At last.....the report is here!!
A game where Commercial showed their grit and resolve if not their fluent passing style ended up in a thrilling 5 all draw. One for the neutral, and there were plenty of those for the match up of Geoff vs Pash United.
An entertaining opening meant chances for both sides at the start, with Boorer, Noble and Fowler having a couple of opportunities with no end result.
At the other end, Victoria Reserves, spurred on by their first team who were watching, took the lead. A long ball over the top let in the striler who finished expertly in the corner.
A second was soon to follow as Commercial didn't seem to recover from the shock opening goal.
2-0 up after 15 minutes, Pash was certainly a happy bunny!!
The Commercial then decided they wanted to play....a good attcking move ended with Fowler being fouled near the touchline. As Matty Moorhouse stepped up to deliver a delicious ball in, it clipped a defenders head just in front of three onrushing Commercial players. The defenders header took the ball into the top corner giving the keeper no chance, 2-1, game on.
As The Commercial continued to attack, the counter attack was always on, and Vic Reserves used it well. Another counter ended in another goal for Vic Reserves. Half time - 3-1 Vic Reserves. Geoff was not happy. Despite playing reasonably well, we had let them counter to easily. A bit of tightening up all round was required, but the football in general was good.
The second half begun in a similar vein to the first. Commercial attacking well but looking vulnerable. However a soft penalty early on in the second helped. A long throw from Moorhouse arrowed towards Noble who, as he went to jump, got pushed in the back. 'Penalty' said the referee!! 'Thank you!' said Jamie who subsequently went on to bury it! 3-2.
All Commercial had to do now was hold on for five minutes and perhaps the opportunity would be theirs!! And even better, after shouting abusive language at the referee, their striker was sent off for foul and abusive language.....but no, Commercial conceded again!! 4-2 with 25 minutes to play. Was there hope....you bet there was!!
A clearance from a corner found Tadman on the edge of the box, a dink in to the middle found Boorer unmarked and he powered his header home. 4-3 against ten men, surely only one result now. Then again, this is us and we don't like to make things easy. A counter attacking goal by Victoria Reserves with ten minutes left to play had put the game even beyond Commercials' comeback powers, surely.
But they do not give up. Substitute Darren Howes angled a pin point ball towards Boorer who ran on, shrugged off the defender and buried it with just under five minutes to play....there was still hope.
As the opposition tird it was all Commercial with a couple of chances coming and going and time running out, a ball from the right crossed in by Boorer, who had spotted our leading scorer, and right back, Adam Thickett, at the far post. As he leapt like a Salmon, Thickett powered home the header into to the top corner. 5-5. With almost the last kick of the ball, they had equalised.
Maybe not the best footballing performance from the Commercial, but a great show of pride and tenacity ensured a draw and, unlike the previous week, it felt like one point gained rather than two points dropped.
Boorer received man of the match with other strong performances from Matty Moorhouse, Adam Thickett and Sven Barker.
