Page 6 - Raynes Park Vale vs Balham 02-04-22
P. 6

Match Report                                                                        and he was replaced with Jordan       has marked some Vale games

                                                                                          Gallagher. Cousin Josh must be        recently. Some opportunities went
         RAYNES PARK VALE 4                                                               happy to have that kind of quality    begging when a simple lay-off
                                                                                                                                might have produced a fifth or a
                                                                                          on the bench and a few minutes
         KNAPHILL FC 0                                                                    later the wisdom of that move was  sixth goal and, with the competi-
                                                                                                                                tion for the CCL South promotion
                                                                                          apparent as JG  junior played in
           CCL • Tuesday 29th March 2022 • Grand Drive, Raynes Park                       Louie Downey for  his second of       slot looking tighter than the RPV

                                                                                          the game and Vale’s fourth. With      chairman at the bar, Vale can only
         Better was expected from the players                                             the game effectively wrapped up       hope that minute goal difference
                                                                                          the bench lit up the board and        stats don’t become the deciding
      A chilly Tuesday night under                                                        Tim Obisanya and Jamie Bever-         factor. But, for all that this was a
      the lights was the perfect                                                          idge came on with both showing        display that Vale  fans are becom-
      place for this game! Hot on the                                                     why they have a bright future at      ing used to and that we hope Vale
      heels of some mixed performances                                                    RPV. The second half was marred       player don’t come to expect - a
      from Vale a  healthy crowd turned                                                   by some desperate tackles, a few      clean sheet, four goals and Raynes
      up at Grand Drive to watch the                                                      off-the-ball shenanigans and some  Park firmly in control. In the RPV
      locals take on Knaphill who had a                                                   loudly decried refereeing deci-       bar; after the match, it was Louie
      few mixed results under their belt                                                  sions but, importantly, the Vale      Downey who walked away with
      including a 1-1 draw against CCL                                                    team refused to rise to any provo-    the JEWSON man-of-the match.
      rising stars Jersey Bulls. After fal-                                               cation and the game passed large-     It would have been hard to im-
      tering against an excellent Colliers                                                ly without any of  the  displays  of    agine how much more Downey
      Wood side a week before Vale had      had the crowd gasping. Moody’s                ill-disciplined recklessness  that    could have done tonight.
      clearly been made aware by Josh       shot sailed over the bar but fif-
      Gallagher that better was expect-     teen minutes later and Reece
      ed from the players’ feet but also    Williams-Bowers turned on the
      from their mouths and heads and       after-burners, broke ahead of the
      after 90 minutes the Vale gather      retreating Knaphill defence and -
      had every reason to be pleased.       to the cries of ‘WAZZZAAAAAH’
      A bright start yielded results on     from the Vale faithful, slotted
      19 minutes when a looping Vale        low past  the visiting keeper. Vale
      corner led to a manic scramble        play-maker Nes Bellikli was hav-
      in the Knaphill 6-yard box before     ing his first real outing following
      Louie Downey put it away to put       injury and  was starting to show
      Raynes Park one up and just on        why he has rapidly become a firm
      the half-hour mark Nathan Lewis       fan favourite at Grand Drive but,
      headed in No.2 to send Vale into      just past the hour, and with Vale
      the dressing room with a healthy      in good control Josh Gallagher’s
      cushion. Into the second half         management team clearly decided
      an early attempt by Dan Moody         that Bellikli could afford a break             Click to view three of the goals
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