Moneys hosted Binfield on Saturday afternoon, in a fixture that had been brought forward to fill a gap created by both teams early exits from the FA Trophy.

Coming straight back into the starting XI after re-signing on loan from Pompey, was last seasons Young Player of the Season, Ciaran Martin. Alongside him, Simba Mlambo and Max Smith made their first starts for Moneys.

Ciaran had an impact early on into the game, crossing into the box from the left flank to give an early sight of goal for Max Smith. He tried to head his effort downwards but didn’t quite connect as he’d have wanted to, and it fell straight to the keeper around 10 minutes in.

Moneys had all of the big moments of the first half, with the best chance coming when Louis Gates played a ball through to Tayo Singerr just after 20 minutes. The Pompey Academy star had no right to get to the ball, but he shrugged the defender off and managed to unleash a powerful shot. It produced an equally good save from the Binfield keeper at his near post, high to his left.

The wind played havoc throughout the reminder of the first half, with all sorts of passes and long balls going astray. Right towards the end of the half, an attempted clearance barely made it to the centre circle as the wind whipped the ball straight back towards Osei-Owusu. A ball was played forward but the Binfield striker had not come back from an offside position so his lob over Malachi that finished in the goal, was not allowed.

Half Time – Moneyfields 0-0 Binfield

It didn’t take Moneys long to get going in the second half and were good value for the lead they took on 50 minutes. Ciaran Martin had the ball deep in Binfield’s half down the left wing and he found Tayo on the edge of the box. Singerr passed across the edge of the 18 to James Franklyn who tried to slot the ball into bottom corner, but his effort was blocked by a defender. Sadly for the defender, that block fed the ball right to Simba on the corner of the 6 yard box, who was able to slot the ball over the onrushing Binfield keeper.

Franko was everywhere in the game, getting involved in just about every transition and attacking move. He came closest to getting on the scoresheet on the hour, with a fantastic shot on the swivel. Despite it being hit well, it was straight at the keeper.

Binfield will question how on earth they didn’t equalise just after 70 minutes, when their striker broke into the box along the goal line and hit a shot from a tight angle. The effort deflected off of Moneys defender Tom Jeffes and onto the far post, with the ball then trickling along the actual goal line. All in yellow then breathed a sigh of relief as Malachi threw himself onto the loose ball.

On 75 minutes, Jack Lumsden came on to make his debut alongside Kieran Alcock, with the pair replacing Faris Khallouqi and Louis Gates.

Barely a minute later and Moneys won a penalty. Ciaran again broke down the left and cut the ball backwards into the box to Tayo. Singerr then took a touch around the defender but was clattered to the floor and the referee pointed at the spot. Sadly for Tayo, his penalty was saved well by the Fubler. He telegraphed Tayo’s body language as he shaped to hit it to the keepers left, so it stayed 1-0.

Just a couple of minutes before the 90 minute mark, Moneys got their second. Ciaran Martin took an inswinging corner from the right side, which was well retrieved by Kieran Alcock as he jostled with a defender. That fell right to Tayo, who took one touch and slammed the ball home on the edge of the 6 yard box. He wheeled away in delight, no doubt in relief after his penalty miss earlier.

Full Time – Moneyfields 2-0 Binfield

That win took Moneys up to 13th having started the day 16th, and up to 11 points from 3 wins, 2 draws and 3 loses. We face Horndean next on Saturday October 11th at the John Jenkins, with our PO neighbours currently 22nd and bottom in the table, on 5 points from 9 games.

Man of the Match, sponsored by Jamiesons Services Ltd: James Franklyn

Photo: Daisy Spiers