A winning start!

Balham 2 Moor Mead 1

It’s perhaps no coincidence that when you mix up Colts and Eagles, you get “Les Colgates”, the team in shiny white who came off the pitch with the broadest of toothy grins at the end of today’s thrilling season opener. After months of assessment, training and positional strategising, Jamie’s newly amalgamated squad faced their first league test against Moor Mead at home, a team that have always thwarted us in the past. After what the boys felt was a shaky warm up, Balham kicked off playing uphill on a pitch that was still wet and slippery from the heavy overnight rain. But from the first whistle Balham looked the stronger team, creating chances down the wings from Junior and Max whilst defending strongly as a back line. After just 10 minutes Chris released Junior down the left wing, who skilfully cut back and calmly played a through ball to Lucas who finished with composure to make it 1-0.

Moor Mead looked rattled and Balham enjoyed 10 minutes of comfortable domination. Jude looked alert, nearly robbing the keeper for a second goal and nearly getting on the end of George’s cheeky run through the middle and mercurial scoop pass, but the volley was a step too far. Through this period Jo and Luke looked composed and confident in midfield and worked tirelessly to regain possession and create more opportunities. Moor Mead’s only game plan seemed to be the long ball through the middle, but Joa’s excellent positional play and awareness diffused danger on a number of occasions, including a confident save from a Moor Mead corner.

A couple of mid-half substitutions saw Igor and Wilbur come on to replace Luke and Charlie - with Joe moving to right back. Minutes later Balham doubled their lead with some beautiful simplicity. George characteristically opted for creativity over clearance from our penalty area, opening up Igor to play through to Wilbur who drove through the middle before a neatly weighted offload to Jude, who stylishly made it 2-0 the Whites. This seemed to spur the vocal opposition into action, and the last 15 minutes of the half saw an end to end battle for possessional dominance. Alex and Chris remained robust in defence and Damian produced an excellent run down the right wing and searching cross that could have easily brought a third. But it remained 2-0 at half time.

Moor Mead came out for the second half seemingly with the same route 1 game plan, but with more of the passion shown in the last few minutes of the first half. After 5 or 10 minutes their left back swung a ball over Balham’s back line to put their dangerous striker in on goal which he gratefully exploited. 2-1 to Balham but our lead suddenly felt more precarious. The next 15 minutes saw plenty of Balham chances from Jude, Jo, George and Lucas with plenty of Balham corners going begging, as well as some fiery runs down the wing by Dylan and staunch defending, particularly from Dom at left back. In the end, that third goal was to prove elusive and the last 10 buttock-clenching minutes felt like a game and a half, as Balham had to weather an increasingly frustrated and “swipey” opposition. But Jamie’s Gents held their nerve and the final whistle was accompanied by a chorus of cheers from a well deserving winning side.

A really impressive performance from a team that seem to be gelling well together and figuring out their preferred style of play with ease and confidence. Thanks to Richard for taking on the new role of Respect Marshall and it was also great to see additional support and encouragement from Jack to assist Jamie with the tactical requirements from the touch line.

Blog courtesy of Matt Knight