge in this close game.
United defended much better this game following a decision to go 4-5-1, but due to it, stuggled to create many chances.
United took the lead following good work from Alex who crossed for Mikey to score his first league goal of the season, but just before the break, United conceeded and them teams went in level at half time.
The game continued much the same as the first until a badly defended corner came to Earley's demise (2-1) with 15 mins to go.
With time running out United pushed on in search of the equaliser and were always prone to the attacking break, which came twice from Yates in the closing moments (4-1).
United started a little sloppy but soon got into their stride and created a few chances before a defensive mistake cost them midway through the first half to send them 1-0 down.
They continued to play well though and looked dangerous on the break but again failed to find the equaliser which left the scoreline 1-0 at half time.
The second half was a disaster however.
United again had chances to score (Sean crashing the bar from 30 yards) but when Whitley grabbed 2 quick goals midway through the second half, United folded and went on to conceed a hatful.
The stats say it all really ... 13 goals for and 44 against in 12 league games!
United played well uphill in the first half, but despite several chances to score found themselves 2-0 down at half time.
In the second half United dominated play and grabbed one back early in the half when the keeper failed to hold Crit's shot, which Chocky gladly smashed home.
United continued to pressure Kidmore and came close to pulling level but it wasn't to be and the Earley side, now on the back of seven straight league defeats, find themselves joint bottom in the league.
United took the pitch in good sprits and quickly went 2-0 down to sloppy goals.
They were always playing some nice football and missed a hatful of chances before Danny finally beat 4 and slotted home to make it 2-1.
United had more chances to score to level, but were once again undone by a long ball not especially well defended.
Even at 3-1 right at the begining of the scond half, United looked beat.
They pushed on in search of goals and in the final 10 minutes conceeded another 3.
6-1 was a very flattering score line for Yates, but it's goals that count.
Not much of a match report this week as I'm not sure how i'd make us sound like plucky losers, when infact the scoreline is a good representation of how awful we were.
The fact that our goal was an own goal says it all really.
We had a few good chances to score more, but in truth so did they.
A quick mention and thanks to Danny for playing while ill with the flu and to Mikey Dye who also played in discomfort.
United MUST dig deep now after falling second from bottom in the league.
United started slowly, but well and were shell shocked when Ibis took the lead midway through the first half with preactically thier first attack.
Earley picked themselves up, continued with some good play and created some good chances before attack number two for Ibis produced their second.
It was pretty hard for United wo looked the better side first half but with minutes to spare good play from United ended with a parried shot from Carpenter which Jimmy Perkins (to bag his SECOND in the league) tucked away to give the vistitors, United hope.
The second half was much more an even game with chances falling to both sides, but when a shot bounced awkwardly for JC in goal, Ibis got thier third and the game was pretty much over.
A shame for United after playing so well, but the table toppers meant business in front of goal and once more that was the difference.
United started sluggishly and we deservedly punished early in the first half to go 1-0 down.
Then as they warmed up they started to play some better football and drew level from Danny's in swinging free-kick, which Lawesy took superbly at the far post.
United had the momentum at this point, but the bar stopped them taking the lead before half time came.
At the beginning of the second half United stepped up a gear and Michael Dye netted a great move by United to make it 2-1.
Newey made it 3-1 soon after following a good ball through from Mikey Dye, but then, with a two goal cushion and United's substitutes it all started to go wrong.
Christchurch scored not once, but twice to take the game into extra time, even though at the death Pagey should and could have won it.
United were always the better side in this encounter but squandered chances left the game wide open.
The decisive goal however came from Newey with his second of the day to send United through.
Manager Dance said "Sign of a good side lads ... just does enough".
United started well and took the lead following good work from Newman who squared for Jimmy Perkins (despite the paper report) to net his second in two games, but from then on in looked second best to everything.
Tilehurst levelled the scores about 10 before half time, but Earley had a handful of chances to extend their lead in the first half and once again this was to prove costly.
After the break Tilehurst changed formation, stepped up their game and a well taken goal put United 2-1 down.
It was however, 2 shots and 2 goals.
Two outstanding saves from the Tilehurst keeper and the cross-bar kept Earley at bay, and unfortunatley and own goal sealed their fate at 3-1.
Tilehurst grabbed another just before the end.
Although 4-1 again seemed a little harsh, JC in goal made some cracking stops throughout the game to keep United in it.
Sean lost his temper towards the end of the match and violently lashed out at one of the Tilehurst players, but the ref deemed his shove more of a 'mince' and with just about everyone laughing at him, the ref decided that was enough punishment for the gay lad.
The manager was quoted this week as saying "The second half was probably the worst i've seen us play .... we just weren't in it" ... to which noone argued.
United played out an interesting B & B Cup clash against Senior side Richfield Rovers and despit coming back twice from a goal down lost 3-2 to a 'wonder strike'.
United started well and caused the Richfield defense several problems but missed chances once again left United pondering and when the ref gave a very dubious penalty against United, they found themselves 1-0 down midway through the second half.
Earley continued to play decent football though and we rewarded shortly after when a chip through from Crit was plucked from the sky and cooly finished by Ritchie C to even the scores.
Richfield were begining to create more chances as the game went on however and grabbed their second to once again put United on the back foot, but United dug deep and following a good cross from Trev, Crit touched in on for Jimmy (on as a sub) to level once more.
There were several chances for either side to finish the game off in the closing stages but with moments to go Richfield finished the game with a thunderous 25 yarder which gave JC no chance.
United finally looked more dangerous when going forward, and in bad conditions played some nice football, but once again, lost by the odd goal.
United had more of the possesion first half but failed to create any chances in front of goal and were hit twice on the break, with the help of defensive lapses, going in 2-0 dwn at the break.
The second was much the same as the first with United playing some nice football but again unable to take or make enough chances, and as time ticked on, they puches up more leaving gaps at the back, and were punished twice more in the closing stages.
4-0 was flattering for Ibis but the took their chances well and deserved the win because of it.
United faced a highly talked about and rated Stevie B's side who haven't been beaten this season, but found them no different than any other side in the division.
United had much the better of the first half and had the better of the chances to take the lead, but were unable to break the dead-lock:
The score remained 0-0 at half time but
After defending well all game, the goal came from a simple mistake from the skipper, who to be fair had been outstanding all game:
In truth, with such a good display from Earley in the first half they really deserved something out of the game, but once again the fitness may have to be questioned as United slowed in the second half.
The only real chance for United came through substitute Newman with another fine solo effort:
Manager Dance when interviewed this week said "They were a horrible side".
The highlights this week were a little hard to find but I have these for your entertainment:
Earley took revenge on the old enemy from last year when they were knocked out 3-2 in the same competition, by beating the senior side 5-1 in their own back yard.
United looked much the better side in the first half and in short it was a much better display from the side who have been under performing so far this season.
United took the lead early in the first half from a free-kick within Hammers' box following a back-pass which the keeper tipped onto the bar. Christian Bartlett scored the free kick although suggestions are that it's actually United's first own goal of the season ... you be the judge(s).
Shortly after, Chocky making a full start after returning from injury, crossed from another free-kick which Lawesy flicked on for Michael Dye to score with a cheeky back-heel.
The score remained 2-0 until the interval but in truth there was only one team in it.
The second half was much more testing for the premier outfit as Woodley pushed on in an attempt to rescue the game, but they were punished from another dead ball situation with the skipper Lawes rising above all others to head home United's third.
... And in their very next attack they scored again to make it four.
Great work from Crit against Hammers' right back won him the ball and he chipped into the box for J.Perkins (on for less than 5 minutes) to fire home.
Hammers pulled one back after a badly defended corner, but it was Newman, returning from injury who beats 2 and slots home to wrap up a good day at the office for united as time ran out.
An impressive game for Earley who march into the next round of the cup and the quote from the manager this week .... "The lads just looked up for it from the start ... it's a great victory for us and it's always good to put one over The Hammers".
Worrying for him however is the fact that United were without Carpenter (rested), Page (injured), C.Dye (rested) and Alex (rested) and boasted a full subs bench with J.Perkins, Newman & Damien.
It adds to the speculation that the manager's job is growing more and more difficult and the question is ..... will he start next week against the hot tipped Stevie B's with this weeks winning side ??
Other highlights from the game:
Kris Morgan-Jones pinging the cross bar in the first half with a fine free-kick
Jason feels the full force of the hard hitting Hammers side in this cruncher
Skipper Lawes makes a vital goal line clearance just before half time
A first class save from Jean Claude as Hammers began to get back in the game
Will it or wont it?
Another cracking Earley derby at Sol Joel this week as the crowd were entertained by a seven goal thriller.
United started the better of the two sides but were shocked within 5 minutes to find themselves 1-0 down following a simple through ball.
United picked themselves up from the early set back and for the remainder of the first half dominated play, but were unable to make the visitors pay and the score remained 1-0 as Home Guard held on to their slender lead.
The second half started badly for United as they found them selves 2-0 within 30 seconds of the restart, and shortly after some samba style defending cost them another to make it 3-0 ... (sorry Chris, I bet you were hoping cameraman JC had missed it).
United had a reshuffle of the midfield and began the fight back, but found themselves without Page following this challenge, which looks to keep him sidelined for a while.
The corner that followed, United with only 10 men on the field at the time saw 'The Legend' Chris Dye unmarked at the far post to head home comfortably.
Shortly after Crit (4 in 3 games) found himself in space thanks to a cross from Ritchie C and despite everyone thinking he'd wasted it, he showed great composure to rifle home United's second. The strike and goal of the game came from heavier brother Sean moments later when the ball fell to him at the edge of the box, which he smashed home superbly to level the scores 3-3.
It was nothing less than they deserved.
United had chances to finish the game off and should of ... but to their dismay Home Guard had one final attack and scored on the death to make it 4-3.
United must feel disappointed to get beaten by a side who they outplayed throughout but it's goals that wins matches, not possession.
United's manager this week has been quoted as saying "That last goal just really summed our day up. We've been unlucky from the start".
I don’t think there's any arguments there.
The soccer am stars Earley United (hahaha) travelled to Christchurch this week desperate for points against the fellow strugglers who were without any points after 2 games.
United played well in the first half and created the better opportunities until a route one flick on, struck the cross bar and fell to an oncoming striker, who tucked it into the corner to make it 1-0.
It was a little harsh for the United side after making such a good start, who had many opportunities to score, but they fought their way back into the game and were rewarded when Alex found Crit unmarked in the box to level the scores at 1-1 (what does your Misses sell Chocky?).
United continued to play the better football in the first half, and although Christchurch struck the cross bar again towards the end of the half, it was again Christian Bartlett, scoring his third in two games, to finish superbly to give the visitors United the lead.
The second half remained a half of missed chances for both sides (somehow all of Crit's 1-on-1's were not on tape), but despite a few hair-raising moments for the defense ... United held firm until the end to secure vital points.
A quick mention goes to Jason for an incredible goal line clearance in the last 5 mins and to both Craig and 'the legend' Chris Dye who IMO had very solid games.
Man of the match has been awarded to Chris Green by manager Dance who was quoted this week as saying "Sign of a good side ... just doing enough".
United started the game in fine form and within 5 minutes, Christian broke the defence of Bishopswood, but was fouled on the edge of the box. From the free kick he rifled home near post to put United 1-0 up (sorry, no goal ... technical difficulty with the camcorder).
For the following 20 minutes Earley dominated play and looked very comfortable in possesion, but just could not grab their second.
It was perhaps, to be their undoing.
Bishopswood slowly got back into the game, and despite a couple of disallowed goals, they took all points in a 3-1 victory.
United looked confused at the end of the game how they'd let it slip, but they had the chances to put the game out of reach:
It's a concern for the manager to lose against such an opposition and United need to find something extra if they are to aviod a similar start to last season.
Manager Dance was quoted at the end of the game as saying, "It was a great start, but we sat back midway through the second half and from that point on, only one team waaarnted it."
United didn't really turn up for the first half and after a fine headed goal put them one down, a poorly defended free-kick made it 2-0, which was soon followed with a third when United were caught on the break and went 3-0 down.
The second half however saw United grab the game by the scruff of the neck and were rewarded when Christian Bartlett was up-ended in the box for a penalty which was converted coolly by brother Sean.
Earley were back in the game and thanks to a very clever corner, Danny Perkins smashed home to make it 3-2, and make it an interesting finale.
In the final moments United had a chance to equalise with James Perkins rising in the box but it skimmed the bar and that was that.
It was all too little too late for United in truth ..... the game was lost in the first 45 minutes.
United started the season in optimistic form holding out 2-1 away to Barton Rovers.
In the blistering heat United started slow, but knocked the ball about well when in possession and were awarded when Richard Carpenter burst through the center of the park to score midway through the first half.
It was against the run of play somewhat but United found some confidence from this and went on to finish the half well, despite a few worrying moments at the back.
United lost Newman for the second half but the game continued much the same as the first with neither dominating, although Rovers did have more of the chances.
United battled hard throughout though and following a long ball and flick on, Carpenter found himself in space to thrash home his, and United's second.
As time ran out Rovers grabbed one back with a fine long range strike, but United showed the sort of character that kept them up last season to take all 3 points, to the delight of manager Dance.
Special mentions go to new boys, Chris (an outstanding performance at left back), Jean (who was unlucky not to have kept a clean sheet), 'Dave' (a good half from him despite the sore feet), Alex (a tireless effort from the big man) and the new center back partnership of Perkins (Danny) and Bartlett (Christian), for a job well done under difficult circumstances.