Old Parkonians 0 - 2 Old Salesians (Southern Amateur League)

Parks tasted defeat for the second time in as many weeks in this SAL Division 2 clash at Oakfield on Saturday. Against an undefeated Old Salesians side, Parks were unlucky not to get something from the game - gifting the win to their visitors in 5 minutes of second half madness. On a slick passing surface Parks chose to play into the wind for the first half, and in a very up tempo first 15 minutes, Parks more than matched their visitors in every department. With the wind at their backs, Salesians were happy to keep possession in their own half for lengthy periods at a time, and Parks did well not to lose concentration and allow them many scoring chances. The defensive trio of Collins, Nicholls and Gaughan looked very solid in their work, and ably dealt with anything the visitors came up with. Parks did allow their visitors in for one chance, however, but as the lob left MacCallum stranded, Gaughan was on hand to clear over head off the line.

As the half wore on, the home side began to play their way back into the game, Knapman and Jamieson working Parmenter free, for him to blast over Parks' chance of the half. A lot of Parks' better football was coming down the left channel, with Jimmy Keogh, more often than not the instigator. He linked well with Mason on several occasions, and was one of Parks' many driving forces in the first 45 minutes. The last action of the half saw MacCallum, the Parks' keeper, do very well to keep out a long range Salesians strike that took a wicked deflection off a divot. The half ended goalless, and was very finely balanced.

Parks started the second period the stronger and had two excellent chances to take the lead. Knapman turned quickly on a Kemp cross and drove his left footed shot inches past the upright. Mason then worked Jamieson in, he managed to hold off his man, and slip his shot under the Salesian keepers' body. It rolled agonisingly past the right hand post, to leave the two sides locked at 0-0.

Parks then conceded an unnecessary free kick and were made to pay for it dearly. From an innocuous position, the centre drifted in between MacCallum and Cross and was bundled in by the visitors' centre half. Five minutes later and the deficit was doubled, Salesians' centre forward dragged Gaughan off the ball and finished low into the Parks' net from 12 yards. This was too much for the home side to come back from, and although they never ran out of steam, the victory was wrapped up for the visitors in that short space of time. Mason and Knapman both went close again - but Parks could not complete the job they had started with so much promise.

A strong performance, however, against very able promotion candidates, should leave Parks in good spirits for the Christmas run in.

This Saturday Old Parks entertain Lloyds TSB in the SAL Division 2 - KO 2 pm.

Man of the Match: Knapman
Team: MacCallum, Gaughan, Nicholls, Collins, Keogh, Mason, Jamieson, Cross, Kemp, Parmenter, Knapman. Subs: Smith, Pascoe.

Report by TC