MEFF #59: CROZIER’S COSSACKS 2 - 1 DARIJO SRNAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH:
Sicky’s Squad Scores (sponsored by Experian):Aidan’s Team = 8.34, Crozier’s Team = 8.23. Aidan should win by 1 goal.
The second FAECES Quarter Final served up the tightest match-up so far as Crozier’s Cossacks narrowly beat 10-match unbeaten Captain Aidan and his team Darijo Srnaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgh (glad I won’t have to type that anymore!) According to Sicky’s Squad Scores the final result was actually a bit of an upset, but with better finishing (from either team) the score could have been much different. The first half was particularly short of chances, with the Cossacks enjoying the majority of possession but never making the most of shooting positions before they were closed down. At the other end SuBo was once again the main threat, but he was well marshalled by his markers and only threatened once when Patto had to save low with his legs. Aidan also headed a throw against the back post and Phil fired an effort wide, while Ash was put through on goal for the Cossacks but his attempted lob was too high and cleared the fencing!
With both teams having somehow notched a goal each just before half time, Rowan was definitely the busier of the keepers in the second half as the Cossacks began to engineer more shots from their possession. Ash, Patto, Luke and Sicky all shot wide or were thwarted by Rowan, while at the other end the only threat for Darijo Srnaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgh came from Phil’s corners (at one point he took about ten in a row but could never beat Griffin at the front post!) while Brett also tried a long range effort when Crozier wandered out of his area! With Neil, SuBo and Daz trying to push for a winner the space began to open up for the Cossacks, and a goal from Sicky in the dying minutes secured the win for Crozier, finally ending Aidan’s impressive unbeaten run as Captain!
1-0: Luke(Patto collected up a corner in his area and then rolled it out to himself before lobbing a pass through the Luke, who beat Rowan to the ball and sidefooted into the empty net)
1-1: SuBo(Phil Gandy’s low corner to the front post was sublimely steered into the back post by SuBo’s heel. Neil Taylor then screamed like a girl in giddy appreciation!)
Half Time
2-1: Sicky (A Cossack counter-attack saw Luke feed the ball the Sicky down the centre, and with Crozier and Patto both running wide, the unhassled Sicky unleashed a shot which took several deflections before beating Rowan’s dive)
Men of the Match were Sicky, as he “seemed to be pulling the strings from what I recall, and as his shot was on target it saves me the embarrassment of an own goal so he can have it. Plus a special mention to Ash who tricked me into passing it to him early on which was pretty funny.”, and Brett, for “his audacious attempt from the back that almost went in! He also defended well.”
