Excellent performance. Match report by JD...
Beehive 2
Mexoc 3
With memories of the previous week’s capitulation, Mexoc set about Saturday’s opposition with commitment and style. At times the build up play was irresistible enabling the forwards to open up the defence at will. Had it not been for the sticky pitch the freeflowing attacks could have led to even more chances. At the back they were resolute, defending with passion and dedication to deny the Beehive to only a handful of good chances.
The match was officiated by a referee who not even specsavers could have helped. Inexplicable decisions were made all over the pitch – Mexoc denied what seemed a clear penalty in the first half when Causley was scythed down, only for Beehive to be awarded a penalty in the dying minutes which was at best dubious, and at worst quite literally bizarre (and I should know!). Action replays showed quite clearly that Devine met the ball with his laces before only slightly grazing the attacker’s shin – it was a 50-50 ball, someone was going to lose out. The idiot in the black felt the need to lecture the defender during which he admitted the ball had been played … so why the penalty?… only one man will ever know.
Twenty or so minutes into the first half Causley, opened his legs to show his true class and rounded off a swift Mexoc attack with a fine finish to hand a deserved lead to the away side who were playing at home. Responding to being poked the Beehive suddenly erupted and before long they drew level when the Mexoc defence hesitated allowing a Beehive attacker to strike a stinging finish from the edge of the box.
The last few minutes of the half were punctuated by some ludicrous linesmanship by the Mexoc bench, the less said about that the better.
The half time talk was encouraging – more of the same was required, and more was delivered. Eventually the hard tackling and crisp passing paid off, and with Beehive becoming more and more irate with the guide dog and whistle, Mexoc took advantage of a superb corner. Smith rose like a spawning salmon, nay, a killer whale on heat, and powerfully head past the helpless keeper.
With the back four aided by their protective midfield repelling the Beehive attacks were becoming more and more desperate with through balls swatted away with ease. Suddenly out of the blue, Causley expertly turned his marker and slid a decisive pass through for Faulkener to run on to, and he crashed the ball past the (Bee)keeper into the far corner. Watch out for that one on goal of the month.
It appeared as though the Beehive were destroyed, yet they still had a sting in the tail thanks to the guy with the white stick. In the end it was a poorly dispatched spot kick, which was equally poorly flapped at (like a little girl swatting a Bee?), and the ball trickled under Johnson’s hand. Several good saves had already been made in the match though, so no blame for that one.
So Mexoc went to pub having raided the Beehive, the ref went home to clean his mud stained glasses, and the Beehive … well … they just went home. 3-2 the final score, more of the same next week please!
