After dominating the first half of their opening Isle of Man friendly, Boots should have wrapped up a confidence-boosting win against a physical RYCOB team but were denied by some uncertain finishing and a harsh penalty decision. Boots dominated midfield and made the most of some energetic wing-play and aerial dominance from the start, and it wasn’t long before they opened the scoring: Sicky released Patto into the left corner, who held off his marker before dragging the ball across the box to Aidan, who calmly set up Crozier for a low right-footed finish. Boots continued to push and Patto, Pete and Phil all saw speculative efforts go wide, before Man of the Match Crozier added his second goal: a direct run and precise cross from Chibbert on the left presented Hulk with a difficult volleyed chance that beat the keeper low at his far post! At the other end Daz, Brett, Hawrylak and Chibbert calmly saw off the danger and gave Gandy very little to do.
After reshuffling the team due to injuries and exhaustion, Boots weren’t quite the same in the second half as RYCOB also brought on several new players and changed their formation, claiming a quick goal back following a spot of pinball in the Boots defence. Boots still created chances and Phil ‘Sicknote’ Parrot released Patto to beat the offside trap and slide a shot under the advancing keeper from outside the box, but as the ball trickled towards goal, a recovering defender left the chasing Patto for dead and frustratingly cleared the ball inches from the line! Tugby, Pete and Crozier also peppered the RYCOB goal with free-kicks, Chibbert and Griff threatened in the box, and Patto headed a Brett cross millimetres over the bar, but finally the misses proved costly when RYCOB were awarded a penalty as Horlicks was adjudged to have pushed their striker in the back (the referee later admitting that the decision was a little harsh and possibly incorrect!), with the spot kick dispatched beyond Frumpton’s reach. Simon was then required to make an acrobatic fingertip save to deny a close-range header as RYCOB looked for the win! However, despite losing their lead, Boots didn’t give up and still had the chances to win the game in the final minutes, with Pete attempting a ludicrous 48-yard shot that almost went for a throw, Rowan heading a corner narrowly wide, and Phil Gandy (in attack) releasing Pete through on the goal in the last move of the game, but the Geordie Air Hostess dragged his shot into the side-netting.
Post-Friendly Game: Killer Pool won by Sicky Sicky Swound T-Shirt Sam Sam.
