The sun was shining as Greshams gathered for their home match against Capel. However the pre match preparations were interrupted when Cashen announced that he had forgotten to bring any pants. Cashen is no Romelu Lukaku but he didn't want his tackle hanging loose and so screeched off in a hurry to collect some underwear.
On his return Cashen hurriedly changed and named the team which was: Rob in goals; a back four of Froudy, Groggy, Rich Minns and Cash; in midfield Tom, Sam, Matt and Nathan with the Hunn and Rob Minns up front. On the bench were Harry, Heady and making a very welcome return to the squad, the Romanian Exocet himself together with his customary cloud of vapour.
After a lengthy lecture from an over fussy referee, the game kicked off and it could hardly have started worse for Greshams. They could barely get a touch of the ball as Capel played it around, finally getting it forward to their dangerous striker who was able to hold off Rich and hit the ball across Rob, who got a hand to it but was unable to stop it going in to the net.
1-0 down and with barely a minute played against a decent Capel side and Greshams were going to have to work hard to find a way back in to the game. Fortunately that is just what they did. Rich Minns, excellent at centre half, marshalled the defence and Greshams began to find their rhythm and their passing. They came close to a goal when Froudy hit a brilliant free kick from the edge of the 'D' which smashed against the bar and bounced down just outside the goal. However Capel also came close bringing a fantastic save from Rob who managed to get a hand to a full blooded shot and turn it on to the bar from where it bounced to a relieved Groggy who was able to clear.
With the game going from end to end it was Greshams who got the next goal and what a goal. Tom and Froudy were working well together down the right. They combined again to put Froudy in position to hit a fantastic cross to the far post where Nathan, not renowned for his aerial prowess, met the ball with a fine header which looped over the keeper and in to the net.
1-1 and all to play for. Greshams were carving out chances, but the final pass was just a little off occasionally. When a good chance came for the Hunn the ball would just not sit down for him and he was denied the chance by a desperate saving tackle. At the other end, Rich was marshalling the dangerous Capel striker well but on one occasion he was able to get past Rich and into the box only to be denied by a well timed tackle from the veteran Cashen who appeared from nowhere to nick the ball of the striker's toe just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Although their were chances at both ends it was Greshams who, having played their way into the game, were having the better of things. Some of the football was a pleasure to watch as they passed the ball around with confidence, looking really dangerous down the flanks through Froudy Tom and Nathan, and with Matt controlling things in the middle while Sam did his usual excellent job of disrupting the opposition's rhythm.
Half time Greshams 1 Capel 1
The half time team talk was all positive, but too often Greshams have had positive talks at half time only to go out and start the second half poorly. However on this occasion they slipped straight back in to their first half style of football and very quickly took the lead with another brilliant team goal. The move started with Groggy nicking the ball at the back. It was worked forward to the edge of the Capel area where Tom showed great footwork before slipping the ball through the defenders legs into the path of the Hunn. Hunn dunked a perfect cross to the far post where Nathan was once again on hand to score his second header of the match, this time powering it unstoppably into the net sending Greshams recently arrived season ticket holder Nana Potter into raptures!!!!
Heady came on for Sam as Greshams continued to play some good stuff. Rob and the Hunn were really putting in a shift giving the Capel defence no chance to settle and Greshams hit the bar again when Matt hit a great shot from 12 yards out. Another brilliant Froudy cross appeared to have been met perfectly by Rob Minns but the glanced header flashed agonisingly inches wide of the far post.
However mid way through the half Greshams did get the third goal their play deserved. Yet again Froudy was involved, putting in a cross which was helped on by the Hunn to land at the feet of Rob who made no mistake from six yards out, lashing it right in to the corner.
At this point the Cashen family were given the shepherd's crook and Harry and the Exocet entered the fray. Emy was soon involved, a couple of typical surging runs forward ending with the characteristically unpredictable end product. It was really now a case of Greshams doing the right things and seeing the game out. They did have one or two scares however and had to be grateful to Rob for another great save. They also had to ride their luck when a Capel effort hit the post and bobbled along the line. With everyone holding their breath the ball just about stayed out of the goal and trickled past the other post and out for a goal kick. In the closing minutes with legs tiring, Froudy, under no pressure whatever, turned and played the perfect pass straight to a Capel attacker, but Froudy's blushes were spared when the attack came to nothing. Shortly after the referee blew his whistle to end a great game played in a decent spirit and won in some style by Greshams.
Final Score Greshams 3 Capel 1
Man of the Match.
Very difficult to call a Man of the Match today as everyone contributed. Rob made some great saves as the back four kept a decent Capel attack out for 89 minutes while Froudy in particular was a threat going forwards. In midfield Tom had easily his best game, Matt ran the show while Sam was his usual excellent self and Nathan on the left was a constant threat as well as contributing two headed goals. The front two worked really hard and Rob was rewarded with a deserved goal while the Hunn was unlucky not to score and contributed a couple of assists. Heady protected the back four well and showed some class on the ball, the Exocet was a constant threat and Harry slipped seamlessly into a defence that Capel were unable to breach.
The award of the bubbly therefore went to a vote and while there were no fewer than 5 nominees the winner if the award this week is Richard Minns. Rich gave a great exhibition of centre half play, commanding in the air and in the tackle and playing some great passes as well. Well played mate.
