Todays match was just another one of those crazy Royals vs Grendon encounters. After sharing a twelve goal feast in our away day visit to Grendon you would not have thought things could have got any more thrilling, but you would have thought wrong. In the opening half we did well to almost match the visitors but having to contend with a strong breeze into our faces , we came in just one goal behind at 3-2. Grendon used the wind to good affect sweeping a long ball diagonally across field to catch us cold and get the usual goals fest up and running after just five minutes. Chris got down well to deny the left winger a second and we were soon up the other end getting back in the game. Owens' quick thinking from Georges' short corner caused panic in the Grendon back line and Callum was on hand to score his second goal in as many matches. The visitors forged ahead when a mix up left us exposed at the back and the winger stole in to nick his second goal of the game. Back we came with a delightful goal that our quality football merited. Keiron sent over a well flighted cross and Jake powered his header into the net from a good ten yards out. Before the ref could blow for half time we were behind again, number eight lofted a high ball into the box and Chris was just beaten to it by a brave Grendon forward whose fine header was every bit as good as Jakes and we trudged off for the break just a goal behind.
Harlie entered the fray on the right of midfield with Callum slotting back for Owen and soon we got back on level terms. Great work again by Keiron opened up the visitors and from his pull back Thomas Young drove toward goal, the keeper pushed out his effort into the path of George who smashed home our third equaliser of the game. The dangerous number eight cut in field to avoid the clutches of Callum and hit an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net. Phew... we had to regroup and start once more. Tom was replaced by Tyler who was now chomping at the bit to be introduced. Tyler and George instantly linked up to set Jake racing past his marker and into the box where the Grendon defender crudely scythed him down and George thumped home from the spot to bring us on terms again.With our tails up we stormed forward, Keiron couldn't get the better of the Grendon keeper but Jake hammered our fifth goal and we were in front for the first time in the game. Our defenders had been on much better form after the break but we still managed to concede when everyone left the ball at a Grendon corner and it looked like we were trying to undo all our good work. At five all nobody in red was going to settle for a draw. When Ned tidied up at the back behind Jake , Joe carried the ball up the right flank and squeezed an exquisite ball into the stride of George who pulled the trigger and hit one of the goals of this game if not the season. At 6-5 a pivotal moment came when under huge pressure Chris clawed the ball out from under his crossbar and then pounced on the loose ball with joe on hand to snuff out yet another leveller. Within seconds Tyler raced off on a great run before setting up Georges' fourth goal of the game. This was the first time either side had gained a two goal advantage today. Alex came on for the last five minutes and probably found the pace of this stunning match just a bit too much to handle. Unbelievably Grendon found the courage to try another fight back and pulled another goal back OMG. Ned then headed two fine clearances as the visitors tried to get back on terms with a flurry of last minute corners. Ollie went close with a long range free kick but that was it ,Dennis blew the final whistle and we had won another epic encounter with our Buckinghamshire rivals. With so much effort from both sides it was a pleasure to see 2 fine and fair playing teams on display.
