Liverpool Cavaliers 3 – 1 Mexoc FC
Following an enforced extended Christmas break, with games being cancelled on the weekends before, this was never going to be a good time for a cup fixture! So with the majority of us not even breaking a sweat (apart from turkey sweats on Christmas Day) for a full 3 weeks, things started reasonably well! With some stout defending from the Mexoc back line and plenty of chances wasted by the front men of the Cavaliers, confidence began to grow but the game turned after half hour gone following an embarrassing fumble into his own net by the debuting stand-in keeper Tim-Tom Garbutt-Robinson! It began with a relatively tame shot from the edge of the box (through a few players to be fair to Robo), continued with a confident & hearty shout of “KEEPERS!” and ended with a decent looking dive to his left and a fumble of the hands to push the ball into the inside netting of the Mexoc goal!
Heads went down and thoughts drifted back to open fires, turkey sandwiches, mince pies and sherry! And that’s how the game continued! Mexoc never really looked dangerous with only a few glimmers of the Cavaliers goal, well the home side’s half of the pitch all together for that matter!
Suddenly, slightly against the run of play, Mexoc did however equalise with a Smithy-special free kick. The foul was committed in prime position, to the right of the ‘D’ and a few yards from the edge of the box. The ball was placed, the wall set and so Smithy let loose an exquisite curling far post drive which the Cavaliers keeper had no chance of saving. Celebrations began but were short-lived with the referee’s whistle indicating that the goal would not stand as Mr D Blunkett had not blown in the first place to signal the free kick could be taken!
With some more missed chances at the other end and some occasional moments of quality last ditch defending by the Mexoc centre-backs, the game did break for half time with the score still a more than respectable 1-0 to the home side.
The halftime team talk consisted of a scolding from Manager Fioro, highlighting how lucky we were to still be in with a shout in the game and not 4 or 5 goals down! So with a flea in the ear and some renewed vigour the Mexoc players were sent back out for the second half without change.
Not long had passed in the second half and the first of the Mexoc subs were called into action with the enforced exit of ‘The Steff’ after “popping his hip”! One of the more unusual injuries sustained in a game of football but off he went never-the-less!
Unfortunately though, the game continued to slide away from Mexoc with the second Cavaliers goal being scored on the hour. Possession was lost in the midfield and the Cavaliers galloped away through the middle. The attack was thought to be halted by a sliding challenge by Mexoc’s left-back on the edge of the penalty box but the runners were not followed and following an unfortunate ricochet the ball fell to a Cavaliers player to shoot easily past the wrong footed Robo.
Shortly after the second Cavaliers goal it was deemed time for some more fresh blood from the Mexoc bench and a double substitution was made with changes to defence, attack and the Mexoc formation. So with a 3-5-2 set-up employed the task of turning the game around was continued.
But instead of prospects improving, things only got worse! A rare succession of Mexoc corners was finally headed clear leaving 2 on 1 at the back and another Cavaliers break was on. This time the attack was down Mexoc’s left-hand side but with Mexoc’s first choice left-back now on the field, confidence in the attack being thwarted was high. That was until confusion reared it’s ugly head and with a fast back-tracking defender believing a fast advancing keeper had the clearance covered and vice versa, the opportunity for the clearance was missed and the attacking player was able to dance through for Cavaliers third goal.
With credit due, the Mexoc players kept plugging away doing their best to get back into the game. Finally goal mouth success did come when an inch perfect pass was made in between the Cavaliers’ full back and central defender, right into the path of the onrushing Faulky from the right wing. The inevitable then happened with Faulky driving a great shot across goal and into the back of the net. 3-1 and in with a shout maybe?
Despite all the efforts of the Mexoc players in the remaining 20 minutes, the game stayed out of reach and finished with Mexoc FC knocked out of the second of the three cups entered this season.
Ah well, at least we can concentrate on the league now…………….
Rich Reynolds.
