Orpington End With A Draw

Orpington Athletic rounded their 2018/19 season off with a draw this weekend against the already promoted Riefield Vipers. The team produced an emphatic first half performance, but were unable to capitalise on their 2-0 position at half time and Riefield managed to find a way back into the match and share the points.

With the pressure off, and no league positions to play for, both teams started the game in good spirits, however after 6 minutes, skipper Rob Utton was on the wrong end of a challenge and had to be carried off the pitch having suffered a suspected dislocated ankle. In his place, Terry Fowler made an earlier than expected entry onto the field.

Orpington dominated in early spells, and with Riefield intent on launching long balls over the top, the experienced defensive line dropped 5 yards and mopped up everything thrown at them. Orpington then took the lead following a brilliant free kick from Lee Cordner, which was turned in at the back post by Fowler.

Orpington doubled the lead on the half hour with another free kick. Nick Adamou took a thumping drive from 35 yards out which outwitted every player in the box and cannoned into the top corner of the goal.

In the second half, Orpington seemed to set up to contain the lead, but an early interchange in Riefield's half could have killed the game off. Instead, Orpington absorbed pressure for most of the second half and were guilty of a few wasteful balls. Riefield bundled home the first of their goals in a goalmouth scramble, which perhaps should have been cleared much sooner.

Tempers erupted after 70 minutes, when the big Riefield attacker consciously upended 'keeper, Matt Utton, who retaliated by wrestling the powerless striker to the ground. After a 5 minute melee, the referee took both players to one side and booked them for the incident.

Riefiled continued to press and were rewarded with the equaliser on 80 minutes. They could have won the match, but a speculative long range strike was just too high and rebounded back off the crossbar.

The match ended level and Orpington consolidated their 5th place finish. The team will now look to a summer of training and preparations for friendlies, whilst continuing trials for new players for the 2019/20 campaign.