Honey...... Someone Shrunk the Goals !!!
A glorious Sunny Sunday was the setting for one hell of battle, which could be a deciding victory in our chase for the League Title. Head groundsman Vaughan had cut the 4 quadrants of the pitch, but watching the resultant match unfold would have wished he had cut the 18 yard box, as some of the lads would have given David Blaine a run for his money and maybe matched him for struggling to do anything of any quality in the box!
Radford Semele were dealt an early blow with James Clarke their talisMANIC centre half being ruled out for the season with a broken leg, and with Steve Dealtry being unavailable due to his final bodybuilding tournament, the Old Man of the team was brought in as replacement.
The game started slowly, but Radford soon found there stride, and along with some poor finishing were unable to get the first goal that they deserved. Radford also were dealt some bad luck when Matty Anderson was scythed down in the box by a flying body check, similar to something seen on an ice rink.....We are not talking Dancing on Ice (even though Matty is partial to lycra and sequins!) ....more like Ice Hockey.
Radford continued to have the lions share of the play, and eventually opened the scoring on 20 mins when makeshift Westlea goalkeeper Brain Agar had a short pass cut out to his fullback by the ever alert Big Mo. The Big Malteser then picked out Matty Anderson, who controlled and shot below Agar as he scampered back to his goal. 1-0 Radford Semele.
The pressure of who will be crowned the Club's top goalscorer seems to have added some pressure to the free scoring exploits of Ando and Wilko, but I will quote 'Football is not all about scoring goals!' (q.Paul Wilkinson date 10th April 12:45pm)!
As the First Half progressed Westlea Res were content to soak up the pressure and counter. A free kick was then floated into the 18 yard box and a dubious challenge on Malc was deemed fair and Westlea Reserves chalked up the equaliser with 5 mins of the half to play 1-1.
Now as Cloughie would have said, if Football was to be played in the clouds, then he would have put grass up there.... Some harsh words were said at halftime, and Radford came out and dominated the 2nd half, and camped themselves in the Westlea half. Time and time again Westlea managed to get a vital touch to diffuse wave after wave of Radford Pressure, with Woody and Stevie B tirelessly working the flanks. The back 3 managed to keep a lid on each Westlea long ball, with the midfield trio beginning to take a stranglehold of the game.
0n 65 minutes The Big Malteser came off, and as an old coal miner would say, 'He dug in well!'. Lee came on and was straight into the action and nearly scored from an early touch. Wilko latched onto a through ball and expertly lobbed the oncoming keeper, the ball bounced onto the bar and fell to Lee who slashed at the ball to see it agonisingly squirm past the post.
Now this is what dreams are made of...... Cometh the hour and a half (90 mins) cometh the man, a defining moment in the temperamental (90% temper & 10% mental) Lee Watton's Radford Semele career..... With 90 minutes already played and the Ref with whistle at lips, Lee Watton jinked past his full back and cut inside from 35 yards and drilled the ball top corner. The Westlea Keeper wrong footed could only palm it into the goal. 2-1 and glory to the Black Canal Cats! Goal Celebrations followed and Lee survived the 100 stone 3 man pile on (Owen, Ando and Will only)!
Radford Semele now only need 3 wins from the last 6 in order to clinch promotion....... Roll on Radford Semele!
