MEFF #50 –THE AUTOBAHN DANCERS 7 – 0 FC GROIN-HAS-GONE:
Despite both teams having 8 players, the opening game of the MEFF European Cup Elimination Showdown was a surprisingly open and hotly-contested match that saw Patto’s Germanic Autobahn Dancers produce a typically efficient display to comprehensively dismiss Steels’ FC Groin-Has-GoneDutch Clogwearers, by limiting chances and consistently taking their own.
FC Groin-Has-Gone had the better of the possession throughout the match with Fletch, Neil, Luke and Crozier passing well, but they struggled to break down the Autobahn defence who always kept enough men behind the ball and remained disciplined for the full 60 minutes, with Rowan having little to do in goal, becoming a sweeper for most of the match. At the other end the pace of Griffiths and Aidan allowed Spence time on the ball when the Dancers did attack, while Sicky, Phil G, Kieran and Patto provided late, unchecked runs to generate several chances and keep Daz, Griffin and Brett on their toes.
1-0: Patto(Griffiths took a quick corner from the right which an unmarked Patto half-volleyed across goal, with the ball squirming through Paul’s arms into the far corner)
2-0: Spence(Aidan was caught from behind by Brett in the box as he tried to trap the ball, and Spence calmly rolled the resulting penalty into the bottom right corner)
3-0: Patto(Picking up a loose ball on the edge of the Groin-Has-Gone area, Patto played a one-two with Spence before sweeping the return pass over the stranded Steels)
Half Time
4-0: Griffiths(Great build up play allowed Aidan to play-in Griffiths, who poked the ball beyond Steels into the far corner)
5-0: Sicky(Slick passing between Aidan and Patto eventually found Griffiths on the right wing, and his incisive pass inside allowed the sprinting Sicky to toe-poke into the far corner)
6-0: Patto(Spence did well to hold up a long ball from Rowan in the far right corner, before placing a measured blind pass across the edge of the area that Patto sidefooted into the top bin ahead of Luke – HAT-TRICK)
7-0: Sicky(A quick counter-attack allowed Griffiths to race clear down the left wing, and he accurately squared the ball to the free Sicky who couldn’t miss from one yard)
Men of the Match were Fletch “for covering a huge amount of ground and posing the most threat” and Sicky, for being “sound in defence with good link and front play”.
