RedOrDed
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Lookin for K2's fridge! Still don't know where its gone. Found it, Its in Thailand
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| Posted: Tue 13.3.07 19:49 Post subject: Lions Vs Black Shadows |
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Match Report _ Black Cat Iain
With apologies if I’ve spelt your name wrong, invented you, missed you out altogether or fictionalised events. Also, look out for the Cliff Richard references. First one to e-mail me with all nine song titles wins Keith’s gimp suit.
10/03/02
Lions 2 - Black Shadows 0
WHAT! NO CLIFF RICHARD?
Nine goals in the last two meetings between the Lions and The Black Shadows suggested that today’s match would provide food for thought. A 6-0 spanking almost two years ago is ancient history now and both teams have grown up a bit since then. Fresher in the memory is last November’s 3-0 victory. Couple that with the impressive recent Lion’s tally of 3 wins out of the last 4 games and you have a confident Lion’s team despite the Shadows decent reputation. This team looked more seasoned than the young ones who usually visit and it was clear that this was to be no walk on the beach.
The Lions started well and enjoyed most of the possession for the first quarter hour. Daz was particularly active as the lone striker who hit the bar early on. The Shadows, meanwhile, were looking nervous on the ball and failed to move it around as well as had been expected.
It took the Shadows a good 20 minutes to really get hold of the game but when they did it was instantly noticeable. For the next five minutes the Lions were under the cosh as the Shadows shook off their nerves and switched to a much more attacking style. And attack they did. They put some decent moves together and had a couple of shots on goal.
Iain D. got the green light early on when Iain C. limped off with a damaged ankle.
The Lions looked to be leading from the back. Steve was, once again, everywhere and Andy dealt with everything that came his way in a match where the defence were busier than usual.
Then things seemed to even out but the shadows had taken extra confidence from recent play.
On the half hour, Keith replaced Prev on the right and was picked out almost immediately by Chandu with a 40 yard precision diagonal ball. Keith then played in Daz but he shot over finishing the best move of the game so far.
In the 40th minute Daz was at it again. With a great first touch, he put himself clear only to shoot narrowly over when nine times out of ten, it would have gone in.
A minute later there was a bit of goal mouth pinball culminating in Steve A. shooting just wide.
In the dying minutes of the first half (always a good time to score) some strong and persistent play by Jacobo (on for Chandu) down the left paid off when he reached the by-line. He squeezed the ball back to Rich who buried it at close range. 1-0.
After the goal the Shadows tweaked their aggression up a notch and began to play the English game. Rich took a kick in the ribs but the resulting free kick made no difference to the score line.
The Shadows keeper was the only one to stick with the more eccentric European style as seconds later he and Keith challenged for a 50/50 ball well outside his area which Keith won. But with Daz free in the box his cross thumped into the retreating stopper and it led to nothing.
Half time: 1-0
There was some puzzlement at half time as to why the score was only 1-0. The shot-on-goal ratios were wildly juxtaposed. Perhaps it was the Shadow’s keeper’s jersey that was causing the headaches having been caught in the cross-fire when the Dulux factory exploded back in ‘93. If you want to know what a migraine actually looks like, then look no further.
The second half started in a cagey way with both sides looking to do some damage. On 50 minutes, Cormack played himself through but wasted the chance in a three-against-two situation.
Just when the Lions looked to have control of the game, the Shadows hit on the break and found themselves forward with four-on-two but the by-line cross went over.
Then the game settled. Keith had a great opportunity to double the lead on 58 minutes after a defensive error put him clean through but his powerful shot was brilliantly saved.
Then things got nasty. Rich legitimately won the ball deep in his own half but his challenge was seen as rash by the opposition. In the absence of a whistle, he played on and spread the ball out wide to Laurent but had his ankle bitten long after the ball had gone. Rich showed a mean streak and was lucky not to receive a yellow for his reaction.
A few minutes later their keeper’s eccentricity raised its head again. Playing the ball out to himself, he carried the ball in an outfield run up the middle of the pitch where he surrendered possession to Steve A. With no defence present and the keeper behind him, he began to bear down on the open goal but his run was inexplicably halted by a whistle for off-side.
The Lion’s then adopted a more defensive strategy. The back four were looking strong and were aided by some decent covering play by Keith. However, there was still some creative attacking going on and the shots didn’t stop.
On 62 minutes the Shadows tried to provoke again but tempers were checked and all it did was raise the Lion’s confidence levels. They continued to press for the next 20 minutes with neither side admitting it’s all over. Then, with two minutes to go Cormack sealed it with a great solo effort taking the ball down the left and shooting low past the mad keeper’s equally insane jersey.
It’s a cliché but if ever there was a textbook team effort, this was it. It wasn’t easy to pick the M.O.M. but, Laurent picked it up due to his tireless work in midfield. Congratulations that man.
Starting XI: Frederik, Iain C, Andy, Steve H, Laurent, Prev, Rich (1), Cormack (1), Chandu, Steve A, Daz.
Subs: Iain D, Jacobo, Asanga, Keith, Simon, Ed. |
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