Loco go out to Division One New Star

Ferndown was the venue on Sunday as Locomotive played New Star in the second round of the In-Excess Cup at King George.  New Star were a Division One side, and they have been a very good Premier League outfit in the past, so it was always going to be an interesting match, as it was to give manager Paul Cashmore a good indication on how the team is doing as a whole.

Loco’s team started with the amazing deputee Dan Carr in goal.  Our defence consisted of Neil Dall, Mat Robinson, Chris Hopkins, and Jimmy Redford.  In midfield Loco sported Sam Davis, Dave, Kyle, and Wacko Jacko.  This left a striking partnershp of James Clease and Rik Watkins.  Up front was a strong bench of Andy, Ali, Jonny.

Playing a Division One team was always going to be tough, but Loco were up to the challenge from the off, some some excellent passing play and some equally strong tackles.  New Star were a strong side with a lot of good platers, but every chance they got was stunted by a very willing back four - Jimmy particularly impressing.

Loco took the lead in this fixture, with Rik Watkins being the goal scorer, after 20 minutes - a sweet finish from close range - a deserving lead for the Division Three side.

Loco sat back on this lead a bit, and although we gained the odd bit of possession, the oncoming waves of pressure from our opponents was at time overwhelming - Dan in goal was really sturdy, and he was pulling some excellent saves out of the bag, and was doing well to keep Loco’s lead intact.

Despite his solidness, the New Star side did manage to claw back an equaliser on 40 minutes, as a vicious shot came in, and although Dan did well to aprry the ball, their nippy striker came in and finished it from close range to make it 1-1.

Half time: Ferndown Locomotive 1 - 1 New Star Reserves

In the second half, all three Loco subs were utilised - and each had a good effect on the game, with Ali particularly doing well on the left flank, replacing Sam.  He managed to send over a couple of decent crosses during the second 45 mintue period, however ultimately, they did not result in anything for the home side.

Other chances evolved for Hainsey and Watkins as the game progressed, but as New Star held on, it seemed they had something left in their locker - and they certainly pulled it out of the bag on 75 minutes, when they managed to take the lead to make it 2-1.

So with ten minutes to go Ferndown were pressing the New Star goal like crazy, aiming to get that goal that would take the tie into extra time, however it simply didn’t come.  Although the wind and the momentum was with the team in red and black, the number of minutes on the clock didn’t look favourable - and before we knew it, the ref blew the full time whistle and Loco were unceremoniously dumped out of the cup, much to the disappointment of all the players and touchline supporters.

Still, we had some great moments in this game, and it would be hoped that this kind of form would translate into the forthcoming league games, where we really would like to make a positive start.  Unlucky Loco.

Final Score: Ferndown Locomotive 1 - 2 New Star Reserves

Clease nets four in Loco cup rout

James Clease was the Man-of-the-match on Sunday as Ferndown Locomotive ran out 7-1 winners in the Robbins Cup on Sunday against New Milton Borough.  Other goals were scored by Paul Cashmore, Matthew Webb and Chris Hopkins.

Loco started the game with Kris is goal, and a back-four of Dean Grice, Neil Dall, Matthew Webb and Chris Hopkins.  In midfield we had a line-up of Paul Cashmore and Dan Carr in the middle, with Jonny Haines on the right and Sam Davis on the left.  This left Rik Watkins and James Clease up front; with a strong bench of Luke Mellor, Andy Smith and Keith Jackson.

The match at Slades Farm started very cautiousy for Loco, however we soon got into our stride, and we made a number of decent attacks on the Division Eight side.  After about fifteen minutes, Ferndown eventually took the lead, and it came from the left side, when some good play from Chris Hopkins enabled Webby to get a hold of the ball on the left apex of the penalty area and he then unleashed a fierce right footed drive towards the far stick, and the shot took a touch but nestled nicely in the corner to make it 1-0 to Loco.

1-0 quickly became 2-0 after 20 minutes, and it came from an unlikely source, as Chris Hopkins managed to intercept a lose defensive ball, and in one movement, he nicked the ball away from the oncoming defender, took a touch, and then rasped a left footed strike into the lower corner of the net to make it 2-0 -  a great goal.

Loco saw out the half quite easily.  Although the other side had a few attacks upfield, the Loco defence were particularly staunch, with Gricey and Dall unstoppable, and Webby and Chris Hopkins combining well too on the left half.

Half-time: New Milton Borough 0 - 2 Ferndown Locomotive

In the second half Loco were more in control of the game, and that was reflected in the number of goals we scored.  We were against the wind, but this helped us do extremely well - the midfield were hugely dynamic, and we were getting a lot of success on both sides of the pitch.  We did concede one goal early on, on New Miltons only attack of the half, however we did get five goals to counter this one blip…

Four of these goals came from James Clease, and good goals they were two.  The first of them saw the big target-man reacting quickly after a shot came in which the keeper couldn’t handle - a nice side-footed finish.

Soon after Mellor and Smith were introduced, Clease was again on the scoresheet after some interesting penalty-box pinball - everyone was having a crack, Mellor, the instrumental Dan Carr, Mr Haines, and also the newly introduced Keith Jackson, but it was James who netted, as his shot cannoned off the bar and over the line.

His third was a penalty, which was won after a shot from close range was handled over the bar by the Borough defender, and Clease stepped up to stroke the ball home and complete a really good hattrick.

And his fourth again was pretty impressive, when an outswinging cross-come-shot from the left was headed in the corner of the net by a jubilant Westcountry man - who got off the ground to not only come to realisation that he not only had scored four goals.. it also was not a dream either!

Sandwiched in between this multitude of goals was another corker, this time, scored by player/manager Paul Cashmore.  It came after some good pressure on the right led to a Loco corner, and it was a delightful Jonny Haines cross which met the head of Cash at the far stick, who bulletted the ball home from close range - a cracking demonstration of heading technique if we ever needed one.

Truth be told, more goals should have came in this fixture, Mellor went close with a neat turn and shot which the keeper parried, Sam had a cross-come-shot from the left which the keeper managed to palm over, Dan had a few cracks, Keith himself got in on the action.. everyone indeed had the taste for it.

However, seven was enough, and it was a solid performance against a lowly side - things will definitely get harder, so there is most definitely no comfort zone to fall into next Sunday.

Full-time: New Milton Borough 1 - 7 Ferndown Locomotive