From the Ridiculous To The Sublime

With the possible exception of the first game after Lockdown, I don’t think I’ve ever been more grateful than I was today to walk through the gate of the Menace Arena and gaze in awe at the glistening green turf bathing beneath a bright blue sky. Last weekend had seen Peckham Town and their travelling faithful journeying to what can best be described as a Charlton Gulag, an abomination of a 3G pitch worn out five times over, surrounded by a cage, a car park and more rubbish than a festival campsite on Monday morning.

So it was wonderful to be back among home comforts, on what was a fantastic day for football. This was a quintessential early autumn afternoon, perfect conditions for a game. A warm, dry, bright day, with the gentlest of breezes. The pitch in marvellous early season condition, clear green stripes strident in the sun. Autumnal colours just beginning to edge in among the trees and bushes forming the backdrop to the ground.

Red, white and blue; what does it mean to you…

Taking Cup Form Into The League

Of course, for all that the setting last week was akin to lying in the gutter, the Peckham performance was very much a case of looking at the stars. Bridon Ropes Reserves were dispatched 4-0 with a brace of braces from Evaristo Mendes and the returning Kieran Dowding, but it could easily have been double that with Tidi Barry alone missing a hat-trick of excellent opportunities before the game’s first goal. After four straight League wins to start the season, Peckham’s momentum had stalled somewhat following a 4-1 loss to Fleetdown United and a 0-0 draw against Ramsgate and arguably the League Cup tie had come at a handy time for Peckham, allowing them to tune up with the pressure off.

Today was opponents Guru Narak’s first game at the Menace Arena for seven years, having been promoted to the Premier Division at the end of the 23/24 season after finishing third in Division One Central & East. With five points from six games, and just one goal scored in four away League games so far, the step up has seemingly been tough, but a side that won 14 of 24 last season was deserving of respect. I could try and summarise the journey they’ve been on beyond that basic recent history, but I wouldn’t do it justice. But hey, you’re smart, you’ll find a search engine and spend a worthwhile half hour reading up on them. I for one want to see more of them in this league, and I’m very much looking forward to the return fixture (and crossing my fingers for it being an early Spring beano).

Peckham made two changes to the side that started last week, both in defence. Majekodunmi and Carrick dropped out, with Omar and Marchi moving to right and left back respectively in their steads; Yassein and Duah Danso returned to the side in central defence. The same front six of Lando, Agyemang and Barry in midfield and Meta and Dowding in support of Mendes upfront was retained.

I’ll Huff, And I’ll Puff…

The game kicked off with Peckham kicking uphill, a statement which could neatly sum up the first 25 minutes. Relying on Dave’s immense X feed as I do for these reports, it’s illustrative that there’s nothing of note between a fourth minute chance for Mendes – who should have done better when through one on one – and a comfortable save from a Dowding effort from the edge of the box on 25 minutes. My own notes betray the frustration of the opening half of the half, as a disjointed Peckham side became visibly and audibly irritated with itself at not being able to create clear chances. Often this was due to players choosing the wrong options, but just as frequently poor control was to blame.

From half an hour on though, Peckham exerted more control of possession and territory and began to create chances for chances. The catalyst perhaps was the denial of a strong penalty shout for a foul on Mendes. Shortly after, Tidi Barry surged into the area on the right sending a rasping drive thundering back off the bar. Meta’s eventual follow-up was blazed over. Hassan Omar then produced a sublime piece of skill to nutmeg the Guru Narak #4, before laying the ball off to Lando. Possession lead to a corner form which Omar nearly scored at the back post. Further chances came and went as Peckham repeatedly won the ball back high up the pitch, but were unable to turn the ball home.

Kicking downhill in the second half, Peckham picked up where they’d left off. Barry was almost put through by a good ball from deep by Agyemang, before Dowding kept in a ball he had no right to reach to create a chance of Omar, whose shot was saved. Barry then really should have opened the scoring with an uncontested shot from 12 yards from a Dowding pull back, but his effort was just wide. There was then an extended period of play from 55 to 75 minutes where I was worried I’d slipped back in time to last week and the home team’s substitutes being used as linesman; several times Peckham forwards were played through on goal, only to be flagged offside following the loud request of the Guru Narak centre backs.

An element of desperation was beginning to come into Peckham’s play, shots from distance raining in as the players perhaps suspected it wasn’t to be their day.

…And I’ll Finally, Finally Blow Your House Down

On 85 minutes, Peckham finally broke the deadlock, and it was their super-sub once again who made the difference. He scored the winner in the 2-1 home victory over Minster, he got a vital pre-assist in the last gasp 2-1 winner over New Romney, and against Guru Narak James Armes wrote another page in his rapidly-growing Menace legend. Not a lot seemed on for Hassan Omar as he brought the ball over the half way line, but he saw Armes run from deep and floated a ball over the Guru Narak defence. Armes ran on and slowed the ball’s progress a little, but it still bounced up high as the keeper ran out. Perhaps the latter jumped a little early, or maybe it was a case of the Pickford dinosaur arms, but Armes headed the ball over him and into the net to finally break the away side’s resistance.

Five minutes later it was two. Guru Narak had committed men upfield and the ball broke for Kieran Dowding. He raced into the Guru Narak half, and despite two defenders attempting to cover they were unable to pressure him meaningfully. His shot from just inside the area was too well-struck for the keeper, and all that remained was to find the cameraman in the crowd and strike a pose – before being mobbed by delighted team mates.

From there, the six or so minutes of injury time (the full whistle sounding seconds after Armes hit the post) were the comfortable playing out of a routine 2-0 win that the previous 60 could have been, had Peckham found their finishing earlier and saved themselves and their fans the worry. But hey, Menace Life Ain’t Easy.

And Then We’ll Take It Higher

Today’s win sees Peckham climb the table to second, as New Romney succumbed at 3-2 home to Stansfeld (O&B) in the top of the table clash in Sellindge. The latter now top the table on 17 points from eight games, with Peckham on 16 points from seven games. New Romney are third on 15 from seven games, and Peckham’s next opponents Cuxton 1991 sit fourth on 13 points from six games.

We’re almost a quarter of the way through the season now, so the table starts to become meaningful. Peckham are something of an outlier at the top, their 11 goals scored being the lowest of any team in the top half. Success so far has been built on a tight defence; their seven goals conceded (four of those coming in the loss to Fleetdown United when injury forced an outfield player into service in goal) is the second best of the division, with only Cuxton 1991 having shipped fewer. It's worth noting too that five of Peckham’s seven league games to date have been played at home. They won’t now play another home league game until the end of October, after trips to Cuxton 1991, Bexley and Ide Hill. Those three games, and in particular the first, may tell us a great deal about how the Menace will fare in winter and beyond.

Peckham Town: Gamester; Omar, Marchi, Duah Danso, Yassein; Lando, Agyemang, Barry; Meta, Dowding, Mendes. Subs: Armes (for Lando), Nieva (for Meta), Llumigusin (for Dowding)

Peckham Town’s next fixture is away to Cuxton 91 on 28th September. They return to the Menace Arena on Saturday 5th October when they will host Sporting Club Thamesmead in the London Senior Trophy, kick off 2pm.

Peckham Town Football Club

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