South London’s first team Mitcham played their first game of 2026 away against Croydon 2 and came away with two points. Just.
Mitcham set up with Maisy Wainwright, May Shakespeare, Tom Greeves and Martin James in defence with Matt Norman, Edwin Huijberts, Frankie Neil and Sarah Broadberry in attack. Croydon took a 2-0 lead with a distance shot and a penalty for which the foul from Mitcham was not immediately apparent. Martin James got his first of the game with a shot off the back of the post from a May Shakespeare assist, but Croydon scored two distance shots to make it 4-1. Sarah Broadberry scored from the back corner (which is quite impressive given the width of Royal Russell) to make it 4-2. Croydon scored a distance shot and a running in shot either side of a time out before Edwin scored from distance to make it 6-3. Croydon scored again and Tom Greeves scored a running in shot to reduce the gap to 3 goals. A time out from South London was used to highlight the positives and keep the players plugging away at the basics.
Croydon immediately scored to create a 4 goal cushion which offended Matt Norman so much that he scored two goals, a drop off and a penalty to make the scores 8-6. Edwin went off briefly for Charlie Corfield before being subbed on for Martin James at the other end. Croydon scored, but Edwin got a drop off to make it 9-7 just before half time.
Frankie Neil scored two mid-distance shots to bring the scores level at the beginning of the second half at 9-9. Martin came on for Charlie and (unrelated) Croydon scored two goals, one a running in shot and the other a checking quick shot underneath the post. Martin scored a drop off to make it 11-10, but in a moment of madness Tom Greeves, while in defence, blindly passed an outbound ball back onto the pitch straight into the hands of a free Croydon player who scored to make it 12-10. Tom made amends by scoring the next two, a running in shot and a penalty. Mitcham then took their first lead of the game from a Martin James distance shot but Croydon drew level with a running in shot. In the last minute of the game Tom Greeves scored the distance shot that would win Mitcham the game. 13-14 the final score.
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