Sweet Smell of Victory
The Ayton Alligators finally recorded their first victory in two months and 11 competitive games with a tremendous 3-1 win vs The Falsgrave Pirates.
Jose Pluminho made some big managerial calls with season stalwart Holden dropping to the bench. Craggs made his first appearance, as did Rich Ellis with his first game in 5. The most note able call came when youngster and pace merchant Sam Wallace was paired up with Daniel Bywater as neither stood out as an obvious target man. Pluminho said in the match programme “I’m looking to use our blistering pace to unlock the doors that have sadly been locked for us. It seems this season a man can not walk out to see, without taking his paddle and pack of polo’s”. The torture of so many defeats had obviously taken its toll mentally on Pluminho, as he left a cryptic message for his adversary’s to decipher.
The Gator’s started fine and dandy as they knocked the ball around like a quick David Haye combo. Everyone looked comfortable on the ball as the wide men and forwards looked like a hoodlum at the Eastfield top Shops - a threat to everyone around them!
Greg Dixon was having some joy down the right with leading pundit Chris Kamara who was commentating on the game for Sky Sports said “He reminds me of a young Karel Poborsky, he’s up and down that right wing quicker than I can shake a stick at. He is just Unbelievable!”
Dixon cut in from the right on to his weaker left foot and drew a decent save from the Pirate goal lord. Bywater also flashed over when very well placed in the penno danger zone.
It was corner time for the Gator’s as they brought the big men up from the back and looked to use Pluminho’s set piece routine –Alpha 4.0. Everyone looked set as Tyler strode back and performed his pre corner routine of 4 spins around the flag, 8 star jumps and a quick armpit fart. In it came as Tyler struck the ball worse than West Ham’s current league form as it slowly trickled in to the side netting. This was easily the worst corner of the season, if not ever!
The Gator’s weren’t having it all there own way though as the returning Ginger pin-up Alex Glass was providing a master class in his pokey. The young Aytoner pulled off some tremendous athletic saves to keep his team in it, and his big boot was always the first port of attack for the pacey front line.
The game was on a knife edge - surely if Pirates scored the Gator’s would roll over and die like previous weeks? Luckily that was not the case as Jamie Tyler had other ideas on 27 minutes.
Tyler received a side foot pass from the experienced Ellis; Plumpton overlapped and took the defender away leaving Tyler with a yard or two of space. Then out it came; Tylers Finishing move - The Hot shot finisher from fully 40 yards. The ball weaved and dipped like Tyler’s favourite Eastfield Fairground ride – The Big Dipper. The keeper’s next job was to fish the ball out of his net; it was a tremendous strike and a dead cert goal of the season contender. Graysocks would have been proud of that one!
The goal gave the Gator’s more confidence than Gary Glitter with a bag of date rape at a Vivaz college party. They sensed good times were a coming!
The front two were causing havoc with their movement and team work with the midfield as Dixon played a neat ball to Wallace to set him clear down the left. Wallace had it all to do as he strode clear down the left hand side, making fools of the Pirate’s defenders with his Linford Christie like pace. Wallace entered the danger zone left of centre and fired a whisping left foot drive past the despairing keeper to give him his 5th of the season and give his team mates the 2 goal cushion they had yet to taste this season, and boy it tasted good!
Half Time
Ayton Alligators (2) v (0) The Falsgrave Pirates
No changes at the break as Ayton came out looking to put the game to bed early. This could quite easily of been the case as Wallace spurned a glorious opportunity after some great work from his pint sized strike partner; Bywater. The pair’s relationship was being likened to comedy and Futurist favs; The Chuckle Brothers as the chemistry between the pair looked promising for the future.
Martin Atkinson then went on a trademark run from full back as he beat a number of opponents with his silky skills. Atkinson has slowly developed in to a man of late with his solid displays and pubic hair growth; he has proved a real asset to Pluminho’s defence this season. Atkinson’s run took him to the edge of the D, Tyler screamed for the ball like a girl on the left, as he flapped and waved Atkinson delivered the kill pass. Tyler took it past the defender like a young and chavvy Dennis Bergkamp and had the simplest of finishes to net his second of the day… What a Miss!! The ball was later found in the Dennyson Arms car park and returned to the club by a customer.
The Pirates defence were tiring like a fat kid up walking up a slope as Bywater decided to go for the throat with a run of his own. The crowd clapped and cheered as Bywater beat the last man 4 times. It was obvious Bywater had played many a game of soccer with Chris Costigan as his skill and repeat technique was looking ever so familiar. If only Bywater had the naddleberrys to strike it with his weaker right foot, it could have been a netter!
Goal number 3 and the 4th in 3 games for Wallace was next up. Bywater again proved deadly down the left side and whipped over a tantalising ball for Wallace to notch his first double in men’s football on 66 mins. Wallace said after the game to our touch line reporter Gail Hailstorm “Ye man, I is feelin propa buzzin wid da way itz goin biatch, u know u is wantin to see me dong and I deffo is gunna show u innit”.
On came Shaun Topham for the tireless Dixon on the right. The sparking Gold stripped Gator’s were battling hard across the park when suddenly Mikey Anderson wriggled free of the Ayton back 4. Anderson smashed over a curly wurly strike that hit the post, a sigh of relief was heard when suddenly the ball bounced and struck the incredibly large frame of ginger Glass who knocked it over the line for his first OG of the season!
It was squeaky bum time at Gatorade@wilsons lane stadium and it was about to do more than squeak on 82 minutes when match whistle lover Darius Bradley shocked everyone in the ground with a startling decision – A Penno!! Plumpton had shielded the ball from the Pirates forward and had looked to carry the ball out of the defence only to be pulled up for an illegal foul!
It was Alex Glass’s time. Out came the trusted Penno saving technique as Glass jumped upon to the cross bar like a zoo kept Orangatang. Glass hung one handed as he chimped his way along the bar making Gorilla noises. It proved good enough as The Pirate forward placed wide and bolted out the penno area with a look of terror on his face.
The Gator’s had done enough, they were through to the next round of the League Trophy and a trip to Ryedale was up next….oh brill!!
The John Hick Man of the Match award goes to Daniel Bywater for rolling back the years and showing everyone why Pluminho shelled out £3.26 and a half a pack of XXX strong mints for his services.
