Ferring FC Game 1

MATCH REPORT FOR
Redeye Sunday Challenge Cup - 5/11/2006

Ferring Sunday (2) v.s Abbey FC (7)
(Jimmy Fairey, Ryan Goodliff)

Ferring Sunday's county cup charge came to a halt a little earlier than last season this year. The tournament saw them take a few scalps along the way, but this year a tough draw against Hastings League Division 1 outfit Abbey FC saw them dumped out.

The visitors took an early lead but the killer goal came just 2 minutes before the break. A cross went through the 6 yard area untouched by all and the ball was cut back for a shot that was followed up to make it 2-0. Ferring only managed a few attacks in the first half and never really threatened until it was too late.

At 4-0 James Fairey fired in from a tight angle with a great strike and moments later a monumental lob from Goodliff from all of 40 yards with the goalkeeper off his line gave the home side a glimmer of hope. But soon after he fluffed a cross with Hand and Lawson free in the centre and that was to be it for the hosts. Abbey strode into a 2-7 lead, owed much to the fitness of the home side after two weeks without a training session. Theo Asunye came on and showed some good touches and passes and Boult made a rare appearance, but by no means un-needed as he stopped the last few attacks from making the scoreline even more undeserving than it already was.

Ferring are now out of all cup competitions so will now have no excuses for dropping their so far impressive league form

MATCH REPORT FOR
Arundel (1) V's Ferring Sunday (1) (Adam Bazley)
29th October 2006 - Arundel FC, Mill Road

1. Matt Clayton
2. Ryan Goodliff

3. Adam Bazley *1
4. Luke Bradbury
5. Carl Stocker (off)
6. Jerry Manning

7. Mark Burgess
8. Ian Burgess (off)
9. Max Palfrey
10. John Lawson (off)
11. Danny Hand

12. Theo Asunye
13. Ykassussa Reamy (on)
14. Musa B (on)
15. Dave Palmer (on)
16. Aaron Brooke

For a county standard ground the pitch for Sundays game was shabby at best. It was heavy and bobbly but both sides played some attractive football none the less. Ferring Sunday looked the sharper of the two early on but Arundel are top of the league for a reason and it wasn't long before they forced Ferring onto the back foot. Goodliff had to clear off the line with his head via the crossbar and Clayton, in goal for the unavailable Paul Fox, made some smart saves. A goal was very much due and it came on the 20 minute mark. Bazley and Palfrey made some space on the edge of the box with some excellent link up play and Bazley, left footed, guided the ball into the top corner with a fine finish.

Arundel pushed forward and leveled soon after with a great effort from their inspirational winger. He picked his spot from 20 yards and Clayton could do nothing. Now the game was level both sides opted to hold out for half time. The 2nd half was more of a struggle for the visitors until Robson made some good changes. Musa replaced Ian Burgess and Mark Burgess was put on the left with Musa holding in the midfield, a job he does to great effect. The visitors soon started to play football again. Hand came close when he rounded the keeper only for his shot to be clawed away by the keeper at full stretch. Goodliff hit a volley from a corner that scraped the bar and Lawson had a one on one brilliantly saved.

The last 10 minutes belonged to Arundel though and the defences were pushed hard to hold out for the final whistle but it came and a good point was taken at the home of the league leaders.

MATCH REPORT FOR
Flansham Rangers 4 - 11 Ferring Sunday
(Danny Hand x 3, Mark Burgess x 6, James Fairey & Carl Stocker)
1. Paul Fox
2. Ryan Goodliff
3. James Fairey *1
4. Max Palfrey
5. Carl Stocker (off) 1
6. Jerry Manning
7. Musa B
8. Ian Burgess
9. Mark Burgess *6
10. Danny Hand *3
11. Arron Brook (off)
12. Darren Boult (on)

13. Theo Asunye (on)

The heavens opened two minutes before the kick off in a repeat of the charity cup clash two weeks earlier between Flansham & Ferring Sunday. The Flansham Rangers defence must have been hoping for a hole to open up after 5 minutes of the game as Ferring took control straight from the off and found themselves in front earlier than they could have hoped for. Danny Hand netted his first goal of the season in his first game for Ferring Sunday. The prospect of Lawson (injured) and Hand partnering up front is mouthwatering. With this it was two soon enough as Goodliff's cross was spilled by the keeper in wet conditions and Mark Burgess pounced on the loose ball to slot home. As the rain continued to flow, so did Ferring's football and a penalty soon followed after a hand ball in the box prevented a certain goal. The red card was harsh however and this deflated the hosts. So did the resulting spot kick as Burgess swept it home from 12 yards. The goals then started to fly in. Ferring went in 6-1 ahead at the break. The last goal coming courtesy of some great play down the left between Ian Burgess and Goodliff. The ball was cut back and Hand finished off a superb move with a toe poke into the corner.

The second half gave the home side a lot more to shout about though. But not a lot. At 8-1 they managed to break through the Ferring’s defence and when Asunye was judged to have brought down the striker, a penalty was given. 8-2. Ferring put another 3 goals on the score sheet though before conceding again. A quick free kick from Stocker saw Goodliff get in round the back but his canny effort came back off the post for Fairey to double his tally for the season. Danny Hand completed his hat-trick and Carl Stocker also found the net after a good run and one two with Mark Burgess. Two more set pieces gave the host's another two goals. 1 a penalty and the other following a superb fingertip save from keeper Paul Fox as he got his fingers to a quickly dipping ball to push it over the bar was a well placed free kick but that was only mere consolation as the traveling side ran away with what was a great display all over the park. Jerry Manning and Musa B gave a well balanced display in the middle and the back four lead by Max Palfrey were solid. Ferring travel to Arundel in a top of the table clash next Sunday at Mill Road, Arundel.

MATCH REPORT FOR
FERRING SUNDAY (5) V. STIRLANDS FC (4)
(Carl Stocker, Jerry Manning, Luke Bradbury & Arron Brook 2)

1 Paul Fox
2 Ryan Goodliff
3 Adam Bazley
4 Matt Cross
5 Olly Dalby
6 Jerry Manning *1
7 Ian Burgess
8 James Fairey
9 Luke Bradbury *1
10 Mark Burgess
11 Carl Stocker *1

12 Theo Asunye (on)
13 Dave Palmer (on)
14 Arron Brook (on) *2

Stirlands United were looking to repeat the form that saw them beat last seasons division 2 champions Ferring Sunday on 3 separate occasions last term, but Sunday was to be another thrilling game involving Ferring in 2 weeks, this time seeing the foxes come out on the right side of a 5-4 score line.

Matt Cross was available for selection again and he ensured that the home side held out after some early pressure and when Ferring started to play their football it was only a matter of time before they went a goal up. Carl Stocker worked himself some space on the edge of the box and drove a sweetly struck effort along the ground and in off the far post.

Stirlands however stepped up their game and were back on level terms not long after when a corner was floated in and finished in fine style. Another attack for the visitors resulted in a brilliant save from Ferring’s keeper Fox who dived across goal but still managed to get a strong hand to the shot which hit the ground and bounced over the cross bar. Unfortunately this resulted in a corner with a goal line clearance from Goodliff who was playing at left back but it wasn't long before Stirlands were in front. An accurate through ball saw the striker finish into the bottom corner giving Fox in goal no chance. The hosts looked to be going in at the break a goal down but Jerry Manning was put through and rounded the keeper before slotting the ball home to give the foxes some positives to take in at half time.

They couldn't have asked for a better start to the second half as Mark Burgess laid the ball off to Luke Bradbury who smashed in a rasping drive past the helpless keeper. Soon after, Bradbury hit the bar with a scorching effort that deserved better but that was the last bit of action Ferring had until they were 4-3 down with just 15 minutes remaining. Keeper Paul Fox slid out to challenge the on coming striker grasping the ball from their feet as it flew into his gut, but this did not stop them, with two breakaway goals looking to have sealed the points for the traveling side but Ferring dug deep and managed to create an opening for substitute Arron Brook to fire home off a rebound. With about 7 minutes to go the foxes grabbed the winner after a howler from the Stirlands keeper. His initial saved popped out of his gloves and Arron Brook was again quickest to react and stuck the ball into the empty net. Encouragement was the order of the day and it paid off big time as the host battled away to secure the points after coming back from the brink of defeat.

MATCH REPORT FOR
Flansham Rangers (5) vs. Ferring Sunday (4)
(Ian Burgess, John Lawson, Adam Bazley & Olly Dalby)

Ferring Sunday’s cup hopes came to a bitter end this Sunday at Avisford Park against Flansham Rangers.

Quickly Flansham went 1-0 up showing Ferring Sunday they meant business. But after a couple of strong attacks from Ferring Sunday, their corner taker Ian Burgess guided the ball from the corner flag as it sailed into the back of Flansham’s net to make the score 1-1.

Flansham soon took the lead again with a cross which flew onto an awaiting Flansham head and into Ferring’s net. But it wasn’t long before reliable goal scorer John Lawson won his one on one battle as he danced the ball unpredictably around Flansham's Keeper to make it 2 all.

Even the sending off of one of Flansham’s players did not seem to deter Flansham's undying passion to win in front of their home supporters, as they slotted in another perfectly positioned goal.

After the half time talk both teams entered the pitch ready to go another 45 minutes. And it wasn’t long before Ferring Sunday’s right back Adam Bazley scored a long awaited blinder from the right hand corner of the 18 yard box. Leaving the keeper to watch on as it flew into the top left hand corner of the net to level the score 3-3. Both teams fought for possession but soon it was extra time.

With cramped leg and weary bodies Ferring Sunday tried to keep up the fight with what seemed like a saving grace coming from centre back Olly Dalby as he hammered home another Ferring goal to make the score 3-4 to Ferring.

But the lead didn’t last long with a lucky free kick for Flansham bobbled on the pitch and smacked keeper Paul Fox in the face before crossing the line making the score 4-4.

With Ferring Sunday’s heart sunk in the dying embers of extra time Flansham Rangers dug the knife in by laying off the ball to what to Ferring’s defence seemed like an offside player who fired the ball past the charging keeper who stood no chance, to win the game 5-4.

As if this was not bad enough, Ferring’s regular goal scorer John Lawson took a serious knock in the game and could be out for up to 6 weeks with a suspected fractured ankle.

MATCH REPORT FOR

Ferring Sunday (3) v Flansham Rangers (2)

(John Lawson, Carl Stocker x2)

Man of the match John Lawson

After a terrible result last week Ferring Sunday fought back against Flansham Rangers. The game started out slow with a few sloppy mistakes from Ferring resulting in Flansham scoring. It wasn’t long before Ferring’s boys woke up and began to play. Ferring played the simple ball and kept the play to the floor linking some beautiful passes together to allow John Lawson to slot another goal in the back of Flansham’s net, adding yet another to his score sheet. But Flansham were not going to give up that easy and soon they had penetrated Ferring’s defence and scored another goal leaving Ferring 2-1 down. The Half Time whistle soon followed with Ferring entering the 2^nd half with a battle on their hands.

After a stern half time talk by Ferring's stand in gaffer Chris Burgess, Ferring Sunday brought the game right back to Flansham. With a stunning goal scored by Captain Carl Stocker making it 2-2. Another spell of clinically passed balls from Jerry Manning, new signing Max Palfrey and Matt Cross set the pace of the second half. A few shots came from the Ferring Sunday strikers with John Lawson thinking he was playing rugby and firing a shot way over the crossbar, nothing became of them.

A couple of shots came from Flansham but they seemed to be flagging a bit from tiredness leaving Ferring Sunday to begin another attack. The ball coming from the defence, passed through to who slotted it through to Carl Stocker allowing him to slot the ball into the back of Flansham rangers net, making the score line 3- 2 to Ferring Sunday.

Determination overtook Ferring Sunday, especially in defence with Olly Dalby, not to mention a few, who took a hard struck ball in his pride and joy and still managed to stand up and clear the ball. With that the final whistle was blown and Ferring Sunday were back on track.

MATCH REPORT FOR:
17/09/2006
Ferring Sunday (7) v Westbourne FC (0)
Charity Cup
(Arron Brook, Mark Burgess 2, John Lawson 2, Carl Stocker 2)

Ferring Sunday continued a steady start to their campaign with another impressive result, recording a 7 – 0 victory against hard working opponents Westbourne FC.

Ferring Sunday started strongly attacking Westbourne’s goal very early with Ferring’s new signing Arron brook opening up the score sheet with a goal piercing shot, beating the Westbourne’s goal keeper Derek Hammond to make the score 1 – 0. Twenty minutes later man of the match Mark Burgess went on another run skipping past two of Westbourne’s defenders slotting the ball home from 20 yards to make it 2 – 0.

Ferring continued to battle onwards with Westbourne firing a free kick towards the awaiting Keeper Paul Fox who claimed the ball quickly ensuring the first half ended in a clean sheet. As the half time whistle approached John Lawson stepped up to score a superb lob to make it 3 – 0 to end a promising looking first half.

The second half started well, but Ferring Sunday failed to increase the score until 25 minutes in Mark Burgess rose to score a bullet header to make the score 4 – 0. With Jerry Manning, Johnny Lawson and Mark Burgess pushing play up to Westbourne’s defence it wasn’t long before Ferring created another chance with Lawson planting one in the back of the net, after taking on two Westbourne players, to make the score 5 – 0. But undoubtedly the best goal of the game came from a linked play from the Burgess brothers and Jerry Manning pulling the defence out to the left of the field allowing Carl Stocker to neatly deposit the ball in the back of the net, to make the score 6 – 0. With full time vast approaching Stocker saw the opportunity to make the score 7 – 0 as he buried another shot into the back of Westbourne’s net. Although you cannot fault the Westbourne keeper who saved them from a humiliating defeat through some stunning saves reducing our score sheet from about 11 to 7 goals.

Manager Pete Robson commented ‘It was an excellent all round performance by everybody. Although the goal scorers get most of the credit, other players such as Olly Dalby, Paul Fox and Jerry Manning also excelled in the game.’

All in all a very good result for Ferring Sunday.

MATCH REPORT FOR
LAVANT SUNDAY V's FERRING SUNDAY FC

Team Formation: 4-4-2

Lavant Sunday 2 Ferring Sunday 2

Ferring sunday travelled to Fishbourne for their second game of the season. The sun was beaming down on the hard surface and the conditions were perfect for an exciting morning of football.

The host's came out of the blocks the quickest and pressed at every opportunity early on. Space was limited on what wont be the largest pitch Ferring play on this season but the midfeild battled hard in the heat to create openings. However the home side brought their A game and took the lead with a shot across keeper Paul Fox which bounced in at the far post. Minutes later it was two and Ferrings good start to the season looked to be in tatters. A long ball seemed to be heading safely towards the keeper but a mixup in communication left the striker with an open net, and he prodded home to double the lead. The foxes knew they would have to dig deep if they were to rescue any points from the game now and pushed on in search of goals. They could have gone in all square at the break had Goodliff's acrobatic effort not come back off the post and Lawson's penalty appeal not been waved away by the ref after he was hauled down in the box.

10 minutes into the second half the changes were made and soon after, the visitors were back in the game. Carl Stocker found space to fire off an effort which was blocked on the line, but Lawson was alert enough to steer the ball home from close range. Ferring had the lifeline they needed and it was now a question of when and not if they would get another goal and it came from a set peice. Mark Burgess rose highest at a corner to head home and complete the comeback. They could have stolen all three points had Lawson's studs been an inch longer but he couldn't reach Burgess' cross shot across the goalmouth and the game ended level.

MATCH REPORT FOR
FERRING SUNDAY FC vs WOOLPACK FC

Ferring Sunday 10 - Woolpack FC 3

Man of the match: Paul Fox Team Formation: 4-4-2

Ferring Sunday kicked off the new season with optimism off the back of a successful pre season which saw the foxes score 18 goals in 4 matches. But this weekend the friendlies turned into league fixtures and included all the bite and determination seen between the two sides in last seasons meetings.

Windy conditions ensured a tough work out but it was within the first minute that the deadlock was broken. Carl Stockers delicate through ball was taken round the keeper by new boy John Lawson who slotted home comfortably. The visitors dug deep however and were back on level terms after 10 minutes. The striker managed to lift the ball over the on-rushing Fox in goal in a one on one to even it up. The rest of the half was cagey but was brought to life by the sending off of a woolpack player for aiming a punch at Mark Burgess after a tussle in the middle of the park. Bazley let fly with an almighty drive from all of 30 yards but was turned over by the keeper at full stretch. It took an own goal from a corner to regain the lead for ferring but the 2nd half was much more convincing from the hosts.

With the man advantage Ferring controlled the tempo and saw their lead extended, albeit from another own goal. Bazley looked to play lawson in but the defender stuck out a toe and guided the ball past his own keeper. From then on in it was plain sailing, 6 goals in the remainder of the game confirmed the foxes superiority in the match. The pick of the goals came from Mark Burgess who took on 2 woolpack defenders before slotting home. Another new face Matt Cross swept in at the far post as did James Fairey, who, without scoring for all of last season's campaign made it 2 in 2 games. Lawson completed his hat trick but the travelling side found time to score two screaming volleys from distance before the final whistle. A great start for last seasons division 2 champions but hopefully the best is yet to come.