In terrible conditions and with the pitch cutting up by the second, Casuals and Pelham managed to scrape together a win, with the pitch by the end of the game a leveller for both sides. The snow started to come down heavy at the start of the game, but Pelham were hoping to use the conditions to their advantage. However it was Birchwood who took the first goal of the game, with a long ball over the top doing Pelham similar to last week, and the Rangers striker slotting the ball into the net, 1-0 to the away side. Pelham were playing well though and struck back fairly quickly. Liam Perry picking up the ball on the right hand side and placing a ball over the top of the Rangers defence for Tim Shaw to run onto, he latched onto the end of it and hit it first time past the keeper, 1-1. Pelham then started to create some more opportunities and went close through Boyce and Shaw before eventually taking the lead. A Gavin Brace corner was whipped in around the half hour mark and picked out Ant Hamilton-Pilots head who nodded home to make it 2-1. However that lead barley lasted a minute, as Birchwood were straight up the other end with another ball over the top with the striker once again finishing off and making it 2-2. The rest of the half was fairly balanced but again it was Pelham creating the openings for the next goal. However just before the half Birchwood once again took the lead, making it 3-2. That's how the teams went in at the half, and Pelham were disappointed to be behind and to concede the three goals they did. Pelham spoke a few home truths at the half but overall were playing fairly well, they knew they needed to hit back quickly. They started the half quick and struck back through Charlie Daniels making it 3-3 nice and early. 3-3 then turned into a 4-3 lead for Pelham as Daniels struck yet again for two in quick succession. However similar to the first half, Pelham barely had their noses in front before the game was evened up, with Rangers striking the next goal making it 4-4. At this stage the snow was hammering down and the pitch was cutting up big time, with players slipping over all over the place. Another set piece for Pelham via a corner is where they would once again take the lead, with yet another perfect delivery from Gavin Brace found the head of Lee Simper who headed into the back of the net to make it 5-4. Pelham needed some fresh legs and injected a couple of subs to try and extend that lead. However it was a horrible game to come into, especially after standing on the sidelines freezing. Once again Pelhams lead was taken away from them with some more slipping playing part in Rangers getting through and scoring, 5-5. Birchwood the took the lead for the third time in the game, and with the pitch and weather getting worse went into a 6-5 lead. This time Birchwoods lead didn't last too long as the Rangers defender handled in the box. Tim Shaw stepped up and calmly tucked away, 6-6. The scoring looked like it would never stop, but you didn't know which way it was going to go. Luckily for Pelham it went their way. Some good link up play from Shaw and Daniels saw the former assist the latter to make it 7-6 to Pelham, with Chaz completing his hattrick. That same combo combined once again with Daniels getting his fourth of the game and finally giving Pelham that breathing space, 8-6. Finally the scoring stopped and that's how it stayed, a fourteen goal thriller ending in Pelham winning 8-6. A much needed win in the league today and another game ticked off. Conditions were horrendous today and didn't help us in the end, but thankfully didn't help the opposition either. Everyone played a massive part today but I've decided to give a select few the 'man of the match award'. Six goals and a fair few assists between Tim and Chaz today with some good link up play between the pair as well, so big mention of them, and Gav and Simper in the middle of the park were fantastic. Gave three assists and corner delivery were vital and Simper was everywhere breaking up the play and notching a goal himself. Cracking win today boys and we move on to the cup next Sunday.
