Barker Old Boys v Lane Cove West
This
game will be remembered for us starting with 10 men, finishing with 2
goalkeepers and celebrating a well earned comeback draw.
Due
to the holiday weekend our squad was down to the bare bones. The team lined up in
an unorthodox
Peter
Al (C) – Nige
– Theo – Adam
Hank – Graeme – Ed – Nick
Chris
First Half:
After Al’s motherly e-mail, everyone to a man swore
that they had only had 1 drink and were in bed by 11 on Friday, however, we started
like we had all been out on the lash until 4 as BOBs
took the game to us and we were second to every ball. Mulv
came on, into midfield, to take us to a full compliment of players with Ed pushing
up to join Chris in attack. This should have improved things, but we fell
behind. Not entirely sure of the build up but a cross came in (maybe a corner) and
it was fired home.
The ref was a bit of a stickler and our only real
impact on the game in the first 10 mins was to be told off for swearing and
backchat (Mulv and Nige
being our most vocal participants).
Things went from bad to worse when Nige
was mysteriously penalised for what I can only assume was obstruction in the
box. An indirect freekick from 16 yards at the goal
line was awarded and when it was played in it was notched home at the back post
by their unmarked big striker. 2–0 down after 20mins, not the start to Al’s
captaincy he was looking for!
Changes were required and Mulv
went back into defence letting Theo move into midfield and as a result we came
more into the game. We ended the half the dominant side without really testing
their keeper.
Second Half:
The second half started as the first had ended with
LCW in the ascendancy although unable to carve out any decent opportunities.
Charlie came on for Ed and we made the breakthrough our possession deserved. A
decent ball down the left to Charlie was laid across to the right for Chris to
chase and he angled a drive under their keeper from 18 yards.
It was then time for the second goalkeeper to enter
the fray. Adam was struggling with an injury and as Mulv
was yelling to try to get Stef’s attention, we
switched off and a quick throw in from BOBs was
cutback in the box for a first time effort from their striker. Peter came to
our rescue with a great save pushing the top corner shot over the crossbar. Stef came on for Adam at left back and then Mulv
departed with Scott coming on to left midfield, Nick going to left back and Stef going to central defence. All this changing did not
upset out rhythm and we continued to be the better side.
Nige squared up
to their No 4, who had been mouthing off all day, however, happily for Nige, but disappointingly for the rest of us, neither the
handbags nor the headbut arrived.
As the half wore on Al was getting more and more space
on the right and was found regularly. It was from one of these forays forward
that he slipped the ball to Charlie who dispatched it with aplomb under the
advancing keeper from 16 yards. 2-2 the final score with LCW celebrating like
it was a win, says a lot about our season so far! The foundation has been laid,
but with
Come on LCW – onwards and upwards!