Staines and Lammas (Middlesex) 1 Oxhey Jets 1
Cherry Red Combined Counties Division One
23rd October 2024
Jets battled out a cracking 1-1 Draw at Staines Lammas, but it’s hard to not feel like two points dropped against an excellent team who had beaten Jets easily 1-4 at the Boundary in the first game of the season.
Playing at an excellent stadium on a snooker table grass pitch surface is a real booster. Jets raised and played excellently in a tough away fixture to extend their run to five unbeaten after the dreadful start to the season.
Multiple changes again, which is an unwelcome theme at the moment, got the home side off to an excellent start. After 8 minutes, Joshua Hooks pounced on a missed control and drove a powerful shot past Lavin in the Jets’ goal.
George Rice fires home to make it 1-1
Jets responded and went on the attack in a nose-to-nose game, and after Dominic Mosca had been blocked, George Rice was on hand to hit a perfect shot just inside the post 1-1 (17 min)
It was a really superb match, evenly balanced and very competitive. However, despite Jets territorially getting on top, it remained level at the half. Jets would not have wanted to hear the break whistle, and they looked to have taken the lead when George Rice headed home. However, after some celebration, the assistant’s flag, somewhat delayed, went up, and it was rubbed out 1-1 at the break.
Patrick Brander denied by last gasp stop from the Staines defender.
Jets had a great chance early on in the second half when a young tormentor of the home side, Patrick Brander, broke away, but the foot of the defender excellently turned the shot for a corner.
Two quick yellows and a single bin put more pressure on the home side, and Jets piled on the pressure. It was the youngsters causing the panic, as Brander and Rice were attacking at speed, with Olly Pope spraying the ball around with forward vision, looking like his old self.
A George Rice curler goes just over the bar.
George Rice jinked and twisted, and as the large Jets following gasped goal, the curling dipper just cleared the bar as did an excellent Owen Ayres free kick.
A great free-kick from Owen Ayres also goes just over
While down to ten men Jets went for the jugular, but Jets got sloppy, and a counter attack looked to have swung the game, but this time Jets were saved by the flag, and it got worse for Staines as Josh Stewart saw red for stopping a Jets speed attack for the second time in six minutes and two yellows equalled red. Jets were relentlessly attacking, and as nine became ten with sin bin over, it went nine again as another speed attack went one on goal, and Bobby Cooper took it out and paid the price with a straight red !!
Jets had three minutes plus stoppage and battered the goal but could not find that final point-snatcher goal, which was a point each.
Jets’ Man of the Match was as contested as the match.
George Rice, with a goal, one rubbed out, and an excellent attack was in the form. Dominic Mosca battled nonstop, and Patrick Brander literally terrorised the defence returning from injury. However, the manager made the final call and chose Olly Pope, who was like his old self today, making options and forward vision, opening chances for the speed chasers to go after.
