MEFF #24 – I HATE TRON 1 – 6 THE BACKPASS APPRECIATION SOCIETY:
Fitness and pace won the day in this MEFF walkover as a cronky and sore I HATE TRON team were soundly swept away by the pace and energy of The Backpass Appreciation Society, whose attack was spear-headed by the impressive trio of Luke, Aidan and Captain Griffiths. Crozier chose a defensively-minded HATE side, and they took an early lead (when their legs were working), but a lack of movement and ideas (hindered by aching, slow limbs or injuries) forced them to adopt long-ball tactics later on, while defensively they were frequently chasing shadows as the Society ran rings around them.
Gandy and Debutant Jack swept impressively for HATE although Steels had to make a number of fine saves from Patto, Crozier, Fletch, Griffin and Spence throughout the game, while Patto twice clattered the right post with toe-pokes in the second half but the rebounds bounced safe on both occasions. At the other end Frumpy made an impressive debut in goal during the second half, tipping wide a number of shots from Luke, Griffiths, Phil and Aidan, but in the end the pressure became too much as the Society exploited the space with simple passes and continuous movement, buoyed by the comprehensive first half lead and half-hearted efforts of their struggling opponents.
1-0: Patto(a long ball from goalkeeper Crozier found Patto in space, who turned and out-paced Phil to tap a one-on-one through Steels’ legs)
1-1: Griffiths(a simple through-ball was released by Luke, and the sprinting Griffiths outpaced his markers to sweep a shot beyond Crozier into the top bin)
1-2:Aidan (a mazy run by Jack on the left ended with him slotting the ball across the goal where Aidan hungrily tucked away at the back post)
1-3:Aidan (tricky play from Luke in the box allowed him to tee up the free Aidan, who had ages to pick a spot and roll the ball beyond Crozier)
1-4:Griffiths (Luke ‘did a Luke’ to twist his marker inside and out, before smashing a shot towards goal that Crozier parried onto the post, with the rebounding ball bouncing over the line off the back of Griffiths’ thigh as he was falling over!)
Half Time
1-5:Luke (a well-worked passage of movement and passing ended with Aidan passing to Luke who smashed a shot into the top right corner, although Frumpy almost saved it with a sweeping arm)
1-6:Phil G (another patient build-up culminated in Jack squaring to Phil who placed a low shot under Frumpy’s dive)
Men of the Match were Aidan, who produced an energetic box-to-box display with goals and assists, and Spence picked up MOM for the losing team for his ‘quality’ passing and vision!
