Isthmian South Central 28 Dec 2024
Raynes Park Vale 3
- Daniel Berry (26’)
- Daniel Hector (52’)
- Seanan McKillop (76’)
Hanworth Villa 0
Match Report
Just seconds after kick off, Sam Merson started limping after chasing down a long ball.
It was a moment that summed up Hanworth Villa’s recent struggles, as a depleted squad lost 3-0 away to promotion rivals Raynes Park Vale.
Coming into the game on the back of a three-match losing run, Villa were already without suspended duo Ben Mulley and KJ Osu and injured pair Guy Ansah-Palmer and Sam Mead.
By half-time, Merson and Finlay Macnab added to the growing list. Villa finished the game with a front line of Quincy Patterson, Bruno Robertson-Tingle and Abdullah Javaid.
Villa manager Simon Haughney said: “I thought the endeavour was there and we worked really hard, but we lost to a better side today.
“We were worried before the game actually about finishing the game with 11 (players). Ben Geraghty’s knee was strapped up, Finlay Macnab and Merson all starting with injuries.
“We’re swimming against the tide and we’re walking wounded at the moment. Key players are injured and we’ve just got to get through a tough time.”
After four defeats on the trot, Villa fell to ninth place on 36 points, trailing fifth-placed Hartley Wintney by four points and sixth-placed Hayes & Yeading United by two points.
However, all three teams from seventh to ninth — Raynes Park Vale, Harrow Borough and Villa — are tied on 36 points and only separated on goal difference.
With no top flight football on the first Saturday after Christmas Day, a healthy 337 supporters turned up at Prince George’s Playing Fields.
Villa were already dealt a big blow early on after Sam Merson appeared to have overstretched chasing down a long ball from kick off.
Merson tried to continue, but had to come off after just 12 minutes. It took another two minutes for substitute Quincy Patterson to be introduced.
Raynes Park could have gone in front while Villa were temporarily down to 10 men, but Berry screwed his effort wide with the outside of his boot.
Berry, starting to create problems for Villa down the left flank, forced a good save from Mark Smith in the 25th minute after receiving a cutback inside the penalty box.
But one minute later, Berry finally had his goal after cutting in onto his right foot and unleashing an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net.
Reeling from the setback, Villa nearly conceded two in quick succession but right-back Ben Geraghty, returning from injury, put in a brave block to deny George Vincent.
Villa made a tactical change at half time, switching to a back five by bringing Ali Mansaray on for the injured Macnab, which allowed Raynes Park more time to construct their attacks.
Haughney said about the change: “I decided to play a formation to try and protect them from getting worse injuries. As a result, I felt that there were (Raynes Park) players at the back we weren’t marking because we went more defensive.
“That’s completely on me. I explained to the boys in the dressing room and I’ve apologised to the boys. They have been brilliant and I can’t ask for more than what they gave us.”
Villa’s bad streak of luck continued in the 52nd minute when we conceded a freak goal.
Goalkeeper Smith attempted to send a long ball forward, but instead of finding a teammate running down the flanks, Smith’s pass struck Daniel Hector’s body and the ball ricocheted into the goal.
With the home side in the ascendancy, Vincent had gilt-edged opportunity inside the six yard box in the 72nd minute but Smith produced a point-blank save.
Four minutes later though, there was nothing Smith could do as former Villa player Seanan McKillop curled a spectacular looping free kick from 30 yards out into the top corner.
It summed up Villa’s night as we were kept on the backfoot for the remainder of the match.
Next up on New Year’s Day, we travel to Ashford Town who may be in the relegation zone but are in superb form having just picked up a 3-0 win against Harrow Borough.
Haughney added: “Like I said to the boys, it’s the destination, not the journey. It will have ups and downs.
“We just got to work, work and just get through this tough time. No excuses, we suck it up and we go again.”
