REAL DUNDONALD came out for their second league fixture today with a strong mind-set, spirit, determination and with talent on show for all to see, the manager picked a strong team which saw GRAHAM come back to the starting 11 after a stop start pre-season for REAL's number 5, immediately GRAHAM settled down and played some good passes to his team-mates and quickly linking well with JAMES in the engine room, the opening 5 minutes saw REAL flying, controlling the ball well and playing some beautiful stuff, HAYES and AHMAD both out wide causing AFC all sorts of problems with their creativity, imagination and flair, within just 10 minutes AHMAD had been fouled 4 times, the fourth foul saw a beautiful pinpoint free-kick delivered by YOUNG on to the head of HAYES (all 5ft 7 of him) who leaped well only to see his header just go over the crossbar, two minutes later AHMAD and his trickery found himself being upended again 10 yards inside AFC's half, GRAHAM stood over the ball to take the free-kick and placed it straight into the danger area, AFC's goalkeeper came out to punch the ball but AL-MAJALI beat him to it with a clever "Chicharito style" backward header 0-1 and fully deserved by the better team...REAL continued to dominate and toy with AFC, REAL brimming with confidence, every man enjoying the ball.... when AFC tried to make something happen they were met by the force of NUTTALL, the know-how of ADEM, the cunningness of HOPKINS and the vast experience of man-of-the-match YOUNG, all four men playing in a very organised back four today, AFC did have the ball in the net midway through the half but REAL had heard the Ref's whistle blow seconds earlier and eased off, AFC had not and continued to play. Shortly after a wonderful long ball from 16 yr old ADEM to number 9 AL-MAJALI caused all sorts of problems for AFC, their goalkeeper came out of his box and parried the ball, the ball trickled a short distance out to the right then a defender tried to clear the danger, AL-MAJALI controls the ball then coolly lobs the ball over everybody into the goal, then the whistle blows for a major infringement resulting in a free-kick to REAL and AFC's goalkeeper being sent off!!!!! Common sense should of rewarded the goal and a yellow card for goalkeeper, but the law of the game is what it is!....the following free-kick was so close to making it 0-2, taken by GYLES, merely inches over.......with 15 minutes left of the first half YOUNG came close to scoring after a quick throw in by HAYES to GRAHAM, GRAHAM beating a couple of players to tee up YOUNG who shot just over....then a fine move between GYLES, AL-MAJALI and HAYES, resulting in HAYES'S shot on target being well shut down by the frantically lunging AFC defenders, in the first half alone REAL had 6 corners to AFC's 2, REAL's last corner of the half saw AL-MAJALI just miss with a stooping near post header, delivered by HAYES....AFC had a half chance from a corner of their own, a glancing header went slightly high over the bar, but it looked certain BIG BEN RADFORD had it covered anyway....with almost the last kick of the half GYLES had a brilliant header tipped over by a brilliant cross from skipper YOUNG.
The second half saw REAL pressing AFC with sheer skill, determination and outright superior fitness levels, AFC's two tormentors AHMAD and HAYES had swapped sides now (HAYES going to the left side)...in the 48th minute YOUNG found HAYES, HAYES turning his marker inside out to play a snappy one-two with AL-MAJALI, HAYES then cuts in and sends a right footed cross towards GYLES, GYLES cleverly shoots a side-footed volley on target, the keeper spills it but recovers just in time to claim the ball on the line, a big punt up-field almost saw AFC equalize, the ball bouncing through to a AFC striker (who looked offside) through on goal from a decent angle but BIG BEN RADFORD got down very quick to pull off a terrific one handed save which resulted in a corner, which too came to nothing. Just before the hour mark HOPKINS surged forward and played a ball to GYLES who then took on two defenders to create a little space for himself to fire a left-footed shot goal bound which flew wide....(HOPKINS is a defender with great ball control who loves a marauding run, a run which can take the ball the length of the whole pitch!!!!)....JAMES, GRAHAM and NUTTALL winning everything in the air, AFC now starting to use this tactic as trying to play football against The Champions was not working....another fine passing move from the back involving ADEM, YOUNG, JAMES, HAYES and AHMAD, AHMAD coming very close to opening his account for RDFC, his shot from just inside the box beating the goalkeeper then just shaving the wrong side of the far post.....another beautiful piece of play almost resulted in something special, really special this morning, the ball was thrown out by RADFORD to HOPKINS who passed square to ADEM, ADEM gives it back to HOPKINS who beats his man and finds AHMAD who now has come very close to HOPKINS, AHMAD touches it back to HOPKINS, HOPKINS plays a lofted ball to AL-MAJALI, AL-MAJALI controls well with his chest, back to goal plays a round the corner ball to the on-the-move AHMAD, AHMAD crosses first time to REAL's number 10 who has cleverly drifted away from his marker GYLES goes for the spectacular scissor kick but it wasn't to be this time (please note: GYLES has scored goals like this in the 12/13 season, bicycle, overhead kicks is in the kids locker, and I'm sure they'll come again)......GYLES and HAYES linked up well on the left flank twisting and turning their opponents and instinctively knowing where each other are, 60th minute saw GYLES turning the provider for AHMAD who's shot on target was saved by the goalkeeper.....68th minute saw REAL DUNDONALD playing more passing football from the back, this time NUTTALL calmly finding YOUNG who plays the ball to HAYES's feet, HAYES slips a cute ball inside for GYLES, GYLES swiftly takes the ball away from his marker and unleashes a very powerful shot from just outside AFC's box to make it 0-2.....a few minutes later AL-MAJALI had to come off with a nasty injury which may keep him side-lined for a while, a blow for REAL, ROBERTS came on to replace REAL's number 9 and instantly got involved and linked well with GYLES, twice "King ROBERTS" went close to scoring too, twice being set up by GYLES, one opportunity came from AHMAD linking well with GYLES who then crossed for ROBERTS, ROBERTS being denied by brave goalkeeping.....GRAHAM went close late on just before being replaced by HOOPER with 10 minutes left.....REAL also introduced the lively GUADAGNO for HAYES at the same time...GUADAGNO caught the eye with cutting back the ball from the by-line to find GYLES whose shot on target was well defended by AFC South Wimbledon.
REAL DUNDONALD played their best football today, a lot of quality was on display.
Heart, Hard Work and Talent.....
....and a clean sheet too
