In loving memory of Tom Lake, a Jet and a Tiger.
Oxhey Jets and Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment

Ground Improvements in Lockdown

Ground improvements work started. A new terrace and disabled access and covered disabled section being installed. Superb support from Watford Rural Parish Council.

Jets October Player of the Month

Congratulations to Rob Partington who is our Jets October Player of the Month.

Rob was an ever present during October, putting in a series of top goalkeeping displays, the highlight being a match winning performance in a close away win at Tring Athletic in the wind and the rain where our opponents were bemoaning his excellent saves. He then followed that up with a clean sheet against Harefield.

Well done Rob!

Thanks to Adrian Flux Insurance for their ongoing sponsorship of this award.

Oxhey Jets 6 Harefield Utd 0 

Spartan South Midlands Premier
27th October 2020

Jets hit local rivals Harefield for a straight six at the Boundary Stadium as the team put on a stunning performance to tear their opponents apart. Both sides had team problems as the fixtures keep on coming in this squashed season, but it was a reshuffled Jets who were buzzing.

Jets two wide men Bircham and Giordmaina tore the defences apart with very different approaches. One was speed and delivery to the pin striker as Lewis Putman enjoyed feed fit for the king’s banquet. The other was “tricky dickie” stuff and a direct goal approach that Harefield could not stop. With Speer and Gibson supporting the wide men on the flanks delivering more direct balls into the area, it was just raining in on the Harefield goal.

Jets struck twice early. First, skipper Louis Stead pounced on a loose ball, created by a Bircham attempt, to squeeze the ball home (13 mins), his first goal of the season.

Just two minutes later a far post low curler by Louis Bircham made it 2-0 and set Jets up for the night.

Harefield did make a strong counter-attack and netted but it was ruled out by a lino’s flag.

Jets pushed and pushed and the midfield, fielding a “retired” Warren Gladdy, were as active as the spritely front runners as Jets turned on their best display of the season for sure.

Jets leading scorer Lewis Putman (38 mins) was brought down in the area and got up to score from the spot and Jets were going clear. Harefield were more than happy to hear the half time whistle while Jets did not want the break, the match was going so well.

A few running repairs and no changes saw Jets restart and carry on as in the first half. Andy Brennan all but finished the game off with a strike from a tight angle, 4-0.

Only brave goalkeeping stopped Sean Giordmaina adding to the total again with a superb run and delivery by Louis Bircham, but the stay of execution was short.

Lewis Putman somehow screwed a superb second and Jets fifth, again from a tight angle, and Harefield made their task even harder by going down to ten men with a sin bin.

Fair play to Harefield as they never gave up and managed to net again, but this was also denied by the flag.

The staff rotated the team, throwing on all three allowed substitutes with the youngest, Lorcan Barnett, replacing the oldest, Warren Gladdy, to complete the battle.

Lee Armitt got his reward for answering the late call for help with a superb solo goal and completed the scoreline 6-0. It was a stunning Jets performance.

Man of the match, it was a shame tonight to pick one as the team turned it on. The whole team did a superb job, there were no sub-standard performances at all. The split was between Louis Bircham and Andy Brennan, and the Carlsberg Man of the match went to Louis Bircham but after a performance like that and with the bars close to shutting time “if Carlsberg did beers” was ready with a crate waiting for the team when they left the pitch.

A word for the match officials tonight. Sensible, not over-reactive but very efficient and in control.

 

 

Tring Athletic 1 Oxhey Jets 2 

Spartan South Midlands Premier
24th October 2020

Jets gained three points at the Grass Roots Stadium, and the result was good for Jets with all the teams around them dropping points. It was a disaster though for Tring as it was bottom clubs damaging their opponents, so the results and this defeat sent them back to the bottom.

The conditions were awful with the high winds and pouring rain being a real match spoiler. It was also a warning of how bad things could get with the Covid restrictions on changing rooms, but, today, the excellent hosts gave us both changing rooms and went to a portacabin to make room for us, total class by them.

Tring dominated the opening first twenty, and it was keeper Rob Partington who kept us even. Then, totally against the run of play, Louis Bircham finished good work by Stead to nudge Jets in front 0-1 (22 mins).

The lead was doubled after some pressure from corners when Andy Brennan back-heeled home 2-0 (32 mins).

Jets were firmly in control of the game, even though they had needed good saves from Partington to deny Tring, but they had the advantage of the big slope, rain and wind in the first half so needed to have the lead at half-time.

One bit of luck for both sides was that an unwanted visitor from the rugby club hurt nobody. A big awning dropped in from high, taken over the boundary wall by the fierce winds and landed on the football pitch. It just wasn’t the Rugby Club’s day since a visit from a Hert’s constabulary on Covid regulations was not good either.

Tring started the second half well and had two good chances, one missed and one saved by Partington.

Jets then went down to ten men as Tom Gibson was given a second yellow for a foul that only someone who has never kicked a competitive ball could possibly think was a foul. Anyway, a red it was so Tom misses the long trip to Eynesbury Rovers next Saturday where they have no showers and restricted changing facilities (are you sure you didn’t do a deal on that second yellow Tom ?). Jets faced a tough final thirty minutes the hard way, with only ten men and the slope and conditions against them.

Tring missed a good chance missed, and then Reece Cameron went through 1:1 but the Tring keeper saved, pushing the ball over the bar and a chance to kill the match missed.

As so often happens, moments later the hosts pulled one back.

Jets played game management tight, defensive and running the clock down to get this one over the line and three points. Tring were unlucky but Jets just had a bit more know-how to see this one home in dreadful conditions.

The Carlsberg Jets Man of the Match was decided between two nominations and Rob Partington deservedly got the nod for his series of important saves over the goal-scoring Louis Bircham.

Tring were Covid organised and perfect hosts but if this is a view at what’s to come when bad weather moves in then in honesty I can’t see how football can continue with basically no sheltered areas for players and preparations. We all want football but !!!!!!!!!

The development went down 1-3 at home to Oxhey FC and the Vets were held 1-1 at Hatfield u23s a John Danslow goal getting the point for the depleted Vets side.

 

Oxhey Jets 2 Broadfields 1

Spartan South Midlands Premier
20th October 2020

Jets got a win at home to Broadfields at the Boundary Stadium, a close run thing but a wins a win as two goals from Lewis Putman split the teams in the 2-1 home win.

It was an entertaining game, good football match by all three teams, more chances created than of late so signs of things coming together.

It was still a bit rushed, and a long ball in the first half and the big chance was early when a suspiciously offside Broadfield’s attacker went clear but thumped it well wide of Partington’s goal.

Reece Cameron then had a one on one after good play but shot at the keeper.

Rob Partington was then called into action and made a good save at the post, and the half ended all square 0-0

Stuart Atkins changed the formation, and it worked instantly as Brad Sweeney came on for his debut and Jets became more attacking. It was Sweeney who provided the ball for Lewis Putman to open the scoring with a cool draw and slot 1-0 (48 mins).

A long ball over set Putman on his way to go clear and slot No2 and his second (67 mins).

Jets were in control, and two big penalty decisions did not go Jets way, firstly Brad Sweeney clipped and brought down when in on the keeper.

Then Sean Giordmaina had romped clear on the other side and was taken out against a clear last man that would usually have been a bolt-on penalty and straight red, but again nothing to the anger of Jets staff.

Meantime Brennan headed against the bar aided by excellent fingertips from the visiting keeper.

Then the shift around as Broadfields pulled one back and Jets wobbled. Now it was the visitors on the offensive and hunting the point with Jets playing the counter. Sideline nerves were being tested, but Jets held on to the win. Jets will feel it was fully deserved, Broadfields will think that they should have got the point.

Jets Carlsberg Man of the Match was Reece Cameron.

The officials did well, and despite turning down big penalty appeals were calm and collective all evening and did a good job.

Oxhey Jets 1 Leighton Town 4

Spartan South Midlands Premier
17th October 2020

Jets dropped three big points to one of the title big tips Leighton Town in front of a big crowd at the Boundary stadium. That’s a hard week for Jets facing the top two favourites for the title / promotion and despite a good showing just one point to show for it thanks to Darryl Brown’s late equaliser away at Colney Heath on Tuesday.

Jets did, I think, break one record, the quickest conceded SSML goal crossing the line just 12, yes 12 seconds after kick-off 0-1.

The game was competitive and even, but a gift in midfield left Leighton on the break, and a double error gave the referee no option but go to the penalty spot. Rob Partington made a superb save but with Jets players on the box line static the rebound was smashed home unchallenged 0-2 (25 mins).

Jets pushed for some seeds of a comeback with plenty of possession, but little imagination with the front two again starved of the telling ball except some from Louis Bircham, put in from the bench when Brennan failed to make kick-off.

An unsavoury moment on the half-hour mark as a dreadful “leg breaker” on Tom Gibson led to a mass protest of pantomime calls oh yes he did oh no he didn’t from the two sides, but the officials got it right with a straight red.

With Leighton down to ten men it was a chance for Jets to get back into the game. Jets had a lot of near-misses, but little on target and not many opportunities carved out despite the man advantage.

At the start of the second half, Jets were better, but in fairness, Leighton were demonstrating a defensive master class defending tight and springing the attack when Jets slipped. In the end, this was how Leighton got their third, they pounced on a Jets mistake, and the clean break converted as Jets again had no answer to the speed of the break 0-3 (73 mins).

An excellent solo goal for Lewis Putman gave Jets hope (74 mins) and chances followed.

Nick Kerley hit the post with the keeper beaten, but the team then self-destructed as newly on substitute Chris Blunden kicked out and again a spot on straight red by the official. Jets man advantage was gone, and the match effectively petered out and the stoppage time fourth (91 min) put a false reflection on what was still a deserved away win for Leighton Town.

There were two nominations for the Jets man of the match, Danny May and Louis Bircham. Manager Stuart Atkins split the vote in favour of Louis Bircham.

The size of the result was not reflective of the encounter, but the facts are there. In review, Jets look a team of individual performances but not a blended side at the moment.

(Match reports limited at the moment due to extenuating family circumstances – hope to get back to full coverage again at the weekend).

 

DUE TO COVID19 GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS, WHICH SEVERELY LIMIT BOTH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THE ENTERTAINMENT WE CAN HAVE AT FUNCTIONS, WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY BOOKINGS TO HIRE THE CLUB AT THIS TIME.