Today saw the mighty REAL DUNDONALD go to Epsom Downs Reserves in Carshalton, Surrey...REAL started the game in a flamboyant mood, passing the ball about and showing the home team how to play with a swagger and calmness which is REAL'S trademark brand of football, everyone right through the team was well and truly up for this encounter, knowing a win would propel them onto the heels of the league leaders Croygas Phoenix....with only 5 minutes on the clock, teriffic passing from REAL'S defenders to the midfield saw HOPKINS (playing RM today) swing a magnificent cross-field pass to LB PEREZ, PEREZ eager to get forward and cause mayhem travelled with the ball then unleashed a thunderbolt left-footed shot on target from 35 yards which EPSOMS goalkeeper could only spill....REAL'S number 10 GYLES reacting quickest to the fumble for a simple tap-in 0-1......this early goal only intensified REAL'S desire, the game was now simply controlled even more by REAL, although straight after the opener a little lapse in concentration saw EPSOM nearly equalize, EPSOMS right-midfielder bearing down on goal, RADFORD quick off his line to narrow down the angle yet the ball just went wide of the far post, a decent effort by EPSOM.... minutes after GYLES, AL-MAJALI, HOPKINS going close with attempts on target......HOPKINS and BLAKEBROUGH a constant threat with their experience of the game, both natural defenders but playing in midfield for this one, both men comfortable and skillful on the ball, so they have the ability to adapt which only strengthens REAL DUNDONALD.....BLAKEBROUGH from centre midfield making a mazy run down the left flank before pulling a fine cross over onto GYLES'S head who was unfortunate not to make it 0-2... the 25th minute saw "12 goals in just over a month" AL-MAJALI make it 0-2 with a fine chipped effort from outside the box, after a very determined run from Man of The Match GYLES, GYLES collecting the ball inside his own half, accelarating with the ball under close control, skipping and using his strength to ride tackles from 2-3 players before setting up his partner to finish off a dominant display of attacking football from the back straight to the other end, a fantastic goal....pressure continued to mount from REAL on EPSOMS defenders, HOOPER'S volley from a corner was goalbound but good defending by EPSOM saw his effort denied....at times EPSOM, the home team, looked demoralized from REAL'S confident, thorough display of football...EPSOM would look to play the ball to their big striker who held it up well at times whilst bringing in his wide players but time and time again WEEKS, NUTTALL, WILLIAMS and PEREZ would "not have any of it"....a special mention goes out to WEEKS who came back to the fold after a while of not getting into the starting 11, the kid is back!!!! A tidy, no-nonsense defensive display by him this morning.......BEN HAYES played his part too.... HAYES getting fitter with each match of late and his creativity, intelligence and trickery in this victory must not go unmentioned...wih 10 minutes left in the first half REAL defended a corner excellently NUTTALL clearing the ball which found the hovering AL-MAJALI on the half-way line, AL-MAJALI back to goal, chested it down then lays it off to GYLES who is more or less 15 yards alongside him...GYLES opens his body up and runs with the ball goal-bound, on-route he travels to his right, the ball almost glued to his foot, the kid drops the shoulder on one, then two, then three defenders before smashing it in the top right corner, EPSOMS goalkeeper was open-mouthed at what he just saw and the power of the shot what just flew past him ha 0-3, a fine solo effort......REAL went into the break knowing they are "THAT TEAM".....confidence, togetherness riding very high in the awful English weather.......However the opening of the second half caught REAL maybe a little too confident as they conceded a real sloppy goal straight through the middle of defence, it was within 3 minutes of the 2nd half too, REAL caught sleeping maybe? complacency maybe?.....still as so often happens with REAL DUNDONALD when they concede a goal, REAL felt almost insulted!!!!!, a sense of "how dare they score against us"....within 5 minutes REAL scored to make it 1-4...the fourth goal coming from superb REAL DUNDONALD passing from defence to midfield, HOOPER plays ball into the forward-thinking PEREZ who finds HAYES, "JIMMY" loves dribbling, and that he did, going inside then outside of his pursuers down the left before an audacious back-heel pass on the edge of EPSOMS box to GYLES, GYLES who is already aware of AL-MAJALI'S position at the far post crosses the ball to REAL'S number 9, AL-MAJALI with a bit to do as he was being hunted down by defenders, controls with his right peg cuts in on a man and slots home with his left peg, fantastic TEAM goal "picture perfect"............BLAKEBROUGH back from vacation only last night picked up a slight knock in the first half and it looked like it was still bothering him just before the hour mark, so BLAKEBROUGH was replaced by STEPHEN YOUNG, YOUNG simply loves these conditions and immediately settled into the game bossing the midfield with his grit and guile (picked up a yellow for his trouble though)........ REAL'S 5th came from a wonderful cross from WEEKS, after calm possession of the ball between NUTTALL, WILLIAMS and WEEKS himself, the cross fell on to the head of GYLES who placed his header accurately away from the keeper to give himself his 4th hatrick so far this season!!!......GUADAGNO was introduced for JIMMY a short while later, GUADAGNO aggressive and full of energy in this late stage of a very one-sided affair......although EPSOM scored a second goal after wonderful wing play finished off with a decent header, to be fair............WHITE came on for AL-MAJALI with 12 minutes to go and was unlucky not to get himself a goal and REAL'S 6th after more decisive passing by the team n Red and Black.
A TRULY FANTASTIC TEAM PERFORMANCE
REAL DUNDONALD ARE NOW FOUR PRECIOUS POINTS AWAY FROM CREATING THEIR OWN PIECE OF HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BIG TEAM!
BIG PLAYERS!
BIG WIN TODAY!
Well Done to All
B. Harriott
