It was a wet and windy day up at the hub when the PPR cup squad took to the field. Some would say the perfect conditions for their Nordic opponents, Londonsvenskar, to cause an upset against the club from the league above. It wasn't just the weather that appeared to be against PPR, as the match official appeared to be a no show as clock ticked closer to 2pm, and worst of all no Owley!
PPR's concentration could have been thrown off by any of these factors, but with Jackson leading the warm up this wasn't the case. By the time the referee had been found by Gomme, PPR were warm, focused and ready to inflict the biggest win of their season so far.
PPR started the game with the unfamiliar formation of 4-2-3-1. At the formations base was the usual back 4 and 2 holding midfielders of Jacko and Nils. This solid base was designed to give freedom in attack to the “quartet” of Tricky, Flynn, Baker and Barnes, and my how this worked.
The game started with a flurry, Nils and Jacko disrupting any early attack Svenskar tried to create through the middle. PPR early on looked most threatening from the right with the overlapping runs Carsten and the silky skill of Barnes, and this is where the first goal came from. The counter attack started with Barnes flying up the right before cutting inside and playing a triangle of passes with Jacko and Nils before receiving the ball back on the edge of the area. Barnes took one look at goal before beautifully bending his shot just inside the Svenskar right hand up-right. 5 minutes in 1-0 to the PPR.
Now it was time the PPR left flank of Phil and Baker to show its worth. Phil extinguishing any threat early on that Svenskar attempted to create down his flank, and Baker, whose tireless running in the 1st half, proved to be the straw that broke Svenskar back. Baker slotted two tidy finishes in the back of the net on 10’ and 30’ the 1st of which was set up by Tricky, whose hold up play was crucial to the “quartets” performance.
Svenskar rarely threatened in first half as everything they tried to throw at PPR was easily dealt with by Gomme, Havers and Neil who kept it simple and never looked troubled. If PPR had been more clinical they could have been 6 or 7 up at the break, but the Svenskar keeper made some great saves, and then there was that miss from Phil Allen!
Half Time: PPR 3 London Svenskar 0.
3-0 up on the pitch that has seen PPR lose a lead like this before. The lure of holding the lead could have led to PPR sitting back for the second half, but there is an age old saying that goes “attack is the best form of defence”. With this in mind PPR struck again through Tricky on 50’ assist from Jackson.
55 minutes in the fresh legs of Byrne and Goddard came on for Baker and Barnes, who had left everything on the field, and the scoring continued. One of Jackson last contributions was whipping in a corner for Gomme to neatly finish on the hour. Jackson was replaced with another set piece specialist in Ween in the 65th minute, whose first contribution was a 30 yard screamer that brought the best out of the keeper (who was Svenskar best player on the day). From the resulting corner Ween put in another great delivery for another defender Havers to finish coolly in the 75th minute.
Byrne joined the party with a precision delivery right on the money for Tricky to expertly finish on the half volley in the 85 min. Then Byrne deftly finished from a Ween assist 3 minutes later.
The game was wrapped up with Weens solo effort dribbling around three players and finishing effortlessly in the 89th.
9 Goals, 7 scorers, but best of all Zero conceded. PPR & Owley march on to the next round.
Full Time: Priory Park Rangers 9 - 0 Londonsvenskar.
MOM: Tom Barnes
DOD: Phil Allen
