Hackney North Marsh, 11^th November 2007

League Match Six – Tergemo vs Moorehouse (home)

Result: 3-1 Win

Scorers: Hassan (2) Osborne

Team: T.Clarke, E.Appiah, O.Oladapo, E.Saricicek, N.Connor, D.Eden, Ben, D.Walker, A.Dolan(c), S.Hassan, D.Osborne

Two goals from Hassan fired Tergemo to a well deserved victory after a superb performance.  Despite a horrendous injury list, with Dolan having only a thread bear squad to pick from, and playing nearly half a game with ten men, this was a great win for the Lions.

Tergemo nearly had a goal in the first minute, D.Eden being played in down the right flank, but the keeper saved well at his near post as he narrowed the angle for Eden.  But Tergemo didn’t wait long for the lead!  In fierce wind, Osborne grabbed a timely first of the season in the second minute, his vicious inswinging corner was too good for the keeper, who could only palm the ball into the net.  1-0.   Moorehouse seemed the team with a man short, as Tergemo ran the midfield.  After twenty minutes the lead was doubled in spectacular fashion!  Hassan spotted the keeper slightly off his line, and thumped in a 25 yard volley into the roof of the net!!  2-0.  Tergemo continued to be the better side, forcing saves from the keeper, and then late on Osborne hit the bar with a brilliant curling effort.  But just before half time, a fortunate ricochet went Moorehouse’s way, and the attacker was able to slot home from close range.  1-2.

A tighter second half in the first twenty minutes was then wrestled back under Tergemo’s control.  Chances came and went to finish the game off, but with ten minutes to go Hassan grabbed his second with a neat finish to grab the points.  3-1.  Hassan had a couple of great chances to complete his hat trick, including a one on one, but his double was enough for the Lions.

With a goal keeper, four full backs, a centre back and a central midfielder all out injured, plus a couple of other players MIA, this victory showed the spirit in the Tergemo squad to roll their sleeves up and still produce the quality for the win!

Hackney North Marsh, 21^st October 2007

League Match 4 – Archway Allstars vs Tergemo (away)

Result: 2-5 Win

Scorers: Compton (2), Conner (2), Walker

Team: T.Clarke, R.Gouge, L.Charlton (R.Oladapo), E.Appiah, E.Bernal, A.Dolan(c), A.Compton, M.Clarke, D.Walker, N.Connor, D.Osborne.

Tergemo proved themselves quick learners as they improved on the performance from the previous week to win 5-2 against Archway. The Lions adopted a different approach to this game with a 4-5-1 formation, identifying central midfield as a key area from which they could change the fortunes between these two teams.

Andrew Compton put himself forward as being the breakaway man from midfield to support lone striker Osborne and boy did he do this to good effect. Five minutes in, a ball in from the right caused confusion within the Archway area allowing Osborne and Dolan to link up with a one-two that was deflecting by an Archway defender only for the ball to break to Compton who controlled with his right and smashed with his left into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

The goal came against the run of play as Archway had made the early running, creating three decent chances which Clarke and the defence in front of him dealt with superbly.

With Tergemo a goal ahead, Compton pounced again, this time getting behind the Archway defence before rounding the keeper and slotting the ball home from a tight angle 2-0. As Archway looked to get back into the game, Eugene Appiah deputising for the absent O.Oladapo at the back stepped to the forefront with precise tackling and a cool head to play the ball out in a way that helped to relieve pressure. The returning Bernal also gave stability to the defence with Charlton and Gouge providing great balance within the back line.

With a solid base behind them, the front six of Tergemo pushed forward again to devastating effect, this time through Nick Conner. The young wing-wizard received the ball from a throw on the left flank, turned to face his marker and then ran at him, beating two while cutting in and then curling a sweet shot around the rooted keeper into the bottom left-hand corner. Conner was playing with great confidence in this fixture throughout.

A superb piece of vision from Osborne which followed a crunching slide tackle to win the ball in the first place was latched onto by the impressive Conner who nonchalantly clipped the ball past the keeper with the outside of his right boot to make the score an emphatic 4-0 with just twenty five minutes gone.

A goalkeeping change from Archway saw them tighten up a bit but there was still time for one more and it came from the boot of Danny Walker. Clarke claimed the ball superbly and quickly distributed the ball to Dolan on the left wing. The central midfielder beat two men before passing the ball 40 yards into the path of Danny Walker who outpaced everyone on the pitch before lifting the ball over the stranded goalkeeper 5-0.

The second half came with Clarke putting in his usual level of commitment and ensuring that an Archway comeback was not on the cards. The midfield general was not about to let the team’s lead slip and looked his sharp self of last season. This was just about the only real positive from the second half as a penalty that was in fact not in the area was converted coolly by the Archway captain and then a decent hit from the home team’s number ten made the game 5-2. Unfortunately Clarke had to be substituted for reasons we had better not write down on our own website, Charlton picked up a nasty injury and an unlucky Archway man was dismissed late on but no more goals.

Having played Archway twice now, it is clear that they will always pose a threat to Tergemo but if the Lions can continue to play like they did in the first half then there is no reason why we should fear anyone. I would like to finish by saying that Archway are a decent outfit who play the game in a competitive way but also a fair way, we will have to be ready when we next face them!