Match Reports April 2010

Sunday 4th April 2010

League, Double Header

Match 1:

Crown FC 1 - 3 Banter Central FC
  Baird, Wilkes, O.Goal  

Team: Wuker; Boma, Tino, Doc, Cling (Vidic, 45); Ridders (Fintan, 47), Adkins, Wilkes, Baird; Brownie, Wommy (L.Dancer, 55)

It was all a bit of a blur… Two games on one day. It was Banter’s first experience of such an event but six points was the absolute most important thing and fortunately for the all whites there was to be no disappointment.

It started well enough as well. With barely a minute played, a poor clearance found it’s way to Baird, who was a full 40 yards out, seeing the goalkeeper off his line he weighted a lovely first time lob over Crown’s #1, which an outstretched arm could only just touch as it sailed into the net. It was 1-0 and the goal scorer upon being asked what he’d just done, replied: “I dunno.”

Crown applied pressure on Banter’s goal immediately; Wuker was called upon and made a good save at his far post, pushing it wide for Tino to clear to safety. Crown continued to get forward in numbers, they equalised when their number 8 came through unmarked, combining well with the ever dangerous number 9 to ghost in and finish from the left at the far post to make it 1-1.

Only one team seemed like scoring next before the half was out, Crown played the ball around at ease before a long lob over the top deceived Tino and Doc to send the centre-forward racing through, his shot cannoned back off the far post much to Banter’s fortune. Another cross in from the wide left was met by a header in the centre which was floated inches wide of Wuker’s goal. It was another let off as the sides went in level at the break.

Banter began the second half in lackluster fashion, the football was dismal, the communication was worse. Wommy was sent down the right and was hovering over the penalty area with two defenders marking him, though he held the ball up well, he was having to hold it for up to 20 seconds with not so much as a white shirt within 30 yards. An attempted cross was eventually blocked and fortunately enough the clearance fell to Wilkes, 25 yards from goal, he hit a wonderful left foot shot into the far corner and Banter had the lead again. It was barely deserved but it was another moment of quick thinking and real quality that got the required outcome.

Banter seemed to continually weather a heavy storm for the rest of the half, Crown sent cross after cross into the penalty area and it was – just about – cleared to safety. Banter’s best efforts were through ‘Hollywood’ long balls forward for the forwards to, at times, aimlessly chase down.

Vidic replaced Cling with around 15 minutes of the half remaining, Doc moving to left back. It gave Banter a little more stability across the backline with a more defensive outlook. Fintan then came on for Ridders to support Boma down the right flank.

As the first match closed out, Wommy raced in on the goalkeeper and the pair clashed rather innocuously. Brownie had spread the play wide well and Fintan’s cross in was right on the money but the two of them went in and collided. It was difficult to tell who came off worse, with Crown’s #1 staying down the longer as Wommy showed off a nasty gash on his shin and was replaced by Legend Dancer with 10 minutes or so remaining.

The game finished with Banter’s 3rd goal. Having headed clear enough balls out of the area, Crown had pushed up and it gave Banter a chance to break forward, Baird attempted a cross but Wilkes raced in down the left and picked out Legend Dancer, who scuffed his shot onto the post, which bounced out and back in off the goalkeeper. Owen Goal hit the score sheet as the final whistle went there and then, ending the game 3-1.

Man of the match: Dan Wilkes. It was said that shouting at someone for a mistake won’t do anybody any good. A mystery then that the next 15 minutes of that half, if not the rest of the match, that Wilkes seemed to step his entire game up and work harder than anyone, chasing down the ball with bundles of energy and capping his performance off with a well struck goal, as well as the assist to the assist for the third.

Match 2:

Banter Central FC 4 - 2 Crown FC
Wommy (3), Brownie 

Team: Wuker; L.Dancer, Vidic, Tino, Doc; Fintan (Ridders, 10), Adkins, Wilkes, Baird (Boma, 50); Brownie (Cling, 45), Wommy

The second leg, if we can call it that, started appallingly for Banter. Making one change to the XI that finished the first match, Wommy came back in to replace Boma, with LD moving to right-back. Now going downhill, the composure, concentration and effort levels were dreadful against what was now a 10 man Crown team. The ball should have been moved around to make life difficult for Crown, but a combination of the boggy pitch, coupled with very little showing for one another off the ball saw Crown take an early lead. Banter came unstuck as the team with ten went easily down the left, a cross into the middle was deflected by a Vidic header at Wuker’s near post as he and an acrobatic Tino could do nothing to stop it sailing in to make it 1-0.

Fintan’s knee problem came back to haunt him, he came off with 10 minutes gone to be replaced by Ridders. A Banter attack then lead to a Crown second. Wommy received the ball on the edge of the area and held it up well, he laid off to Adkins, whose pass into the area was cleared away long upfield, then sent on its way once more for Crown’s #9 to chase and get to as Wuker came out feet first, got nowhere near the ball as Crown’s forward rounded him and passed into an empty net. It was a disastrous start. It’s the type of goal Banter has conceded more than once recently as well. Be it not concentrating or anticipating what could happen next, perhaps even the shape of team being disjointed when going forward when an unsuccessful attack breaks down, it was a long ball on the counter that had deceived Banter once again.

But it could have been a lot worse. Shortly after making it 2-0, the same forward was sent through via the ‘Purley Way long ball’, this time Wuker came and shut down the angle and made himself big, the #9 hit a half volley which could only sail wide by a few yards. It could have been three, it probably deserved to be. Wuker was called upon to keep Banter in it as well; he tipped over a shot from the edge of the area very well which looked like it could just creep in.

But Banter’s forwards weren’t fucking about. They took matters into their own hands with some lovely finishing. Tino came out with the ball on the edge of his area and sent forward one his inviting passes forward – which he isn’t credited for enough it must be said – Wommy raced onto it, beat his marker for pace and smashed the ball beyond the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

It was soon level when Adkins clipped over an excellent pass down the left, Brownie nipped in with a header to get clear of his opponent, he lashed a shot in at the far post with the outside of his boot to equalise. It probably wasn’t particularly deserved, but it would certainly do.

Before you knew it, the two forwards combined to give Banter the lead. A long ball forward was flicked on by Brownie, Wommy raced onto it and found himself one v one, he dropped a shoulder and rounded the keeper to finish and make it 3-2.

Before the half was out though, Milburn’s #4 – sorry, I mean Crown’s #15 – kicked out at Adkins from behind with the ball rolling out of play. We’re happy to say Adkins didn’t damage his boots in receiving such a challenge, but it was rather brutal. The same player then started on Wilkes. Somehow, Wilkes got booked, along with #15 as well, obviously. It was the same ref’s trick three weeks running.

90 minutes had been played, three quarters had gone, and a final 30 minute period was left. The game was sealed shortly after the restart though, a lovely weighted pass out to the right from Wilkes found Ridders, who crossed in for Wommy, whose shot was saved initially, but he was on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. Poor Crown then went down to 9 men as their goalkeeper was unable to continue and went off.

Cling replaced Brownie and Boma came on for Baird, which meant the brown bear’s dream move of playing up front became a reality. He made three notable contributions: the first being a delightful flick on header to combine with Wommy well, the second was being caught offside by about 15 yards having been through on goal and the final act was losing the ball, but chasing back and throwing in a tackle from behind in determined fashion. We really cannot complain about others when we have him doing stuff like that.

Banter should and could have made it more, but the final score was 4-2.

Man of the match: Tommy ‘Wommy’ Warburton. Three goals, two of which were expertly finished and even the final one was because he was on the end of it, as well as showing great perseverance. A fine performance showing good pace and excellent hold up play as well.

It was a tough couple of hours. We suspected it might be and it could’ve been a lot different in that second game had Crown been at full capacity. Full credit to the opposition, their energy was at times a lot more apparent than ours and they kept putting pressure on us until the very last in both matches. For me, they appear a bit unfortunate to be bottom based on some of the players they have – but then we have no idea if turning up with a bare 11 is something they’re forced to deal with every week. It does make a difference.

We came for six points and we got it, but in truth it was a bit ugly and at times frustrating. It was a job done and for that we can be completely satisfied though. We kept the unbeaten run going, we have moved up into third. However, we can definitely play better, be it more attractive football because we were perhaps drawn into the ‘Purley Way game’ at times, but we can also fight harder too I believe. Against a squad of 14 we may have been in a spot of bother on the day, who knows? That’s not to say we were lazy throughout and that everyone didn’t put in a shift, but there were odd spells of it and we didn’t particularly gel as a team for long enough periods. Fortunately, when we did, we scored some cracking goals.

We’ve undoubtedly played our finest football at home this season, which is positive as it has brought out our best and it’s also a nice plus point because though we’re to play promotion hopefuls Maple Tree next week, we are at least playing this game at home. But it won’t be any use in the semi-final the following week, where we are away. So if we’re not going to adapt to the Ashburton pitch quickly, we are at the very least going to need fight and work for it from the off instead. I’m sure we will, we did what we had to against Crown and we should now be focused on keeping the unbeaten run of seven matches going, continuing to push for what hope we might have of promotion, as well as hitting the ground running for that semi-final. Plenty to play for, lets keep the win streak going.