The Cooks finally get their first home win in the league in a tight affair at Compton Park.
Friday 4th November 2022
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
COGENHOE UNITED (1) 2 GODMANCHESTER ROVERS (1) 1
Cooks;
Hall (OG) 8
Purse 76
Godmanchester;
Hall 45+2
ATT; 83
Ash Bodycote, Josh Adams, Alex Parkes and Ben Gough all returned to the starting line-up as the Cooks entertained Godmanchester Rovers on slightly chilly Friday night at Compton Park, whilst the visitors included Declan Rogers who had played one game for the Cooks last season.
It was a pretty even opening, but the visitors were dealt an early blow when Tommy Dear was forced off injured after just 5 minutes, giving Joe Furness a lot more of the action than he had been expecting. Goddy had a half-chance inside of the box on the right when the ball fell to Ben Tait and he hit it first time straight at Bodycote, but on 8 minutes the Cooks took the lead. Jamie Hall broke down the right and whipped in a cross that Jonny Hall stretched to cut out, but he sliced the ball past his own keeper and high into the net.
Luke McDonald brought the ball down on the edge of the box before volleying over the top, then Pharrell Anderson’s pace took him away from Rob Ruddy and he beat the keeper with his low strike from just outside the box, but the ball smacked the post and came back into play. Matty Allan made a run through the centre before hitting a shot from 20-yards that bounced before Bodycote took it comfortably, then Rogers flashed a shot across the face of the goal that took a deflection wide of the far post and when the corner came in Ruddy could only put his header wide. Louie Barrett took the ball to the corner on the right before cutting back and sending a fierce drive across the keeper, but wide of the far post.
Furness received the ball from a half-clearance just outside the box and fired high and wide, then a nice touch from McDonald sent Anderson into the box on the left, but an awkward bounce made it tricky for him to get the ball into the danger-zone and his effort was claimed by George Whitehall before Luke Andrews could get there. Parkes played Barrett down the right and he pulled the ball back to Hall on the edge of the box, but his shot on the turn was blocked by his namesake in a Rovers shirt. Parkes fired over from outside the box after good work by Anderson on the right, then a powerful 30-yard shot from Furness was blocked inside the box. The first-half was two minutes into stoppage time when Godmanchester won a free kick inside the Cooks half to the left and Rogers sent a great delivery into the box where an unmarked Hall atoned for his own-goal by planting an unstoppable header past Bodycote.
Half-time; Cooks 1 Rovers 1
The second half struggled to get going and was very scrappy with neither side settling in the first ten minutes. Barrett was shown a yellow card for a foul on 54 minutes, then another Goddy free-kick played in by Rogers was headed away by Purse and although Hall met it on the volley just outside the box, it flew wide of the far post. The Cooks first change of the game came on 59 minutes with Parkes making way for Paddy Cichosz in central midfield.
Purse made a vital tackle inside his own box after a loose pass from a teammate had opened us up with the Rovers man looking favourite to get their first, then we found ourselves outnumbered in the box and looking in trouble but for some great defending from Gough. Anderson set up Hall 25-yards out and although he struck his shot well, it was too straight and Whitehall caught it comfortably above his head. Anderson had a shot blocked just outside the box after some nice play from McDonald before Hall came off with Jessi Obeng taking his place up front on 66 minutes.
Obeng did really well on the left before playing the ball through for Anderson, but he put a little too much pace onto his pass, then Anderson went close from 20-yards, but his well-hit first-time shot went the wrong side of the keeper’s left-hand post. Rovers seemed have a real chance down the clubhouse end when a great Rogers’ cross from the right was just begging to be headed at goal, but Allan seemed to get his balance wrong and was unable to take advantage.
The Cooks got their noses back in front on 76 minutes from a corner kick. The decision was somewhat contentious as it looked like a goal-kick, but luck hasn’t been with us of late so we took full advantage as Adams delivered a great corner that saw Luca Purse get the better of two defenders to meet the ball with a powerful downward header that had too much on it for Whitehall to prevent from crossing the line.
Bates fired wide after a strong run had taken him to the edge of the box, whilst Rovers took off Rogers in favour of Richard Chadwick. Cichosz showed some Brazilian style skill as he turned Furness inside out on the halfway line before playing the ball up toward Obeng, but his fellow sub was beaten in the air by a defender. Anderson won the ball and Adams played what was nearly a great ball for Obeng in the box, but the pass was just too strong and Whitehall got to the ball first. With the game in stoppage time the Cooks ran down the clock with a two more subs as Lewis Green replaced Adams and then Callum Farmer came on for Anderson as the seconds ticked away. We almost messed things up right at the death when an unnecessary back pass put us into danger, but Bodycote raced out of his area to clear the ball up field and we had our first home league win under our belts.
Great to get the three points and lift ourselves up the table, although all the other teams we overtook apart from Godmanchester will play tomorrow. A bigger than usual crowd was also a bonus thanks to the Friday night fixture. The game was scrappy at times and was largely a tight affair, but Ash Bodycote didn’t have a lot to do in truth as we defended well. Paul’s man-of-the-match today goes to match-winner Luca Purse who has been a constant at the back over the last month or so. Luke Andrews also earns a mention for his display in midfield.
Cooks; 1. Ady Bodycote 2. Will Bates 3. Josh Adams (sub 12. Lewis Green 90+2) 4. Alex Parkes (sub 16. Paddy Cichosz 59) 5. Luca Purse 6. Ben Gough © 7. Louie Barrett 8. Luke McDonald 9. Pharrell Anderson (sub 14. Callum Farmer 90+4) 10. Luke Andrews 20. Jamie Hall (sub 15. Jessi Obeng 66)
Yellow card; Purse (57) Foul.
Godmanchester; 1. George Whitehall 2. Josh Lewis 3. Sammy Fisher 4. Jonny Hall 5. Rob Ruddy 6. Ben Tait 7. Tom Spark 8. Tommy Dear (sub 16. Joe Furness 5) 9. Matty Allan 10. Declan Rogers © (sub 17. Richard Chadwick 76) 11. Marley Edwards. Subs not used; 12. Jason Kissi 14. Richard Joseph 15. Jordan Atkin.
Referee; Daniel Hollins
Assts; Kevan Atkins & Paul Kimbrey
