Arundel 1

AFC Walcountians 5

Premier Sports Southern Combination Football League, Division One

Saturday 9th August, 3pm

Attendance: 103

Counts got off to a flying start to life at Step 6 with a commanding victory away to last year’s play-off semi-finalists Arundel, with five unanswered first-half goals putting the game to bed by the interval. 

The Counts starting eleven featured three debutants. Josh Rose deputised for absent skipper Jack Farthing in goal, whilst midfielder Charlie Moore and 17-year-old defender Ollie Stephens also made their first starts for the club. Substitutes Jack Watret and 16-year-old Jacob Owusu completed the new faces in an otherwise experienced squad.

It was to be a dream start for both the Counts and Moore, as the debutant put the visitors in the lead just 78 seconds into the game. A pinpoint cross from Ryan Thomas was met at the far post by Moore, who guided a fine header back across the keeper and into the far corner. An early Arundel shot aside, which was sharply saved by Rose down to his left, Counts continued to be in the ascendency and apply the early pressure. In the tenth minute, Chike Ejezie was chopped down on the edge of the box and the resulting free kick from Albert Davis hit the side netting. A minute later, Joe Wornham capitalised on hesitant defending from a Ky Rose-Green through ball but the resulting shot was cleared by a covering defender. There was another warning for Arundel in the 20th minute when Wornham’s shot from the edge of the box went over the bar. 

Arundel’s chances had been limited to shots from distance and, in the 25th minute, Counts deservedly doubled their lead. On the right hand side, McMorrow played the ball to Chike Ejezie, who raced past the full back and squared to Luke Rodgers on the edge of the six yard box, whose touch took it past the keeper before tapping home. Three minutes later, more hesitant defending from the Arundel defence gifted an opportunity for Joe Wornham to grab his first of the match. Presented with an open goal after defender and keeper converged and failed to clear, there was a nervy moment as the ball initially got stuck under Wornham’s feet, but he recovered and maintained his composure to slot past two defenders into the far corner. There were no such nerves four minutes later, as Albert Davis’ headed flick on the edge of the box sat nicely for Wornham to strike a sweet half-volley from just over 20 yards out into the bottom corner, giving Kason in the Arundel goal no chance. 

Any residual doubts about the result were put to bed in the 40th minute when a falling Arundel defender took down Luke Rodgers in the box. The resulting penalty from Ky Rose-Green was saved by Kason, but Rose-Green followed up to blast the rebound into the roof of the net and extend the lead. 

The second half was a quieter affair. Arundel continued with a direct approach to test the Walcountians backline, but struggled to create many clear cut chances, which were mainly limited to blocked shots following knockdowns in the box, or half chances from set pieces. Josh Rose, however, was rarely troubled in the Walcountians goal. There were less chances for Walcountians in the second half as the game began to fizzle out in the August sunshine. A trademark curling shot from Matt Auletta on the edge of the box struck the post in the 72nd minute, after he was put through on goal by Sam Grosser, was the closest the Counts came to extending their five-goal lead.

A 91st minute consolation goal from Arundel - a well placed shot from the edge of the box by Liam Connolly into the bottom corner - was the only minor blemish on an otherwise great start to life in the National League System for Walcountians. There was a final late chance to restore the five goal advantage as Ejezie rounded the Arundel keeper when through on goal, but a small touch from Kason was just enough to prevent Ejezie from slotting the ball in as a covering defender arrived to clear.

There was a debut man of the match award for young defender Ollie Stephens, whose commanding performance at the back against a physical Arundel side stood out.

AFC Walcountians’ next match is away to AFC Uckfield Town on Saturday 16th August, 3pm kick off.

AFC Walcountians: J.Rose, R.Thomas, T.Jones, O.Stephens, C.Ejezie, R.McMorrow, K.Rose-Green (c), L.Rodgers, A.Davis, C.Moore, J.Wornham

Subs: M.Auletta (for C.Moore), L.Mingle (for R.McMorrow), S.Grosser (for A.Davis), J.Owusu (for J.Wornham), J.Watret (for R.Thomas)

Goals: C.Moore (‘2), L.Rodgers (‘25), J.Wornham (‘28, ‘32), K.Rose-Green (‘40)

Man of the Match: O.Stephens

Attendance: 103