Round two of the Division 2 season saw Letchworth Albion come up against newly formed “The Green Man.”
Albion went behind enemy lines during the week to assess the pub and its likely players. Secret Albion Scouts (SAS) reported a daily over 55’s lunch special which suggested an aging squad but on arrival at the pitch this was clearly a well-uted decoy as the Albion were presented with a fresh faced green man team boasting pop sensation Justin Bieber amongst it ranks.
Given the 9/11 anniversary, a 1 minute silence was held prior to kick off, despite Vice Captain Ryan Sweeney maintaining it was a celebration for the final night of the proms – It’s nice to see we now have some culture within the team, even if it is at the expense of intelligence...
The Albion started the game brightly with a sustained period of possession. Blustery conditions meant a tricky day of defending for Albion’s rear guard. However debutant centre back Ian Berrie commanded the back line from the off and it was no surprise when Albion took the lead with Ian Holyer claiming his second goal in as many matches. This was a new look strike force for the Albion with Tony Davies & Craig Henry up top, with Brandon & Holyer working the wings to great effect throughout the game.
Goalkeeper Grant Whittaker was also amongst the debutants in a team which saw five changes from last week. Grants off field antics have clearly not gone un-noticed with the stadium littered with “Milk Me Grant” banners prior to kick off. However the man between the sticks showed great composure throughout the match, pulling off a series of smart saves to deny a potent green man strike force. There are unconfirmed reports that Grant was struck with a milk bottle halfway through the first half, with the FA likely to open a full investigation later this week.
Midway through the first half The Green Man bagged an equaliser with a clever lofted through ball causing havoc in the Albion back line. However the Albion responded well and found themselves 3-1 up at half time with goals from winger James Brandon and a second for free scoring Ian Holyer.
In the second half right back Ed Greenhill continued to dominate the green man’s number 14, a tricky player, who was the focal point of their every attack….. and subsequent theatrical dive.
Central midfield duo Rikki Holland & James Parkin worked well in breaking down attacks, with crunching tackles being the order of the day for both players. The former however was unlucky late on with a curling free kick forcing a superb save from the opposing goalkeeper.
After a sustained period of dominance in the second half, Albion made sure of the result with that man Ian Holyer stepping up again to claim a well-earned hatrick. The former Rotherham man has exploded onto the scene since arriving at Albion, let’s just hope that his missus continues to let him off his lead on Sundays…
Full time: The Green Man 1 – Letchworth Albion 4
