Division One (East)
Rayners Lane 3 Binfield 2
Thursday, 01 May 2003
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Binfield forced to ring changes as valiant display ends in defeat at third-placed Rayners Lane.
Binfield's new management team for next season, Richard Whitty and Peter Prince, were interested spectators at Rayners Lane last night as an unfamiliar looking Binfield line-up produced a very creditable display against tough opposition.
Late withdrawals by regular centre-back pairing, Jason Day and Mark Baker, due to personal reasons, forced temporary boss, Bobby Ellis, into a last-minute reshuffle. Matt Davis, a regular for the Youth and Reserve teams this season, got the call for a first full start at right-back. Ricky Hume was moved into the centre alongside Jon Keough. Paul Martin had a rare start on the left of midfield. Reserves striker, Justin Jirbandey, also got a first call to the first-team squad and started on the bench.
Despite the new look it was Binfield who started brightly, forcing a second minute corner on the right. Withers kick found the towering head of Keough, climbing above Mills to head against the crossbar. Veteran Danny Mills, for the home team, may still wear the number 9 shirt these days but plays in the centre of a back three for Rayners Lane. Rayners? too have a useful blend of youth and experience, with Metcalfe?s movement always causing problems for the Binfield back four. Finlayson, too, always looked a handful and broke free on the right after six minutes to drive a low cross through the ?Moles? goal area. Fortunately, Davis was alert to turn the ball round for a corner. This may have been an end of season game, but both sides were trying to play neat football in possession with play swinging from end to end. Hume had to be sharp to deny Mitchell in the box at one end and Martin broke to find Withers, whose cross was kneed wide by Harris at the other. Rayners? had the first clear-cut scoring chance on nine minutes. Finlayson?s clever through-ball found skipper Hordern in space in the Binfield box. He steadied himself and drove the shot hard and low, but Strong made an excellent blocking save low at his near post for a corner. Robinson headed narrowly wide from the kick. Nice build-up involving Kellaway and Harris down the left, on 17, gave McCoy a chance to test Piper for the first time. The shot from the edge of the box was low and well-taken by the keeper. Almost immediately, Kellaway found himself clear of the defence after Withers? superb cross-field pass. Robinson got back to make the block to deny the Binfield striker. Then, on 22, the home side edged in front. Kellaway came into his own half to receive a pass, but his one-touch lay-off to Withers was misplaced. Mitchell latched onto the ball, thirty yards out, shifted it to his right and fired low past Strong?s right hand into the bottom corner.
The setback took the wind out of the visitors? sails and they were lucky not to go further behind a minute later. Mills was given time to pick a pass from central defence to find Finlayson?s run. As Binfield were caught square, the young midfielder bore down on Strong, but lifted his lobbed effort just over the keeper and the crossbar. Finlayson again went close just past the half-hour mark. Coming inside off the right flank, past Keough, he sent a curling left-foot strike just wide of Strong?s right-hand post. On 36 minutes, Binfield were level. Withers? outswinging corner from the right was met with a firm downward header by Harris and Keough swept the ball home from four yards.
Half Time: Rayners Lane 1 Binfield 1
An early free kick for the home side gave Binfield a scare as the second-half got underway. The long ball into the box found a back-flick header which flew just wide of Strong?s left-hand post. Martin was replaced by Jirbandey on 55 as Binfield opted to match Rayners? three at the back with three upfront. Almost immediately, Jirbandey?s pace took him free on the right, but as the cross came in all three Binfield attackers in the box stood watching as the ball was cleared to safety. Binfield?s attacking tactic was rewarded with the lead on 65 minutes. Harris? long throw from the right into the box was headed clear by Mills, but only to Withers. The ?Moles? midfield playmaker chipped to the far side of the box to find the unmarked Kellaway. One touch to control and a neat volley past Piper put the visitors in front. Rayners? were stung into action and Keough had to produce a great block tackle to deny Zieleniewski on 72. The corner was headed just over. Binfield seemed to be comfortably dealing with the Rayners Lane threat at the back. Young Davis, on his first start, was growing in confidence by the minute and looked increasingly assured. Harris, once again, was the dynamo in the ?Moles? engine-room, covering every blade of grass. As the clock ticked down, it was clear that Binfield?s efforts were taking their toll and a few tired legs were in evidence. As home pressure grew this tiredness resulted in the equaliser on 79 minutes. Lee, Jirbandey and Withers were all involved on the right of midfield, but the touch looked weary and Withers was dispossessed. Two quick passes saw Finlayson burst into the box and toe-end high to Strong?s right. Just as after the first goal, Binfield were caught napping straight from the restart and this time there was to be no escape. Harris was now trying to cover his teammates? ground and a lung-bursting run saw him track to defend by the Binfield right corner segment. As the ball broke clear it was quickly swept into midfield and then into the Binfield box, where substitute Dineen fired left-footed beneath the diving Strong. Still Binfield refused to give up and, on 85, Keough?s long ball out of defence sprung the home offside trap. Williams produced a fabulous burst down the left to win possession and feed Harris. The cross found Lee in space at the far post and his cut-back was volleyed first-time by Jirbandey, but straight into Piper?s arms. On 87, Withers free-kick was flicked over the bar by the head of Keough and as full-time drew near Withers was scythed down thirty yards from goal. McCoy stepped up and blasted the kick over the crossbar.
A disappointing reverse for the ?Moles? as Rayners Lane completed a League double to move into third spot in the table, but Binfield can take heart by a gutsy display from the players on view.
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