8th January 2012 Result 1-2 HT 0-0
Scorers for CM: Jim Whitelock Jamie Smith
The game started off with our usual onslaught on the opponent's goal with unfortunately the same inability to put the ball in the net. Not through lack of skill or effort but some solid goalkeeping and a couple of shots that went just wide. The goalmouth was in a poor state mainly due to a game being played just before ours which didn't help.
Jamie, Max, Conrad and Jake all went close and on another day we would have been two or three up at half time. Duclkington were resolute in defence but I can't remember them getting a chance in the first half.
The first half finished 0-0 and Pete had a simple half-time talk. It went something like "I can't believe we haven't scored, so just keep on doing what you are and the goals will come".
Ducklington improved after the break but on 55 minutes we got our long awaited goal. A 20 yard shot by Obaida Mohamedi was palmed out by the keeper to give away a corner. The resulting cross from Jamie Smith was superbly headed inside the near post by Jim Whitelock when he rose above the rest in a crowded penalty area.
Would the floodgates open for more? While we were thinking just that Ducklington equalised two minutes later. It was a breakaway and a mix up in defence, but the atrocious conditions in the goalmouth that stopped us scoring in the first half helped present Ducklington with their goal.
This raised Ducklington's game and it looked as if they might just snatch victory after being under the cosh for so long. Only some good defending and a couple of great saves by Connor Penfold meant we were able to continue searching for the winner.
We still created chances but you couldn't help feeling the game was going to peter out to a draw. Thankfully Jamie Smith had other ideas and his 20 yard rasping shot from the centre of the pitch beat their keeper just inside his left post to give us the victory that seemed out of our grasp.
The second half had a couple of highlights - Jim Whitelock's run from virtually his own penalty area when he drifted past three of their players. He got into their penalty area and instead of taking a shot for certain goal of the season he unselfishly passed to Conrad "because he was in a better position to score". Ben Everley had a strong second half up front and should have been rewarded with a goal.
So it ended 2-1 to Cumnor and although Ducklington battled well, especially in the second half, I think it's fair to say we deserved our win.
All should be pleased with their performance, you can see why they were third in the division as they never allowed us to completely dominate the game. It was good to see Ben Whitehead return as captain although Jim played well in defence in his absence.
Man of the Match goes to Jamie Smith for his usual tireless display and of course saving the day with his great goal.
Many thanks yet again to Nick Penfold for his also usual excellent performance running the line with some key decisions in the second half. Mind you he spent most of the first half watching the action in the other half of the pitch, although as he claimed he did have to run up and down a lot.