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DYNAMOES GIVEN A DAMN GOOD THRASHING
CCFC VETS 7 F McCormack (3) N Saunders (1) D Lynch (1) S Jones (1) A Manouche (1)
CANTERBURY DYNAMOES FC 0
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School boy errors. Playground defending. Joe smoking by the bike sheds. And an opposition left-back who may still be in the lower sixth: Canterbury High School, one of the town’s best academic institutions, was an appropriate setting for CCFC's 6th match of the 09/10 campaign. In the end, it was to be a stroll in the designated play area for CCFC, despite missing influential midfield anchor, Ian Cockerell. CCFC started well, doubtless still buoyed by Nick's powerfully inspirational Churchillian pre-match team talk ("Ok, let's go"). The visitors enjoyed some good early possession and link-up play. Further encouraged by seeing the opposition field a replacement 'keeper and a defence who looked like they left school in the 60's, CCFC were instructed to keep the ball moving, look for early passes to the strikers and test the ‘keeper. Which brings us neatly to the corners (did it really take me three paragraphs to get to the corners?). The maths teachers at Canterbury High would tell you a corner is a noun that denotes the position at which two lines, surfaces, or edges meet and form an angle. As far as CCFC are concerned, a corner is an excellent opportunity to get the ball in the back of the net. First, a good near post corner from Mark W was well met by Dave Yates who sent his header narrowly over. Next, Mark K sent in an in-swinger from the right to the far post and it seemed that his increasingly complex pre-match choice of boots appeared to have paid dividends; Fred contested the corner and in characteristically aggressive fashion and he headed the ball back over the ‘keeper and into the net to open the scoring.
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This was followed shortly after by that 'back to school' feeling from the opposition ‘keeper. A mis-kick from his hands at the edge of his area found only Darren who fired instantly and accurately back over the unfortunate caretaker keeper and into the back of his net. 0-2 and CCFC were looking good value for it. Apparently spurred on by conceding two quick goals, Dynamos began to test our midfield and defence and managed to create some openings due in part to a CCFC defence which allowed their opponents time to play and pick their passes, but ultimately Julian was equal to the questions the Dynamo attackers were asking. Despite this examination of our back four, the score remained unchanged at the break largely thanks to a capitulation from head-masterly Steve (who was reffing with a whistle collected from lost property) by erasing a goal for off-side (a goal that was made by a decent ball over the defence by Graham and finished by Joe who side-footed home Fred’s low, drilled cross). In any case, the bell went for half-time and Nick made two changes. On came Steve for the indefatigable Joe and Andre came on for Dave Reed, who had had an extremely accomplished first period at right-back. Andre's introduction to left-midfield meant the tireless Darren Lynch switched to right-midfield where, for the next 45 minutes, he terrorised a fresh-faced youth with an apparent penchant for the tuck shop. He created a succession of chances down the right side, earning himself the award of man of the match in the process. In fact, his probing was to earn CCFC a corner from the right early in the 2nd half.
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"Dipping", "vicious" and "in-swinging". These were some of the words Dynamos were heard using to describe Steve Jones's second half performance but coincidentally also neatly summed up two second half corners from Mark K which resulted in goals each time: one for Andre who fired through the legs of an assembly of people in the goal area, and one a textbook back heel from player-manager Nick Saunders. This was followed by a slide rule pass from Matt Banks, a surging run by Fred which culminated in a sweetly curled strike from 20 yards to the keepers left and into the back of the net. Matt’s assist proved to be his final (and the last match reporter might say first) meaningful contribution as shortly after, Matt Banks was forced to withdraw to see matron with ankle knack and was replaced by Dave Reed who deputised effectively at centre half for the remainder of the period. With the two Dave’s in the middle of defence and the Dynamos midfield trying to chalk up a goal, CCFC were at times under some pressure. But Julian, who had clearly put his gloves on the right way round in the second half, held firm. Some even suspected he was deliberately putting the ball out for corners for catching practice towards the end. Dynamos clearly hadn’t done their homework on Fred as he scored again to complete a perfect hat-trick of left-foot, right foot and a headed goal. Another late strike from Steve Jones saw CCFC run out 7-0 winners. But by this time the result was largely academic. At home time it had turned into a rout and one of the more emphatic wins of the season (alongside the 7-0 home win against Hughin in October) on a difficult and testing school pitch. Man of the match: Darren Lynch Team : Julian, Nick S, Matt, Fred, Dave Y, Dave R, Andre, Mark W, Mark K, Darren, Steve J, Graham, Joe |
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