colombolions.com

[andyallenone]

Match report by IAIN COCHRANE

With apologies if I’ve spelt your name wrong, invented you, missed you out altogether or fictionalised events.

Thanks to Andy and Furrukh (Motty) for Dictaphone duty.

08/12/2007

Colombo Lions 3 – Colombo International School 3

How on Earth..?

Football is definitely on the curriculum at C.I.S. New kids on the block they may be but it would seem that they’d been around it a few times before moving in. It came as a bit of a disappointment that 3 or 4 of them opted to play a “professional” game rather than just getting on with it but it did provide a new kind of test for the Lions who may be suffering from a lack of regular football.

The game started evenly but then C.I.S. began to show some intent after five minutes by winning a corner which was dealt with comfortably by Iain D. Almost immediately, Pablo put pressure on their keeper and the Lions had a corner of their own. Rich got a head to Pablo’s cross but the ball bounced off another defender for a second corner. This time Julian was first to it but the header went wide.

It was difficult to tell the difference between the two sides but not in a good way as possession was surrendered all too willingly by both teams.

On ten minutes Rich got himself an assist by threading a neatly dinked ball through to Vegard who had read the pass perfectly. He then coolly slotted the ball home between the keeper’s legs. The goal may not have stood but for Pablo who cleverly indicated that he was not involved in the move.

1 – 0

At the other end Iain D was dealing well with the heavy traffic down their right and the game settled with the Lions looking marginally the better team. Not wishing to speak too soon, the next C.I.S. move ended in a cracking goal ward shot which was surely on its way in before the flying Frenchman launched himself to knock the ball high and wide. The first of many impossible saves of the day.

Kaz and Furrukh then replaced Pablo and Francis and both were immediately involved with Kaz doing some neat clearing up at the back and Furrukh linking up well with Julian to win another corner.

On 40 minutes a goalmouth melee caused the ball to roll slowly toward the goal line but any attempt to clear was thwarted by Liam who strongly helped it on its way.

2 – 0

The Lions kept up the pressure for the remainder of the half winning more corners and looking for a multitude of different ways to break C.I.S. down. But all the industry made no change to the score line.

Half time: 2 – 0

The most remarkable thing about the half was the fact that the score remained 2 – 0. Frederik was called upon twice more to keep a clean sheet and a couple of great Lion’s moves were halted by some panic defending.

The second half followed on from the first with the Lions starting brightly. Liam was, once again, in the thick of it looking for an opening. He worked his way into the box with Rob unmarked in the middle but it was an awkward ball to play and the shot was comfortably saved.

Rich then earned the Lions a free-kick on the corner of the C.I.S. box having been scythed down. Rich floated one into the area but Liam ignored Rob’s shout and the move came to nothing.

Their next attack resulted in a corner kick where every Lion took it upon themselves to leave it for someone else to deal with. In the inertia, their striker leathered the free ball into the net while Frederik looked on in disbelief and fury.

2 – 1

Back came the Lions. A great ball over the top by Hashim saw Rob chase it down the right. He got past his man a crossed a ball which went through the keeper’s legs. Furrukh got the slightest of touches but the ball was cleared off the line.

This began a decent and prolonged spell of pressure where they barely got out of their half. The Lions were in control and C.I.S. didn’t have a plan outside of just getting rid of it but elements of “professionalism” were entering the game.

Steve H. did well to hold off their striker on the next attack who was relying a little too much on his shoulder to gain the upper hand. But Steve was terrier-like and cleared the ball into touch.

Then, World War III.

Rob, once again, did well to get around his man down the right but the fellow took a dim view of having the piss taken out of him and he had a nibble. Rob nibbled back and the whole thing was in danger of petering out until Liam steamed in to make his feelings known. Eight of the C.I.S. side then gathered to protest and the situation thankfully calmed down when the C.I.S. Captain benched his entire side for a proper talking to.

Rob proved himself to be the bigger man by apologising to a reluctant player or two and both he and Liam were strategically substituted to avoid any further engagement.

After five minutes we were ready to resume play and Mr. Osman had no objections.

Quickly after the re-start, the Lions were at it again. Pablo caused them all kinds of problems by tearing down the left from within his own half. He beat three before squeezing a ball back to an unmarked Hashim who let fly with his feared right foot only to see the ball scrape the outside of the post and deflect wide for a goal kick.

C.I.S. then won another corner which carried to the far post where it was leathered into the net while the Lions stood ball-watching.

2 – 2

Then C.I.S. began to turn the screw and started to come forward a bit more having adopted a route-one strategy which worked to a degree as Frederik got to see more of the ball.

Then a fantastic cross from the Lion’s right by Sylvain placed the ball right onto Furrukh’s head but he just couldn’t direct it goal wards. Both teams now had a whiff of victory and the game opened up into end to end stuff but with the Lions easily looking the better side. Hashim, Pablo and Sylvain were linking up brilliantly and doing each other all kinds of favours but the ball just wouldn’t go in.

At the other end, another ball over the top was chased down by a sole attacker but even with two defenders tracking him he unleashed an unstoppable shot from the corner of the area which sailed beyond Frederik and into the top far corner. A beauty!

2 – 3

While we got straight back at them, there was a slight drop of the head and C.I.S seemed to grow stronger as the game went on but both teams started to make mistakes.

Then another cross floated in by Rich found Francis’ head and the keeper fumbled. Rob was on it but the shot was deflected away for yet another corner. Rob was a whisker away from scoring in his last Lions appearance.

One corner followed another and a lengthy goalmouth scramble raised Lion’s hopes but still the ball refused to cross the line.

Another long ball came to nothing for C.I.S. but Frederik was quick to punt a long ball right back at them which their defender missed. Pablo needed no prompt as he raced onto the free ball, took a deft touch and powered a low ball from 25 yards into the net past a despairing keeper to level.

3 – 3

To the Lion’s credit, we re-started with a desire to go on and win it but time was against us and the day ended with our cups half empty.

Final score: 3 - 3

Two stupid goals were our undoing today which was a shame because we made them work, we had more ideas and we played like a team should. But at least we weren’t beaten and we can take heart from a good all-round performance.

Captain Rich took the M.o.M award for a solid and shouty captain’s performance narrowly edging out Frederik and Steve H.

Finally, someone has gone one better than a request for a dedication for their Mum. So a big shout goes out to Maggie Howard and hubby Mich. You may collect your hair net, tin of Whiskers and a jar of chocolaty Horlicks from the Sri Lankan embassy in Bayswater, London once you fill out all the forms and allow 8 months for export licence to come through. You may also have to bribe a couple of the staff but I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end.

Starting XI: Frederik, Iain D, Francis, Steve H, Iain C, Rich (Capt) (M.o.M.), Rob,
Julian, Vegard (1), Pablo (1), Liam (1)

Subs: Andy A, Furrukh (after my job?), Sylvain, Kaz, Hashim