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A WIN, BUT NOT CONVINCING WHITSTABLE FC 1
SLAYER FC 2 F McCormack (1) I Cockerill (1)
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The pre-match talk was
of greengrocer's matting and small balls of rubber, but enough of Julian's
plans for Eurotrip fancy dress, an enticing fixture lay before us on a
pitch suited to passing, flowing football. Slayer started the
brighter of the two teams, and with 3 subs, well placed to make best use
of the wide open spaces the pitch provided, The game was a little staccato
at times as people settled down to the pace and bounce of the surface,
Most of the good work from Slayer was coming down the left with Mark C
seeing a lot of the ball. Playing with one up front left him with few
options for a through ball but he unerringly managed to link up with
Fred's chest, head or feet on a number of occasions, Snap chances fell to
Mark W and Nick S which were sent high or scuffed, Nick T also had a shot
which was turned round the corner by a sea of bodies. Andre had the
greatest number and the best of the chances, some not particularly
handsome but one which came across the box for him to force a good save
from the keeper at the near post Relatively untroubled at the back we had to
withstand a couple of counter attacks, throw-ins and one good chance where
I kept my flag down and faced the wrath of Dave. Our corner routines
missed their usual verve (Fred's head) and a flurry of subs meant that the
full squad saw some of the ball in the first halt Nick S left the pitch
worried for his damaged septum and what the tabloids might say, Debate
raged at the half on whether passing football or a more direct approach
would serve us best in the second half, we had dominated possession but
suffered from either attackers being isolated or too many players crowded
too close to the man in possession, We started the second
half much the stronger side although we passed the ball with greater speed
we also lost possession more than we had in the first half which led to a
more broken game, Nick S, restored to the fray, and myself both played
Fred through and from one of these faster passing moves Fred advanced into
the box only to be bundled into by their lumbering defender, Undeterred,
Fred checked his run and cut the ball back in Nick's direction, Hearing
lan's galloping hooves (and a good call) Nick left the ball for the
defender to calmly slot the ball over his keeper and in off the underside
of the bar 0 - 1, The dodgy goals panel will again be called into action
to determine lan's precise involvement in the goal. Good work down the
left with Mark C, Wand Steve J created a true striker's chance for Fred
who beat the offside trap, and keeper to the ball, to delicately lob the
ball up and into the far corner of the net 0 - 2, More chances came our
way, Fred hit the bar with a header but a foul was mysteriously given for
contact in the box, We scored again when Fred touched in a lob from Ian
only to be given offside, The linesman was happy but the defenders managed
to persuade the ref the Fred was behind the keeper with only one man
betwixt him and the goal. Fred's force met immovable object in the shape
of their keeper in another attack but my calls for a penalty were waived
away. This was just a taste of
the bizarre from the ref who seemingly decided to have a 20 minute paddy
where every challenge resulted in a free-kick to Whitstable. On two
occasions even their own players were admitting that there had been no
foul but with no effect. During this time either a collective defensive
howler or one of the worst !+'k: ,g square balls in human history (take
your pick) presented their striker, who'd eaten quite a bit of plum duff
over Christmas, with a one-on-one. Having nearly fallen over he managed to
scuff the ball past Julian and into the bottom corner despite some valiant
chasing back from Matt and Graham 1 -2. A
bit of pressure at both ends forced a few corners but few clear cut
chances at either end, Julian being most exercised by a handball from Matt
which could have presented Whitstable with either a deserved or undeserved
equaliser. This correspondent is of the view that a Slayer win was wholly
justified and should perhaps have been more emphatic. Man-of-the-match went to Mark C for his sterling efforts down the left, he even ran past me, Fred and Nick S in their box sniffing any glimmer of a chance to get his name on the score-sheet and move his career tally of -1. Man of the match: Mark Cooper Team : Julian, Nick S, Matt, Fred, Dave, Nick T, Andre, Adam, Mark W, Steve W, Mark C, Steve J, Graham |
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