MEFF #68 – THE ANTHONY TAYLOR FAN CLUB 2 – 1 STAY ON YOUR LINE, PETE:
Sicky’s Squad Scores (sponsored by Experian):Brett’s Team = 8.30,Kieran’s Team = 8.20. Brett should win by 1 goal.
A well-contested MEFF #69 ended with Brett’s Anthony Taylor Fan Club extending their unbeaten run over Kieran’s Stay on Your Line, Pete! With Jack late to the party, a 15 minute 6 versus 7 friendly ended with goals from Griff and Patto (2), before the match proper began. The tone of the game quickly took shape as Pete’s ‘keeper-sweeper’ role pushed the Fan Club’s defence deep, congesting play and keeping chances to a minimum. Sicky probably had the best chance for Stay on Your Line when he blazed a left-footed shot over the bar from Adam’s cross, before Brett grabbed the opener by intercepting Griffin’s backwards header to the advanced Pete and lobbing the stranded keeper with a backwards volley! Patto also tried to lob Pete (badly), while Spence and Phil provided an outlet up front for the Fan Club.
The pace of the game dropped even further in the second half as Griffin and Pete tried to probe the overcrowded Fan Club defence with passes from half-way and pick out Adam and Griffiths, before another quick counter-attack allowed Brett to once again finish from distance (this time left-footed) with Pete marooned in ‘No Man’s Land’. Patto twice broke down the right wing but couldn’t pick out the surging runs of Phil G or Fletch with his crosses, before Sicky made the final 10 minutes interesting by finishing off a move after Jack had intercepted Spence’s diagonal pass. Despite plenty of running from Griffiths, Adam and Sicky, Rowan’s defence remained solid enough, and the Fan Club held out for a tight win, with Fletch getting a painful ball to the jaw with the last kick of the game (hope it’s OK?)
1-0: Brett(Intercepted Griff’s backwards header on half way and lobbed the stranded Pete with a looping backwards volley)
Half Time
2-0: Brett(Rowan’s clearance was flicked on by Fletch to Brett, who rounded the advanced Pete and finished accurately from 20 yards with his left foot)
2-1: Sicky(Jack intercepted a cross-field ball and played in Kieran, who dragged the ball back to Sicky for a low finish into the bottom left corner)
Men of the Match were Brett, for “two inventive finishes”, and Adam, for his “penetrative running and involvement in most attacks for his team“. Special MEFF mention to Griffin for shouting “that’s the only bad pass I’ve made”, distributing the ball well, and scoring a good goalfrom Adam’s pass (that didn’t count towards the result).
