Boots overturned a two-goal deficit to narrowly win a closely-fought game and overtake their opponents, Caythorpe, in the league table with the Christmas break looming. With a number of players dropping out at the last minute, Boots called on Jimmy ‘The Cat’ Mercer to make his annual appearance in goal, while changes in personnel from the previous match saw Ross ‘The Wanted’ Chapman start at left-back, Rich and Horlicks returning to the right-hand side, and Chibbert making his third league appearance as Luke’s support in attacking midfield.
The opening 20 minutes of the game were extremely scrappy as Boots failed to get hold of the ball while Caythorpe tried to use their pace in attack to seize the initiative, and this tactic paid off as they went 2-0 ahead when they won back possession on the half-way line and broke away with pace, leaving Jimmy and his defence little chance (the first a simple header at the back post and the second a quick throughball with the attacker rounding Jimmy and beating SuBo on the line with a high finish). Despite the inevitable bickering creeping into their game, Boots raised their energy levels as Chibbert, Ian, Griffin and Simon began snapping at the opposition with a renewed hunger while Rich found more space on the right, and Boots began to carve chances, with Luke’s squared cross to Chibbert 5 yards out unfortunately deflected away by a defender, denying a certain goal. Caythorpe still had a few chances and Jimmy made several smart one-on-one saves as the Caythorpe wingers broke free. Finally Boots began their comeback when Rich won a corner down the right wing, and Griffin the Prancing Horse curled in a delightful corner towards the gallant SuBo at the back post, who saw his header athletically saved on the line. Persevering nonetheless, SuBo won back the rebounding ball and volleyed a pass back across goal, where Chibbert was on-hand to glance into the bottom right corner off his sweat-dribbled forehead. Invigorated by the goal, Boots dominated the final 10 minutes of the half, and levelled the scores from another classic set-piece. Ross took a free kick (won by Luke) from the left towards the back post, which Chibbert headed back across goal for Patto to nod into the top bin from a yard (with Ian breathing down his neck!)
With Caythorpe looking bewildered by the turn around in fortunes, the second half was a much more open affair, but the Boots midfield stuck to their tasks and worked well with the defence to track their men and clear any danger. Luke, Rich and Chibbert continued to cause a threat in attack but couldn’t find the killer pass, while Caythorpe resorted to long balls that rarely paid off as Jimmy was sharply off his line (while Ross and Horlicks shepherded their wingers away from danger). Eventually, a period of sustained Boots pressure resulted in a winner from the unlikeliest of sources; Simon, whose long throw-ins had caused problems for the opposition all day, saw his throw from the left wing cleared back to him on the corner of the area. With one quick glance up, he curled a right-footed cross-shot towards goal that beat everyone in the air and nestled into the top right netting, sparking scenes of jubilation/shock from all present! Bally and Ash offered fresh legs from the bench as Boots saw out a deserved win and continued to frustrate the opposition, with the only real threat coming from their quick left winger who on one occasion looked certain to run clear but was cynically upended by Horlicks (who was booked for some reason!), while a game of pinball in the area also caused panic for the Boots defence but Jimmy, Horlicks and Patto all blocked goal-bound shots to eventually clear.
SuBo was awarded Man of the Match by the opposition for another titanic performance in defence, clearing the ball on numerous occasions and once again posing a threat from set pieces, although Chibbert, Jimmy and Horlicks also produced strong performances in a good team effort.
