Sat 11th April 2015

1-3

Summers

HT 0-1

Tooting can count themselves unlucky not to have  claimed  a share of the points as Lewis Gonsalves had a header cleared off the line in the 89th minute only for  Worthing to break away to make it  3-1.Both teams also had a player sent off in the second half. The Rebels dominated the opening half hour and went close in the 15th minute when Lloyd Dawes fired just over but a minute later they took the lead when Curtis Gayler scored with a low 20 yard drive. On the half-hour Dawes had a fierce shot well saved by Alex Kozakis. We then had a couple of chances Harry Knock had an effort blocked on the line from a corner and Billy Marshall was through on goal but lobbed the ball over the bar with the Worthing keeper advancing on him. At the other end danger man Lloyd Dawes  headed over when well placed.

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Tooting got the ideal start four minutes after the break  when Dan Summers latched onto a through ball and belted it in from 25 yards giving Jack Fagan in the visitors goal no chance. However in the 56th minute man of the match Lloyd Dawes restored the Sussex side’s two goal advantage with a good finish. In the 75th minute we were reduced to ten men when Harry Knock received a second yellow card. Alex Kozakis then made two good stops from Will Hendon and  Curtis Gayler to keep us in the match. After 85 minutes Worthing’s Will Hendon was shown a straight red card for hauling down Sol Pinnock as he bore down on goal. In the 89th minute we were very unlucky when Billy Marshall’s corner was met perfectly by Lewis Gonsalves but somehow his goalbound header was cleared off the line. The visitors then went up the other end and Omar Bugiel fired home their third goal  to wrap up the points.

Team :Alex Kozakis, Joel Sebuliba, Nathan Gordon, Francis Quarm, Lewis Gonsalves, Harry Knock, Stefan Cox(Leon Lalor-Dell), Billy Marshall, Dan Summers, Sol Pinnock(Max Noble),Saidou Khan. Unused subs T J Nkoma, Chris Yao, Bobby Aspinall.

Report by: Ian Bullock

Monday 6th April 2015

0-2

HT 0-1

The visitors completed the double over us with a comfortable win at the KNK Stadium. Ex Terror Sam Clayton had the first chance in the 12th minute when after a good run he fired just wide. Whyteleafe took the lead after 25 minutes when Greg Andrews scored direct from a free-kick wide on the left which went through a  crowd of players into the net. In the 40th minute they went close again when Alex Kozakis parried a shot which went just past the post. From the resulting corner another of our former players Jensen Grant headed across the face of goal.

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We had our best chance in the 48th minute when a Stefan Cox cross found Sol Pinnock at the far post but he headed into the side netting. Two minutes later a solo effort from Greg Andrews made it 2-0 and effectively settled the match. We then had our best spell of the game with Nathan Gordon making some of his surging runs into the box and Stefan Cox had a couple of good efforts one forcing a rare save by our former keeper Sheikh Ceesay. However there were no further alarms for the resolute Whyteleafe defence who concreted their play-off place further. Sadly a lack lustre display by our team.

Team: Alex Kozakis, Howard Newton(T J Nkoma), Nathan Gordon, David Graves, Lewis Gonsalves, Harry Knock, Stefan Cox(Max Noble), Billy Marshall, Dan Summers, Sol Pinnock, Leon Lalor-Dell(Joel Sebuliba). Unused subs Saidou Khan, Chris Yao.

Report by: Ian Bullock

Sat 18th April 2015

0-2

HT 0-1

Summers

A short handed squad delivered Tootings first win since March 7th, to  secure a measure of revenge for Novembers embarrassing home defeat.  The original listg of just four subs was reduced to three shortly before kick off when Howard Newtons wretched luck with injuries continued as he was forced to pull out. However, his misfortune presented another oppotunity for Len Lalor-Dell to demonstrate what an exciting prospect he is, a point he emphatically made with a fine low 25 yard strike after quarter of an hour that had the home keeper scrambling.

Adam Moriarty again stepped into the fray and once more had supporters scratching their heads as to why he's only played twice in eighteen months by turning in another accomplised perfromance in the engine room.

Tooting had the first half advantage of kicking downhill on a dry, bumpy pitch, but it had been an even affair until a defensive mistake on halfway was pounced on by Danny 'The Beast' Summers, who tore through the middle and confidently placed the ball in the back of the home net.

The final third of the half produced glimpses of the flowing football of mid-season with Lallor-Dell and Summers both forcing decent saves from Bos in the home goal, although it was not all one way traffic as Alex Kozakis was also called into action a couple of times.

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Kozakis again had to act smartly when the strong breeze pulled a dangerous inswinging corner towards the Tooting net, but after that the home threat gradually subsided until the wasps sting was finally drawn in the 70th minute with a goal that marked the formal return of Max Noble.  Fans had been relishing the prospect of watching oppoents being put to the sword by the dual threat of Noble and Newton bearing in from the wings, but injuries have robbed us of the tasty prospect. However, today we were finally treated to one of those familar devastating runs to the goal-liine followed by a pinpoint tee-up, this time to Danny Summers, who gleefully converted his second of the day.

Kozakis was called into action one more time, but this was just a blip between Terrors raids. With Moriarty pulling the strings and Noble flying again there could have been more goals.  It was not to be, but at least it looks like the season may well end on a high.

Team:  Kozakis, Khan, Gordon, Quarm, Gonsalves, Knock, Lallor-Dell(Nkoma) , Marshall, Summers, Moriarty, Noble Subs not used: Sebuliba, Aspinall(gk)

Sat  25th April 2015

5-0

Summers(2), Noble, Marshall, Lalor-Dell

HT 2-0

The Terrors ended the season in style with a 5-0 thrashing of lowly Horsham and a rare home league win against the Hornets who saw their 42 year stay in the Isthmian  League come to an end with a disappointing display. The visitors passionate supporters many in the seasons adopted Elvis Presley fancy dress theme sang their hearts out all through the game and will be missed in the Ryman League. Horsham missing several players struggled to get any momentum  and it was no surprise when Danny Summers fired us ahead after 23 minutes. Leon Lalor-Dell who was having a excellent game then forced a fine  save from our former keeper Gareth Williams following a good Terrors move.  We doubled our lead in the 39th minute when following a one-two with Lalor-Dell,  Max Noble who looked very sharp rounded the keeper and slotted home

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We increased our lead in the 66th minute when Dan Summers intercepted a clearance from the Hornets keeper and banged in his 35th goal of the campaign. Two minutes later Dan was through on goal but was denied a hat-trick by a good block by Williams but the ball ran loose to Leon Lalor-Dell who fired home. Billy Marshall then found himself in acres of space to crash home number five in the 70th minute. Mention must be made of  Adam Moriarty who for the second week running had an outstanding game. In what was Craig and Adams last league game in charge of the Terrors I would like to thank them for their  efforts over the past two seasons and wish them well for the future.

Team :Alex Kozakis, Saidou Khan, Nathan Gordon(Alex Filipe), David Graves, Lewis Gonsalves, Francis Quarm, Leon Lalor-Dell(Chris Yao), Billy Marshall, Dan Summers, Adam Moriarty, Max Noble. Other subs Joel Sebuliba, Tinashe Nkoma, Eddy Mbonso-Nginingu.

Report by: Ian Bullock

Sat  25th April 2015

London Senior Cup Final

2-3

Aet

(ft 1-1)

Gordon, Quarm

HT 1-0

Tooting played their hearts out in this five goal thriller but despite dominating for long periods went down to a 3-2 defeat, the Hendon equaliser coming in the closing minutes to force extra-time.

Tooting had the first chance midway through the opening half when Tinashe  Nkoma went on a fine run but was blocked out by several Hendon defenders. Our pressure paid off in the 37th minute when we were awarded a free-kick just outside the area after some slack defending by Hendon. Our star left-back Nathan Gordon rifled in a superb free-kick to give us the lead.

Right on half-time Hendon were awarded an indirect free-kick  just inside the Tooting box when Alex Kozakis was adjudged to have taken too long to clear the ball. With most of the Terrors team on the goal-line we managed to clear the effort for a corner.

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We had the first chance of the second half when our exciting prospect Leon Lalor-Dell fired just wide. In the 72nd minute Hendon were reduced to ten men when our leading scorer Dan Summers was through on goal but brought down by Oliver Sprague who was shown a straight red card. The defining moment of the match came six minutes later when Nathan Gordon saw his ferocious drive rattle the Hendon woodwork if that had gone in there would have been no way back for the Greens.

 The sending off seemed to galvanise Hendon and with the introduction of some subs they enjoyed their best spell of the match. In the 87th minute their sub Aaron Morgan equalised with a well taken goal to take the match into extra time. In the first period Hendon put on a lot of pressure and goals from Aaron Morgan in the 102nd minute and Kezie Ibe two minutes later gave them a 3-1 lead. Back came the Terrors in the second period when the excellent Francis Quarm pulled a goal back  with a fine long range drive and despite being camped in the Hendon box for the remaining minutes with several efforts going just wide our Premier League rivals held on lift the trophy and their first win against us  in the final at the third attempt.

Summing up the margins between success and failure are so small had Nathans late effort gone in the Cup would surely have been ours and the perfect send off for Craig and Adam. All the players gave absolutely everything and can be proud of their efforts pushing one of the best teams in the Ryman League to the limit. Once again the support for our team was magnificent and the vocal backing throughout the game was excellent. Finally it was nice to see several of our former players and managers in attendance.

Team : Alex Kozakis, Saidou Khan, Nathan Gordon, David Graves, Harry Knock, Francis Quarm, Tinashe Nkoma(Alex Filipe), Joel Sebuliba, Dan Summers, Adam Moriarty, Leon Lalor-Dell(Eddy Mbongo-Nsininsu.) Other  Subs Howard Newton, Bashuri Alimi, Bobby Aspinall.

Report by: Ian Bullock