Magdalen Magic
ON A BITTERLY cold afternoon last Monday, Magdalen took what could be a decisive step towards this season's Premier Division championship with a fine 2-1 victory at title rivals Wadham.
Roared on by courageous captain Steve Free, the away side sneaked the win mainly due to their excellent attacking trio of Tom Green, Steve Elam and Richard Hooks. With only five minutes gone, Rigby sent Elam through on goal and Wadham keeper Alex Hill sent the clever striker tumbling. Elam regained his composure to put his side one-up from the penalty spot.
Wadham responded well, particularly in the shape of the impressive Giles Thompson, operating effectively on the right side of midfield. Receiving an excellent through pass from Dan Smith, he hit a right-footed drive that thundered against the bar. Teammate Eran Palti fired two efforts wide, symptomatic of the lack of cutting edge about his side.
In many ways this was due to a resolute defensive team effort by Magdalen. Giles Hayter in goal was first to every loose ball in the area, and in front of him, Piers Cox at right-back, together with Gibson, Deakins and Burke, formed a formidable back-line. Cox stood-out with a superb display, giving Wadham's proficient left-winger Soren Aandahl barely a kick all match, but also provided his team-mates with an option down the right-flank. The industrious Steve Free and Boris Paal in midfield complemented their defensive counterparts magnificently.
Despite plenty of possession, Wadham created little to trouble the Magdalen defence during the first-half. Instead it was a tale of pacy Magdalen counter-attacks creating severe problems for the Wadham defence.
After 32 minutes, Hooks smashed Green's corner from the left against the crossbar. Then, eight minutes later, the visitors extended their lead. Green turned Ohemke inside out before deftly looping the ball over Hill and into the corner of the net, despite Gofton's valiant effort to volley the ball off the line.
Minutes later, Wadham's Owen Morgan was forced into a desperate clearance after a neat interchange of passes between Green and Elam left the latter odds on to score. Again and again the Magdalen forwards found space in the attacking third, with even Wadham's defensive rock Martin Oehmke rattled by their wonderful passing and movement.
The second-half began with Magdalen's Free and Green again linking up down the left-hand side only to be denied by Danny Cullen's sliding tackle. Free's cross from the right two minutes later was almost turned into his own net by Alan Gofton as Magdalen searched for a decisive third goal.
Yet, inspired by captain Loz Clarke, Wadham fought their way back into the game. Eran Palti in particular had an outstanding last half-hour, setting-up Clarke for a twenty-yard drive on the hour that Hayter did well to hold, and then putting both Aandahl and Smith through on goal only for Hayter again to save.
Hooks pulled a shot wide for Magdalen after Green had played him through, but Wadham responded with Thomson heading just over the right upright following Morgan's corner.
As the home side began to tire, Magdalen were looking more and more comfortable until Piers Cox rashly brought down Wadham substitute Brendan McGurk in the box. Palti calmly despatched the resulting penalty, and at 1-2 there was still hope for the hosts.
Pushing forward the giant figure of Martin Ohemke and captain Clarke, Wadham piled forward in search of what would have been a vital equaliser. But when Giles Hayter climbed high above Ohemke to snatch Palti's cross out of the air, he also snatched away any hope of an equaliser. Indeed, it was Magdalen who almost grabbed a third in the dying seconds, with Hooks again coming close.
When the whistle blew, the roars of delight from Magdalen confirmed the importance of this result, which increased their lead over Wadham to five points. The smart money now has to be on Steve Free's side in the race for this season's championship.
By Stephen Farrow
23rd Nov 2000