(4-4-2)

G Dawson, Bruni, Smith, Rogers, P Dawson, Evans (Cowdery, 60), Johnson, Catalogna (Griffin, 45), Fulton, Ameri, Davis

Another solid, battling performance by CPR earned them three points against quality opposition.

The CPR squad was boosted by the inclusion from the start of Luca and Ettore, both of whom settled in well. In fact, the entire team started well, looking comfortable on the ball and pressing Primrose Hill into mistakes, exactly as planned.

Within the first 15 mins CPR had forced a series of corners and free-kicks, and had created a few half-chances without really getting an opening. Chris Davis had a great chance to open the scoring when he ran through onto a long ball, but the ref judged that Chris had used an arm to control the ball. (And besides, he’d put his shot wide of the post anyway.)

Primrose Hill looked most dangerous on the break, using their speed and quick passing moves. And it was they, in fact, who went into the lead slightly against the run of play. Their Italian-ish No. 68 got the ball on the halfway line, dribbled round three CPR players, and then hit a shot from the edge of the box which bobbled over Gervaise’s dive.

Going behind was harsh on CPR, and they wasted no time in coming back. They quickly worked a corner down the right. When Andy swung it into the box there was a bit of pinball and the ball looped high towards the goal-line, where Simon barged the keeper and Danny knocked it in with his elbow. A CPR classic.

CPR went on to dominate the rest of the half: Amir and Chris were really unsettling the PH back line, and the CPR midfield were picking up on the second ball and using it well. Some great passing down the left wing between Chris, Paul and Andy had the big Scot flying down the wing, where he put in an inch-perfect cross to the back post for Amir, who took it on the volley across his body, a la Van Basten. The keeper was in the right place to save, or it would have been Goal of the Season.

CPR had one more great chance to go in front before half-time, when Chris got on to another through ball just before the onrushing keeper, but his touch forced him a bit wide, and when he cut it back into the middle Andy blazed it over the bar.

In the second half it was Primrose Hill who started the stronger: in fact, it seemed to take CPR some 10 mins to get into the game again.

However, for all PH’s domination they struggled to create any clear-cut chances, and any time they did get through they found Gervaise in great form.

CPR then went on to show them how to take their opportunities. Garry brought the ball out of defence and played a ball down the middle towards Chris. The Primrose centre-back lost flight of the ball and Chris was onto it in a flash. He raced into the penalty box and calmly slotted it past the keeper with his left foot.

From then on Primrose Hill flung everything into attack, and CPR were pushed further and further back. However, their defending was resolute and unyielding: Paul Dawson in particular had one of his finest games in a CPR shirt. Last-ditch tackles were flying in, and Gervaise was commanding his area and pulling off some great stops.

With PH throwing so much into attack they were vulnerable at the back, and whenever CPR broke it seemed like they would score. Chris Davis had another great chance to score when Amir controlled a long ball from the left wing and knocked it inside, but unfortunately Chris’s shot pulled just wide of the post.

This pattern continued right up to the final whistle, with CPR standing firm at the back and looking dangerous on the break. In the dying minutes CPR had another glorious chance to wrap things up when Chris raced clear down the right wing. Amir was all alone on the penalty spot waiting for a tap-in, but Chris thought the ref had blown for offside so he simply passed it back to the Primrose Hill keeper – another truly bizarre Chris D moment.

Luckily for Chris, however, this incident was not to affect the final outcome, as the ref blew for full-time just a few minutes later and CPR let with the full three points.

Final score: CPR 2, Primrose Hill 1

Match Reporter: Garry Griffin