Jets 2021/22 Season in Under 3 Minutes!

Away Day Joy For Jets

Harefield Utd 1 Oxhey Jets 2
Spartan South Midlands Premier
16th April 2022

Jets bounced back after a recent flat spot with a superb Easter egg Derby win at locals Harefield Utd in a blistering hot bank holiday fixture that was very heated by the end.

Jets were relieved to have some back after recent suspensions and holidays, Vass, so important to Jets, returned from suspension and big Sam from a holiday, although Chippy was still away sunbathing on his super yacht and Inchy slid off to Wembley.

Skipper Harry Beaumont had to pull out at the warm-up with hami problems and Jets did ride their luck in the first half with Harefield missing three or four clear chances before Jake Tabor notched Jets first and only shot on target laid on by former Hares youth captain Kristian Swaby in the 40th minute 0-1.

In the second half, Jets did open more chances but a golden chance to equalise came after a mistake from the Jets keeper, who was having a superb game denying several efforts, when he dropped one and in the resulting scramble a very soft penalty was awarded, with some very good noises and victory roll clinching the decision.

Jets ex-striker Louis Bircham scuffed his lines and Brad Shaw happily scooped it up. It was critical as moments later the unhappy striker went in the book.

Harefield then went into wild celebration as the ball hit the net but cheers were replaced by jeers as the assistant’s flag was spotted glittering in the sunlight by the delighted Jets contingent. Then on a sharp perfect counter Kristian Swaby, playing against his old club, broke wide and blazed down on the box and an excellent unselfish ball across the face of the goal found Sean Giordmaina waiting to slot home 0-2.

Harefield made a battle of it 1-2 then it was Harefield pushing and a real Mickey Mouse moment almost got them home when the Jets keeper was judged to have handled twice but the Veo recording will show he chested the ball while on the ground and never handled, but the officials looked away and reacted only to the calls when now on his feet the keeper picked up.

The defended free-kick just a few yards out was greeted with loud cheers by the small but loyal Jets supporters as each of three or four rebounds was cleared.

It was a competitive and very heated last ten minutes, fast and furious end to end, with yellows flashed everywhere and little flare-ups but nothing more than powder puffs in the ratty hot sun.

Jets saw it out to come away with a very good win.

The man of the match was unanimous as all four votes cast went to Sam Denham

Hadley Headers Clinch Close Match

Oxhey Jets 1 Hadley 2
Spartan South Midlands Premier
12th April 2022

In a competitive end to end game Jets went down narrowly to high flying Hadley who guaranteed themselves a 3rd place finish with this win.

Jets made the perfect start with Sean Giordmaina confidently scoring in the 2nd minute with a well placed finish.

Both teams then had chances and Hadley  eventually found an equaliser on the half hour mark when Bradley Marriott rose high at the back post to head home from a corner.

HT 1-1

The game remained highly competitive with both teams having chances, but both defences holding up well. Hadley, however, broke the deadlock with 7 minutes remaining, a great cross from Cameron Ferguson and Luke Alfonso rose high to head home powerfully from close range.

FT 1-2

Kristian Swaby is Jets Player Of The Month For March

The youngest player in the Jets first team squad, a local Oxhey lad who is not 18 until May, is Jets Player of the Month for March. Take a bow Kristian Swaby.

Kristian came on to score the first of our goals in a comeback 2-2 draw against Leverstock Green, was our Man of theMatch in the league game against Holmer Green, and then produced a calm and collected finish to win the cup tie at Holmer Green in added time. Great stuff. Congratulations Kristian.

Strong Defence and a Jake Equaliser For A Deserved Point

Arlesey Town 1 Oxhey Jets 1
Spartan South Midlands Premier
2nd April 2022

Jets gained a good point away at Arseley Town at the end of a troubled week for them, following the departure of their manager and several players, quite a coincidence as it was Jet’s heavy home defeat earlier in the season to the same club that prompted the exit of our former set up !! Luckily for Town, the strange freeze on Staines Town allowed them to sign a rescue package and still field a very competitive side.

Jets were better in the first half and early indications were good when Kristian Swaby was denied by a top-class save, then Vass and Sam Denham also came close.

Jets did not have it their own way and twice Brad Shaw was beaten and saved by the post in a goalless first half.

The second half was nowhere near as decent and the weird decisions affected the match continually, but the goals were decent with Town taking the lead early in the half and Jets pushing more and more for the equaliser.

Jets were denied a 💯 bolt-on penalty when Jake Tabor was banged down from behind, the most blatant non-pen I’ve seen and the home bench was laughing at the no-decision !!

Jet’s equaliser from Jake Tabor was a really good goal, with a lucky twist at the end.

Sean Giordmaina stopped a long hump out of the home defence and swivelled a probing ball back into the danger area, Mass played a cutting lay off to young Nathan Page, who cut the Town defence wide open with a perfect assist to Jake Tabor whose shot from the wide angle had their defenders in a panic in their goalmouth and the centre half sliced high into the net trying to clear.

Jets in the remaining 4 minutes had a spring in their steps pushing for the winner but the home side held out and, in honesty, both sides were glad to hear the whistle.

Jet’s man of the match was on fire today, a solid performance from Harry Brady in defence.

 

Jets Stand Tall In Defeat

Leighton Town 2 Oxhey Jets 0
Spartan South Midlands Premier
26th March 2022

Jets produced a superb rearguard action against big-budget Leighton Town on Saturday, a performance that brings only praise and pride to the young squad.

A massive 524 crowd was bellowing every move, and every tackle by Jets received howling appeals for more. To be fair, it was brilliant support for the home side and a great experience for our young team. It did, though, put pressure on the equally young match official somewhat as Jets didn’t get anywhere near the reaction when our “24” in the crowd yelled and appealed! 😂😂

Town started the season red hot favourites for promotion, and earlier in the season a draw at the Boundary was to cost manager no1 his job, manager No2 went last week, and now Risborough and Salamis are in complete control of the two promotion spots, so it is wait and see time for Town players now.

The early attacks were an aerial bombardment into the banks of the home supporters close to the bar end, and it was noisy, but the Jets defence held firm and when Brad was beaten in goal Harry was there to head over and save the moment for Jets.

Then just 12 minutes in a moment of your madness from the normally cool head as Tom Inch reacted to Fitz smashing him into the hoardings and a toe stamp, later bragging about it on his social media saying “I pushed him into the fence and stood on his foot ….he put his head in …and Fitz drops !! Another one added to the collection” but you’d need far more experienced officials to be up to this party trick done time again.

Tom fell for it. He knows and accepts that and has apologised to his teammates, although one great tweet from a fan said the Jets go down to 10 and their player says “lovely day, fancied a pint anyway.” Tom explained he was getting absolutely abused as he walked the full length of the ground to the changing room behind the other goal by everyone, even kids, so rather than react and get more stick he lightened the mood with the comment that reduced the earshot crowd into laughter.

Now the tough match got even tougher for Jets who immediately had to sacrifice promising attacker Kristian Swaby for midfielder Leon Coker and Jets shut up shop with a fantastic rearguard action that had Town frustrated and still goalless at the break.

The second half started much the same but Town grabbed the lead with a total fluke cross from the corner flag that looked like going out but looped down into the net and it’s again Fitz and even the Leighton tweet admitted the fluke but it doesn’t matter, they all count.

On 75 town effectively killed off Jets with a powerful header. Moments after Jets Man of the Match Kenny Nobrega almost connected with a header to pull one back.

Jets’ job got worse when a bad landing injured Sean Giordmaina and, with him limping the match out with all subs used, Jets did brilliantly to keep Town from adding to the scoreline.

Jets’ defence grew better and better. There was a great buzz about the team today, very young but superb unit building. Sam Denham getting better every match and Onome having an excellent match.

Yes, it is a defeat but despite the thousands spent both sides will be kicking off at the same status level next season, I hope in SSML after the FA spreadsheet lottery does its worst.

The Carlsberg man of the match had many contenders, but the decision fell to the manager today who without hesitation stated “Kenny Nobrega as long as he takes the Town forward out of his pocket now”

The boys did us proud today and with Tom inch considering and threatening retirement, let’s hope three Saturdays off shopping with the missus proves to him that’s not a good option. !!!!!

 

Nine Unbeaten For The Vets

Hinton Reserves 1 Oxhey Jets Vets 5
Herts County League
26th March 2022

The result for the Jets team of the day again went to the Vets in the Herts County League. Struggling for a side, Marc Ayres rooted around the fringe development squad and came back from Hinton Reserves with a 1-5 win.

A hat-trick by Tim O’Mara took his club goal tally to 200, the other two by Marc’s son Owen so a proud day for the boss today. Nine games unbeaten now for this incredible loyal Vets team with a couple of young guns doing the running for them.

Jets Rediscover Their Spirit

Holmer Green 1 Oxhey Jets 2
Spartan South Midlands Premier Cup
22nd March 2022

Jets gained revenge for the home defeat Saturday by winning away at Holmer Green with a dramatic stoppage-time winner in the Premier Division Cup.

Jets, on the back of a dreadful run with just one point in five games, had to brush themselves down and do some honest talking between the two matches, and it was a very different Jets who came out tonight from the first whistle to the last.

Jets from the off were at Holmer, and the home keeper was to have a blinder all night, stopping everything high and low, and nobody more than luckless Jake Tabor suffered as time and time again his goal-bound efforts were kept out.

Jets must take some criticism as chance after chance after chance came and went as the home side rallied a 99% rearguard action for the first 45 minutes.

In all my years I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a one-sided match pinned at one end surviving saves, missed tap ins, penalty appeals and goal-line clearances, to then take the lead on the only excursion up the other end. Wow, what a worldie it was too. A dipping volley from way outside the box that no keeper would have stopped, the lad said it was his first goal for five years !!!

Jets defending on this is in question as a long keeper kick was, for reasons unknown, met by a dangling foot, not the expected header, that sent the ball looping towards the Jets goal. The bounce was not dealt with by two defenders and as it came down again the looping shot was volleyed home.

Sean Giordmaina did find the net to the relief of us all only to see the Lino’s flag almost apologetically creep up to wipe it out. This really was looking like Holmer Green’s night

Half time. Holmer Green 1 Jets 0

The second half started much the same, Jets pushed and pushed and pushed some more and a defensive Alamo held on. Sean Giordmaina and Kristian Swaby were opening the flanks and Jake was on the end of so many but with limbs, toes, feet and great goalkeeping it just would not go in the net, and Jets frustration started to show.

The “Father” of the squad Tom Inch was a constructive calming influence as Harry Beaumont’s team kept the upper hand. Then twelve minutes in a Jets throw-in worked across the goal and the keeper, put off by the powerful frame of Kenny Nobrega, spilt, and Tom Inch was on hand to steer between the defenders and over the line 1-1.

Now this looked to be the game changer as the home side would need to come out to play.

Jets, however, became more impatient and reckless and a bad feeling was in the stomach as some forgot their main job and piled forward with slow recovery leaving Jets more exposed to the break. The game became a little more even.

More chances came and went, and both sides were settling for penalties and making substitutions ready for the penalties to settle the tie.

Brad Shaw, Jets keeper, launched a long kick upfield and the centre half failed to deal and a sublime back step and touch forward pass opened up the defence like a hot knife into butter. Jake Tabor added an equally classy lob and Kristian Swaby ran route one into the penalty area and placed a curler around the keeper for a stoppage-time winner.

In the extra added time there was a little flare-up as Sam Denham, who had been excellent all night, took one for the team. Jets defended the free-kick strongly and the final whistle sparked some strong celebrations for the young Jets side.

The Carlsberg man of the match:
Sam Denham was faultless, the incredible energy and passion of Vass was right in there but on the vote amongst the staff it heavily went in favour of Tom Inch, a goal and an incredible assist won the match for Jets.