Blackheath 0 - 8 GWHC2S

Blackheath 0 - 8 GWHC2S

For their final game of the season Gravesham & Wellcome 2s traveled to Blackheath hoping to right the wrongs of the previous year when they were overturned by 11 unusually strong players.
The team were calm and hoping to put on a show for those watching to give a real indication of their promotion prospects for next season.
Missing John Booth this week, Vice Captain Si Bradley stepped in to blocker with Nav Tung starting centre back while Sam Law got the call up to play fullback.

From the off the Gravesham side would put Blackheath under pressure with Zak Rowland in particular making things difficult. The middle of the park was proving a tough place to wrestle control though with a couple of Blackheath players managing the occasional attacking play that needed dealing with by the defence, Eren Basch putting in some graft. Nav Tung too was having lots of success with jab tackles.

Excellent play from Steve Caulfield and Alex Spurgeon would see the ball through to Rowland, who passed to Aaron Elliott, to receive it back again and then again as the forward pair linked up superbly. Sadly the finish didn't live up to the passing play as Elliott put it just wide of the far post.

A few minutes later and another chance following excellent work by Reuben Morphew and Oli Atkinson, this one for Rowland but unable to direct it goalwards.
Then the breakthrough, Rowland harrying again and bursting through between the 2 defenders able to get a cross off beating the goalie as Elliott came around the back for a reverse stick tap-in. Beautiful play and a goal entirely made by the youngster.

A while later and some excellent work would see Caulfield fire the ball goalwards and Elliott with no time to see blindly deflecting it goalwards on instinct but putting it a couple of inches wide.

A couple of short corners were played by both sides but no further goals found as the teams went into half time 0-1.

The half time message was to remain calm and trust the goals would come. A couple of experimental tweaks, Spurgeon would now play ACM with Basch going to Centre Back.

The second half would become something of a blur. The team pushed forward and broke the deadlock again through Caulfield, just forcing the ball over the line, before setting up Spurgeon from a short corner. A second for Elliott before yet another exquisite goal from Spurgeon.

A hat trick for Elliott sealed after pressure near the line meant a defenders clearance would rebound over the Goalkeeper into the goal, off of the forwards stick. At the time that might have felt embarrassing, little did they know worse was to come.

Amit Ubhi got the bit between his teeth after some "disappointing" challenges from Blackheath players on the GW youngsters, in particular the goalie flooring Rowland from behind, and he scored a screamer into the far post after mazy run.

Then the 8th and final goal. It should have been Rowlands, payback for the nasty fouling, the youngster who had got the teams and clubs very first goal of the 2023-2024 season, had vowed he would get the last.
But, hanging his head in shame, Elliott had arrived near the post ready to pounce to send the ball in if it went wide, touching it on the line just before it crossed when it was going in anyway.

Moving on.

At 8-0 the game represented a record win for GWHC2S in the 3 seasons with Elliott as Captain.

It also sealed the Golden Gloves award for young Goalkeeper Keaton Gates in his very first season playing 2s level, aided by a dominating performance by man of the match Eren Basch.

It was a great way to end the season and in the words spoken at the committee meeting that week... "the 2s are poised ready for take-off".

Promotion next season must be their aim.