A good week for the club. The VIP day at County Road was a roaring success, with the 1st XI putting on a show and beating Old Tenisons 2-0, in-front of the raucous COXA home fans. Thanks to all the hard work that went on behind the scenes; to Frank for organising the day, food and port and to Eddie who was at the club Friday night and Saturday morning forking/marking the pitch to ensure the game went ahead, given the monstrosity of rain that fell earlier in the week. The pitch was in cracking condition! Thank you guys. A great time was had by all, I know the 1st team lads appreciated the support, we are now only a gnats chuff away from guaranteed promotion, with 1 point needed from our last game, funnily enough against Old Tenisons. You can see a match report below. I particularly like the quote from our chairman, Dave Leathem…

“……I’m finally starting to admit that the 1s might be better than the teams of our day – even physically, although the odd punch or head-butt would still be nice to watch. Great game though, and the boys did us proud in one of our historically more hotly contested rivalrous fixtures. The Old Tenison booked for wondering out loud (very loud), whether “this is a f-ing woman’s game” was my M-o-t-M”

Wise Words Dave!

The 3rd XI were also in action, they got beaten 2-1, and were down to 10 men for the last 20 minutes. It turned out to be a tough shift in the sun for the lads.

The 2nd XI and 3rd XI have fixtures this week against Old Kings Boys and Old Meadonian respectively. Good luck too for the cream of our young crop and all in for shouts for this years’ Young Player of the Year; Paris Clarke, Athan Smith-Joseph and Darnell Fearon who are playing for the League’s u21 side away in Leeds against Yorkshire this Saturday. Josh Antonio was also picked but I understand he has to work. Please see the fixture list attached as usual.

Next on the agenda is the end of season football Awards on Saturday 16th April. The venue is booked. The band is booked. The DJ is booked. We just need you all there - current players and old boys you are all welcome; as well as wives, girlfriends and mistresses!

Details
Date: Saturday 16th April 2016
Time: Arrive at 7pm SHARP (the awards ceremony will begin at 7:30pm)
Venue: Balham Bowls club, 7 Ramsden Road, Balham SW12 8QX (we have hired the private upstairs function room)
Wives and Girlfriends are also invited, please feel free to get them involved and bring them along!

To kick things off on Saturday 16th, we have a pitch booked and paid for at Southfields Academy astro turf, and no COXA XI has a scheduled fixture. So, I propose that we make use of the facility and have inter club games (1st XI Vs 2nd XI, and 3rd XI vs 4th XI -or something similar, maybe split the pitch and have 7 aside tournaments?). We can then all go for ribs, chips and beer at the Earlsfield pub.

Your Captains will be in touch to get your availability. Please get to Southfields for 12:15pm for a 1pm KO. This will be a nice little livener before the main event in the evening at the BBC. The only downside to this idea is I’m not sure how open to the idea the BBC will be to 45+ lads turning up to the BBC with football kit bags! So please try to make alternative plans for kit bags! Or you can obviously go home to get changed…. Ideally we want you all looking relatively dapper for the awards ceremony!

That’s all for now boys, I look forward to seeing you all for an interclub kick-about on the 16th and then at the BBC for the Awards ceremony

Cheers

Macca
Chris McLoughlin
Club Captain

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Match Report
COXA 1st XI (2) Vs (0) Old Tenisons

COXA ground out a hard-fought win over Old Tenisonians (OT) at Norbury in a scrappy game of few chances. They won't be making DVDs of the game, but it was a valuable 3 points all the same on the Old Boys' weekend in COXA's promotion push.

The main decision gaffer Matt had to make before the game was whether to bring fit-again regular goalie Mike back into the team, or keep faith with stand-in Ray (the self-proclaimed Shaka Hislop), who had performed heroics between the sticks the previous Saturday.

Mike was given the nod and pulled off a cracking Seaman-esque save at 0-0, scooping out the ball from on the goalline when some pinball in the box had taken it past him, although some questioned whether he could perhaps have caught it.

Then followed the incident for which "Zaguero" was voted the Moose, lining up a shot and trying to take the leather off it but being tripped up by a bobble with no defender in sight. Strangely, nobody seemed to remember an arguably even worse airshot from Ray as the ball broke to him seconds later.

COXA were trying to apply some pressure and tested the OT keeper on a couple of occasions but the teams went in at half time at 0-0.

Early in the second half, Owen flashed a header just wide before the industrious Ian opened the scoring, playing the ball off the OT defender's shins and over the keeper to send the capacity crowd wild.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon was to follow though, with a well-struck volley from Owen sending Old Boy Jonny's pint out of his hands and all over him on the sideline.

With the game on a knife-edge at 1-0, OT had a header ruled out for offside. It was a tight one and the bit of luck COXA needed before going straight down the other end to make it 2-0. A fine strike from Breen was met with Easter egg chocolate wrists from the OT goalie and the game was over.

COXA closed the game out comfortably before piling into the clubhouse for curry and beers. A point is now required in COXA's final game of the season to seal promotion and, only 3 points behind the leaders Fulham, the title could also yet be coming COXA's way with a 19 goal swing in the final round of games.