New Addition – Match Action Photos
An Amazing Day
Squadron Leader Bowden lays the wreath for the RAF fallen.
Tom Gibson lays the wreath for the Jets
Herts FA and police wreaths
Wreath laying by Jets youth
Oxhey Jets youth and the match referee, John Feenstra, step forward to lay their wreaths.
Wreaths for the Spartan South Midland Leagues and Referees
Wreaths for the RAF from the RAF association and from Oxhey Jets for Our Tom
Fred Weaving, a former Royal Marine commando and a long time friend of Oxhey Jets takes the salute.
Union colour bearer doesn’t flinch despite the deluge.
Ceremony over, the kids make a run for the stands!
The rain couldn’t put a dent into the Armistice 100 remembrance with RAF Icarus FC.
A moving ceremony with wreaths laid by the two team captains, Oxhey Jets youth, the match referee, representatives from the Hertfordshire FA, Spartan South Midlands League officials and referees, the Police, RAFA, and finally Lisa Hodges in memory of Private ‘Tom’ Lake.
Fred Weaving took the salute, and there was total stillness in the ground for the two-minute silence.
Match Report:
Jets Edge a Close Encounter
Oxhey Jets 2 RAF Icarus FC 1
Jets edged a close match 2-1, with Sean Giordmaina shooting from just inside the area to win the match with only a few minutes left.
Icarus started brightly and had the early chances, hitting one just wide and forcing a good save from Matty Evans in the Jets goal.
Jets then settled and, for a period, took control of the game. Leigh Stevens was controlling the midfield and Jets created chances. Leigh Stevens went close and then Nick Kerley fired a robust left-foot shot just wide.
A good save denies Sean Giordmaina in the first half.
Sean Giordmaina created a great opportunity but the Icarus keeper, who made several good saves, pushed Sean’s shot over the bar.
Young Ollie Lawford shoots Jets into the lead
Jets celebrate Ollie’s goal
Jets then got the lead, young Ollie Lawford the scorer, his shot getting a fortunate assist from the rain-sodden ground to beat the Icarus keeper.
Nick Kerley surges forward
Jets continued to look strong, and Nick Kerley fired in another left-footer that forced a good save from the keeper.
Despite Jets attacks, Icarus looked dangerous on the break. Tremendous pace up front and some well-planned counter attacks gave them their best opportunities of the half. Half Time 1-0.
The second half started very even with George Hobson denied by a good save, and then Matty Evans saving low at feet from an RAF attack.
It’s there. The Icarus equaliser hits the net.
Icarus delighted with their equaliser
Icarus then had their best period of the game as they fought for the equaliser, upping their pace and pushing men forward to try and make it count. Their goal came from a sustained attack after a break down their left, and then a pinball sequence were they hit the post, hit the bar, and had a shot cleared off the line before Tom Somerville slotted home from inside the area.
Tom Gibson drives through the RAF defence
Both teams went in search of a winner, and the Jets regained the initiative. Sean Giordmaina just failed to get his head to a bullet of a cross, but a few minutes later he had the chance that won the game. Another surging run down the left by Jets captain Tom Gibson, this time getting through the RAF defensive tackles, the ball breaking to Sean on the edge of the area who swivelled and shot into the corner of the net before Icarus could react.
Sean Giordmaina turns to hit the winner.
Sean’s winner headed for the bottom corner.
Icarus tried hard to level, but Jets kept them closed down until the final seconds when they had half a chance but shot wide.
2-1 win for Jets in a competitive and close game.
The decision on the Carlsberg Jets Man of the Match was made by the RAF, and they shared it between Leigh Stevens for his dominant midfield performance and Sean Giordmaina for his tireless work rate upfront, unsettling the Icarus defence, and getting the late winner.
Photo Gallery – click on any photo to see full size: –
Watford Observer Preview our Armistice 100 Match
The Watford Observer have featured this Saturday’s match against the RAF Icarus team for the poppy appeal. They are also going to include this in this week’s newspaper.
Watford Observer – Jets vs Icarus FC Armistice Day Match
Jets Combine To Deny Wares
Edgware Town 2 Oxhey Jets 2
Spartan South Midlands Premier
3rd November 2018
Another good point on the road at Edgware on the dreaded by some artificial pitch.
The two sides drew 0-0 at Jets a couple of weeks back when Jets had a big upper hand in the first half and were hanging on in the second. Strangely this was much the same which possibly puts a question mark over a few players personal fitness since a recurring theme.
Are We Ready?
Manager steps up and reminds them of the notoriously slow starters we are, are we ready?… yes, lads are WE READY?… YES BOSS, 58 seconds later a goal down and it all to do again.
Sloppy in the middle is an understatement but the finish top draw by Carruthers curling home from a distance giving the keeper no chance at all.
Matty had to be alert today.
Jets had their goal down wobble with Matty Evans making a good save to stop further damage, then became more composed and went at the hosts with good attacking flair.
Nick Kerley send in a defence splitting cross
Sean Giordmaina chests the ball into the net 1-1.
Luke Jones then sprung into life with speed and a swagger burning off three players to knock a super pass to Nick Kerley whose thunderous cross was chested into the net by Sean Giordmaina who looked as if his skeleton chest had suffered broken rips putting it in ! ! 1-1 ( 20 min).
Jets gained the upper hand territorially, but neither side produced many clear chances up to the break.
Dylan was lost to a bad ankle injury
A big blow to Jets was young Dylan Hickman Singh who is a real prospect and was loving the Astro picked up a nasty injury when his foot stuck, and he turned (nobody near him), and the lengthy stoppage with the lad clearly in pain and I fear a longish rest, unfortunately.
Jets had to contend with the difficult bounce on the 3G pitch
The second half saw the hosts with the big downhill advantage and the following wind so add that to the home advantage of the pitch and Jets had to work very hard to maintain the draw. We went back into our old shell, overdoing individual play and sacrificing the team flowing football that had given them a head of steam in the first 45 minutes.
It looked like the winner for the Wares in the 78th minute
Edgware were sharp and dangerous on the slope and thought they had scored, but the flag denied. Jets, however, did not heed the warnings, and in the 77th minute, the Wares got the goal that was coming. Again sloppiness, lost possession and a perfect through ball from Tipote to Hunte to slot home.
Excellent game from George Turner who came on for the injured Dylan
Jets responded magnificently, and the keeper made a good save from a Sean Giordmaina header onto the bar, then Nick Kerley from a tight angle thought he’d got it but hit the side netting.
Sean Giordmaina first to the cross again, this one from George Turner, to make it 2-2.
Sean and George celebrate the equaliser.
Jets kept pushing, and finally George Turner, who was excellent when coming on for Dylan, crossed for Sean Giordmaina to slot his and Jets second for 2-2 (82 mins).
Both sides pushed, it was oooh and aaghs, and at the whistle, both would have been happy and disappointed because there were so many chances, so in fairness the draw was right.
Good defensive game from Tom Gibson
Some excellent tackles from Harry Beaumont
Three contenders for the Jets man of the match. Leigh Stevens as always covered every inch of plastic on this occasion, George Turner was right in there coming off the bench, and Sean Giordmaina the two-goal hero and named by Tim as the “new wasp” ( older players will know the former total pest given that title) wasn’t far behind Leigh on coverage.
John Elliott wouldn’t do the split so Ali made the call and it went to Leigh, but it was so tight a little tick could well be added to the contenders today, and I’m sure Carlsberg will oblige with some extra bottles.
A point is a point, need to stop the sloppy play. When we’re a unit, we’re decent, when we play as individuals we fail.
The Reserves continued on their excellent run winning 0-2 at Welham Albion.
The Vets fell out the cup on penalties against Oxhey FC reserves, and they suffered severely with extra time on those slightly older legs. 3-3 at 90mins and 4-4 extra time they fell to the dreaded spot kick 6-5.
Goals by Wayne Gladdy, John Danslow, Tim O’Mara and Glen Cook.
Finally and sadly we offer our condolences to Jamie Speer and his family. Jamie went back home to his Grandad’s sick bed from the match today before kickoff, and sadly his grandad passed away while the game was on.