7th Heaven for Oak Road Rangers!
Cup week for the oak as they hosted premier division side Newland Cosmos with a place in the quarter finals up for grabs. Some doubts over the state of the pitch with the resident groundsman/gaffer currently in Qatar drinking his life away at a severe cost. Interim managers Moran and McFadyen had a few selection headaches with a full squad available and after some chopping and changing they finally came to an agreement. Quick team talk and the oak were fired up. After the warm up the oak lads were told that Cosmos were going to smash us because we are only a div 2 team. (They never said this bit of psychology from management).
Kick off arrived on a heavy hull and East Riding pitch were ball control and intensity were needed. After a strong start from the oak down there right hand side Emmerson had the beating of the Cosmo full back eventually forcing a corner to the home team. A deliciously whipped in ball from the oak road winger was met by a late run from the ‘whipped’ Oak centre half Whitfield who released his inner striker form from 2018 to fire home from close range. 1-0 Oak. This goal sparked a response from cosmos who grew into the half very well. The number 10 of Cosmo nearly got arrested for assault with his fierce attacking play against Rich Beney who had to go to the changing rooms and have a quiet word with himself. It was actually the right winger for cosmo who found himself in space managing to cut inside and firing a low shot to the near post of Rich Wallis who needs to get a refund for his new gloves because I think they have a hole in. 1-1. The cosmo onslaught continued with a string of back to back corners forcing Wallis to redeem himself from his first error who responded well with a good couple of saves. A few tactical changes saw the introduction of Outram, Cooper and Bolton after the half hour mark. Leigh was shifted right back to sure up the defence and the number 10 who was controlling the game for cosmo found his time and space limited for the rest of the game. The introduction of Outram who started to pick up second balls in the middle of the park was started to pay back his big summer transfer fee. Slots in a lovely ball where Emmerson (fastest kid in hull) rounded the keeper only to be met with a slide tackle from the Cosmo defender forcing a corner. Another delightfully whipped ball across from Emmerson was met by the head of Bolton who hammered home Oaks second on the stroke of half time to secure a 2-1 lead at the break.
A quick drink and word at HT from the gaffers where they were wanting more from the lads to secure their place in the next round. Beney was moved over to left back as Ryan Hill stated no one can ever get injured at Left Back, limped off spitting blood after 2 lung busting runs.
The second half started and again Cosmo were responding well. Putting pressure on the oak back line but the experience of Watson and Knappett in the middle helped steady the ship. A wonderful ‘tackle’ from Knappett stopped a dangerous play from Cosmo and his midfield partner Watson sporting a pair of Lewis Shears Adipures released his inner Toni Kroos to set up Emmerson (fastest kid in the world) to get in behind the Cosmo defence and with the keeper off his line released his inner cantona to delightfully lob the rushing keeper and find the back of the net. 3-1 Oak. The oak then started to ascend their control on the game. Getting to second balls and not sitting back to invite pressure, the oak pushed on. A few chances fell to Murphy and Emmerson which were both cleared off the line from the Cosmo defence who were determined to never give up. However the pressure became too much when another set piece from the oak fell to captain marvel Murphy whose hard work in the game finally paid off with a goal for the oak. 4-1.
The re introduction of Simms and Sunman showed the oak weren’t resting on their laurels. Simms was heard before the game saying ‘I’m the fastest kid in our team’ however was yet to make a single sprint in the game. The gaffers trying to make him angry to provoke a response he did just that. He beat a few of the Cosmo defence to slide in Murphy who then found outram in the box with time and space to slot the ball into the back of the net to move the oak into an unassailable 5-1 lead. A couple of injuries to Cosmo left them needing to finish the game out with 10 but a side of their quality could have easily scored a couple of late goals to make it nervy so the oak couldn’t sit back. Outram again found himself in space to play a teasing ball across the box where Sunman fresh from drinking 30 pints in 3 days got his right foot to the ball first to slot home a lovely poachers effort. Celebrated with a belly slide and was quoting saying ‘my bitches will wash this’. 6-1 Oak. To round off proceedings Simms found himself in space down the left wing yet again and produced a lovely nutmeg which resulted in him being fouled. From the left hand side of the box the keeper was busy organising his defence didn’t expect Simms (slowest kid in hull) to whipped the ball with ferocity onto the bar and bouncing over the line to wrap off proceedings. Simms stuck his fingers up at the coaching staff and said ‘bring back the manager who dropped me 3 weeks ago’. 7-1 Oak.
MOTM went to Reilly Emmerson who’s speed and quality on the ball set up the Oak to put their name in the hat for the next round.
A fantastic result for the underdogs going into todays cup tie. We look forward to the next round whoever it may be. Lowest ranked team left in the cup, the draw should be held at Fortress Zingari. Dreams of the Roy West Centre on the horizon. They couldn’t could they?
