Brian Clough once said "If god had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there.” No quote could be more fitting for the transformation of Letchworth Albion over the course of what has been a busy preseason for the Hertfordshire club. A team once famed for route one football is enjoying a new lease of life after adopting the mythical art of “sexy football,” first introduced to these pastures by football maestro Ruud Gullit.
Today’s match saw the return of Athletico Arlesey to Archers Way, with plenty at stake in this Division 2 crunch match. Manager Mike Chiu was given a selection nightmare following the unavailability of a series of first team players. Craig Henry was subject to a late fitness test on a troublesome hamstring, but was inevitably given the all clear. Despite this, Albion fielded a strong team with Matt Morris slotting in at centre back for the first time this season.
Tributes were paid prior to the match for the tragic loss of life long Albion fan and coronation street legend, Bettie. Her hotpot will be sadly missed.
Athletico Arlesey started brightly and quickly found themselves 1-0 up. Matt Cartwright, making his first start of the season, levelled matters minutes later however, with a smart finish from the edge of the area after some good build up play from James Brandon. The winger, now deprived of pre match ploughing, put in a tidy shift on Albion’s right hand side.
Albion were also lucky to escape a controversial penalty claim following some boozy defending from Albion’s James Parkin. A blatant and malicious challenge in the box was deemed by the referee to be “dangerous play,” but instead the referee opted to award an indirect freekick in the box….. well played that man.
Midway through the first half a light breeze took out captain Rikki Holland, but thankfully strike partner Craig Henry was on hand to provide some intimate spooning to revitalise the Albion front man. Mike chiu was also hand in full medic’s attire in order to show off an extensive medical kit.
Letchworth Albion’s successes are clearly not going unnoticed in the land of girl, with many of the Albion stallions now sporting designer WAGS on match days. Surely it will be just a matter of time before we see our first Albion baby, with Ladbrokes offering 2/1 on Brandon getting a bun in someone’s oven following a succession of well publicised family ploughings.
Manager Chiu’s men went into half time 2-1 down after some pinball football in the Albion box. Despite this, the Albion went into the second half in a buoyant mood after successfully overturning the deficit in last week’s 4-2 victory.
With plenty at stake, the second half was a cagey affair with opportunities few and far between. The Albion, however, drew level with a breath taking finish from Captain Rikki Holland. The striker delicately controlled a Brandon corner on his chest, before hooking the ball into the top corner. However the true magic was still to come….
In the closing moments, the tension within the stadium grew to breaking point, with the game seemingly heading to a 2-2 draw. It’s at these times when a team needs a touch of absolute brilliance to make the difference, and that’s exactly what the Albion got when James Parkin stormed the Athletico box from a corner to fire home from close range.
Full Time: Letchworth Albion 3 – Athletico Arlesey 2.
Post-match note. A full internal inquest is to be undertaken by Chairman Chiu following reports in Mondays papers of Albion winger Allan Woods being part of a jagerbomb fuelled sex party just hours before the match. The winger was a late arrival at the ground, which inevitably cost him his starting berth. “Wacky Woods” has refused to comment on the story.
