Jim Baxter Memorial 2004’s vs Milngavie FC 2004’s
5/11/2004 at Thorne Park, Bearsden KO 10:00am
Final score JBM 3 – Milngavie FC 2
JBM Goal scorers:
Reece Lafferty-Deans x 1 (14 minutes)
Calum Roberts x 2 (19 minutes & 48 minutes)
MOM –Every single JBM player!
First things first! I’m sure if you are reading this then you will be well aware of the significant changes to the team recently, so I am sure you will all join me in thanking Stu and Ben Brown for their outstanding contribution to the JBM squad over the years.Stu made the announcement to the boys and parents at our regular Thursday night training session, it was by all accounts a rather emotional event and a small token of our appreciation was presented to Stu by our captain Brady Differ.
Personally, I want to say a special thanks to Stu for giving my boy Calum the opportunity to join a well-established outfit even though he had no real football experience to speak of.
Moving forward, I would like to welcome two new additions to strengthen and consolidate our coaching team, Chris Gray and Jim Stevenson. Both are parents of current squad members, Chris bringing a number of year’s previous coaching experience with Condorrat. Jim will be completing his coaching badges in due course, and myself, David and Colin look forward to working with them both
Well, how to sum up this sparkling performance from a rejuvenated JBM 2004 team?
The boys were absolutely buzzing for this game and the volume in the dressing room was unbearable!Perhaps because they were looking for a better result than last weekend or maybe it was something to do with the anticipation of how they would perform individually in a number of new positions? Perhaps a touch of nerves as well, since they knew we were playing with one substitute and missing a number of key players? Who knows, but in any case they were well up for it and it’s a wee while since I can remember them being so motivated! Prior to kick off their captain got them into a huddle and gave them what can only be described as an inspirational speech! Bearsden’s esteemed residents must still be wondering who was shouting “3-2-1 JBM??” at the top of their voices at this time on a Saturday morning…
Milngavie kicked off on an immaculately-kept grass pitch, and straight away it was obvious that this was going to be a tough match. Milngavie pressed hard from the off, and it was evident that our boys were going to take a while to settle, as they always seem to do. In any case, a long ball played out from our keeper found us well into opposition territory and the 3nd minute saw a goalmouth scramble with maybe 3 or 4 shots coming off the woodwork, cleared off the line by Milngavie defenders, saved and dropped by their keeper and ultimately going wide of the post! What a start! This set the tone for the rest of the first half, JBM with the majority of the possession and quite clearly determined to take the fight to Milngavie.
The 14th minute saw Reuben Gray playing in right midfield (his first time in this position for JBM, and I have to say he fits this role exceptionally well)lose his marker, make a run down the wing and cross the ball high into the six-yard box to the head of Lafferty-Deans. No hesitation, a confident header from the big guy (another one who has got his mojo back!)to make it JBM 1 Milngavie 0!
Celebrations over, and back into this game. Milngavie were clearly incensed and came back at us hard, and this pressure combined with a couple of defensive errors on our part saw two very good attempts at goal by their solitary tall, strong striker only for Lee Kelly to pull off his by now trademark diving saves!
The 19th minute saw our next goal, Logan Jardine an excellent effort with a strong header straight at goal only for a Milngavie defender to head it back off the line. The ball dropped to the left foot of Calum Roberts who scored his first goal as no9. JBM 2 Milngavie 0!
By now it was clear that the first half was going JBM’s way with the majority of the action taking place in the opposition half and 24 minutes saw the next real crack at a third goal with a quite clearly back-on-form Andrew Duncan sending the ball into the 6-yard box from a corner kick. The Milngavie keeper made a valiant attempt at a catch, but we all know what Andy’s corners are like! The fluffed catch dropped again to a waiting David Wood who, having been playing some quite superb football struck the ball well only for it to rebound off the woodwork. Unlucky David!
29 minutes in, and Milngavie monopolised on what would otherwise be an insignificant error on our part, their no10 collecting a fluffed clearance, running into our 18 yard box and slotting the ball neatly into the net. A valiant attempt to save was made by Kelly as always, but it’s a big net! Not to take anything away from the Milngavie striker, it was a cracking goal.JBM 2 Milngavie 1.
Our boys weren’t for taking this at all, pulled their socks up and went right back at Milngavie with a vengeance! Captain Brady Differ was outstanding in this role, confidently managing the boys under his watch and making it quite clear when they weren’t performing to his satisfaction! Taylor Milne saw an opportunity from the half-way line when the Milngavie keeper was off his line, the long high ball just going wide of the mark, good effort Taylor!
They made a further two or three attempts to break down our midfield and backline, but that just was not going to happen anytime soon, with solid decisive clearances from Stevenson, Lafferty-Deans and Milne in particular.
HT JBM 2 Milngavie 1
JBM kicked off for the 2nd half, and it was clear that the Milngavie boys were not going to lie down and let us run all over them! They had made a number of changes to their starting 11, including their keeper and the fresh legs were evident from the off. JBM had no such luxury, and we coaches made a joint decision to keep our one sub in reserve in case of injury.
The second half saw much more composure from Milngavie, and a number of times they seized the opportunity only to be denied as Kelly made some more brilliant saves.
The JBM boys again took a wee while to get settled down, but once they found their second wind it was back to business as usual! 48 minutes in, and a cracking Jardine volley found their replacement keeper punching the ball away, however the clearance landed again at the left foot of Roberts who put JBM 3 goals to Milngavie 1
Whether it was a combination of switching off for a wee bit, fatigue or whatever the JBM boys started to flag a bit and it was evident that we were going to have to make a strategic change and utilise our one substitute. Jardine came off and Hanaan Ali took his place to give Jardine a well-deserved rest. Once Hanaan settled in, he put in a great shift and I have to say he is one of the boys who isn’t afraid to make his voice heard on the pitch! It was a tough decision to leave this boy on the bench, but it was the correct one as it was to turn out.
55 minutes in, and a cracking clearance header from Stevenson found its way to the feet of Gray who looked up, calmly sent the ball straight to the feet of KennyGemmellwho proceeded to launch a cracker of a shot just over the bar. Gemmell is another JBM player seemingly transformed, what a performance from that lad yesterday, at times I wasn’t sure which position he was playing as he was all over the park!
Milngavie took advantage of a free kick to send a long high ball into the JBM box, and a brief scramble saw the ball in the back of the net. No fault of any particular player, just one of those goals which happens so fast that it is almost impossible to defend against.JBM 3 Milngavie 2
At this point it was blatantly obvious that the boys were tiring, and Milngavie quite clearly thought ‘Game on!” No way were JBM let that happen though, and when Gray easily took the ball past a Milngavie winger he was blatantly fouled and a free kick awarded. Unfortunately, the wee man let his temper get the better of him and the referee showed him a red card.
JBM were unable to convert the set piece though, and the remaining 6 minutes saw Milngavie press home their numerical, but not technical advantage. The fact that JBM were able not only to hold out but in fact to try and take advantage was admirable, and speaks volumes about these boys and their rejuvenated team spirit and ability. The last few minutes saw Wood come off and Jardine go back on to bolster our defensive abilities, and give Wood a well-earned rest.
FT JBM 3 Milngavie FC 2
A special mention goes to Aron Stevenson, his first starting 11 place in JBM and he can hold his head high as he didn’t half put in a shift!
Also to Logan Jardine, again his first place in the starting 11 and a performance he can be proud of!
Lee Kelly, just outstanding young man!
JBM are looking forward to the return from injury of James Wallace, get well soon!
FORZA JBM
