This morning a younger looking REAL Dundonald welcomed Sirruss Spartan to King Georges Playing Fields, REAL set about the visitors with a steely determination and good creative football, within the first 10 minutes the intelligent HAYES linked well with Jordan ANDERSON, 16 year old ANDERSON making his league debut turned his marker so sweetly but his shot was a tame one, REAL lined up with HAYES and AHMAD either side of man of the match GRAHAM and the eye-catching HOOPER who both played in REAL's engine room, HOOPER played well in the centre of the park this morning, communicating well, getting stuck in with decent distribution of the ball too, GRAHAM and HOOPER seemed to have a really good understanding this morning, the energetic GUADAGNO starting alongside ANDERSON, the back four consisted of the returning MARK JAMES at LB, the fit again BLAKEBROUGH and ADEM as central defenders and the consistent HOPKINS at RB...shortly after ANDERSON'S chance HOOPER won a difficult header in the middle of the park, AHMAD received the ball and played the ball back inside for GRAHAM to feed HAYES further up the park (HAYES now had swapped positions with GUADAGNO) HAYES a.k.a "Jimmy" let a vicious shot go from that left foot of his outside SPARTANS box which just flew over the crossbar, keeper standing still....the trickery of AHMAD is a constant threat and the kid gets a lot of free-kicks for REAL DUNDONALD, with about 20 minutes played HOPKINS took a free-kick inside REAL's own half (AHMAD was fouled) the ball fell for ANDERSON, ANDERSON skipped away from his marker to set up AHMAD, AHMAD'S shot was going in only to be scraped off the goal-line and away for a corner kick...from the following corner ADEM went close to scoring with a good glancing header.....another free-kick, this time won by GRAHAM, then taken by GRAHAM from about 35 yards from SPARTANS goal, GRAHAM whipped in a deadly ball which was almost converted into his own net by a SPARTAN defender, from the corner a 'short one' was played between AHMAD and HOPKINS, HOPKINS whipping in a very inviting cross which was unlucky not to be met by JAMES at the far post......shortly after GRAHAM had the ball in the net from another corner but was adjudged to foul his marker just before he leapt to head powerfully in the top corner...SPARTAN had two real chances in the first half, one from a free-kick given away by ADEM just outside REAL's box and another effort from a corner, both chances being covered by BIG BEN RADFORD, one of the chances went wide too....a half chance they had saw BIG BEN come to the edge of his box to handle the ball, a free-kick was given for a foul on one of SPARTANS defenders in the confusion but REAL's defensive wall stood up to the effort from SPARTANS number 8....in the 35th minute AHMAD was taken out again for the umpteenth time wide on the right flank....the impressive "Jimmy" swinging in a ball which was rude not to be converted really!!!! JAMES coming in at the far post connecting with a header which just went wide......"Jimmy" himself had a good chance to score after fine play between himself, ANDERSON and AHMAD..."Jimmy's" shot on target but the keeper was equal to it....GRAHAM went close again with a header from another pinpoint free-kick from HOPKINS just before the interval
The second half saw REAL come out and almost score within the very first minute, lovely link-up play between AHMAD, HOOPER and GRAHAM, GRAHAM'S effort going painfully the wrong side of the cross bar however the football leading up to it was absolutely brilliant, classy.....shortly after GUADAGNO had a shot on target saved well by SPARTANS keeper, GUADAGNO winning the ball at right midfield then driving forward to unleash a good strike after cutting in.... immediately after GUADAGNO's effort SPARTAN went straight up the other end and nearly nicked a goal completely against the run of play but BIG BEN stuck out a leg after rushing out to make himself big (BIGGER I should say) good save!!.....REAL continued to dominate and play good passing football the way they do...a nice quality move from the back which started with ADEM who found GRAHAM, GRAHAM slides in AHMAD who sets up ANDERSON, ANDERSON'S connects not how he'd like to this time and the keeper scoops up the ball....AHMAD went so so close to opening his account for REAL again this week, the shot beat the keeper and also the post, AHMAD being found by GRAHAM after good hold up play by ANDERSON...with an hour or so gone the biggest chance fell for REAL to go 1-0 up, a corner to SPARTAN was defended very well by REAL, the ball fell to HOOPER who has cleared well for the ball to find "Jimmy", "Jimmy" not the quickest but knows how to take the ball with him to make his opponents run after him (if this makes sense ha ha), ANDERSON was now powering ahead of "Jimmy"..."Jimmy" plays a cute ball to ANDERSON, (its 2v2) ANDERSON dribbles past one defender and passes back to "Jimmy" who has completely out-foxed his defender, "Jimmy" then gives a "there you go" pass to ANDERSON who has just the keeper to beat from 16 yards (the keeper is running out at him now) but unfortunately ANDERSONS effort goes just over the bar, BIG BIG CHANCE....the counter attack was nice to watch though I must say, the ball went up the other end very fast, good sign but still no goals........the next 10 minutes saw REAL undone by two route 1 balls, some might say SPARTANS first goal was strong attacking play down the flank but then a cross which was converted a bit too easily really, a bit too soft for a team like REAL to concede.....the second goal was a big goal kick which evaded both REAL centre backs, then dropping comfortably behind for SPARTANS number 9 to slide past BIG BEN.....REAL never the team to give up, a little shaken maybe by the two quick sloppy goals conceded but still playing football all the same, still showing heart, determination and bravery...GUADAGNO picked up a knock a little while after so was replaced by REAL's only sub (which is a first!!!) IAN ROBERTS aka "King Roberts".....The King, although not fully fit, came on and sparkled again for the second week running, this time scoring a lovely consolation goal in the 77th minute, "Jimmy" assisting The King...The King rounded the keeper with the coolness of Dennis Bergkamp then sliding the ball into the empty net, a real nice goal to end a good passing team move, which again involved GRAHAM, ANDERSON, AHMAD, HOOPER and provider "Jimmy"....GRAHAM went close again before the Ref blew up...it was strange REAL not getting nothing from this game after clearly being the better team. The final whistle was met by celebrations from Spartan?????
Today saw REAL lose a league game for the 1st time at HOME in 16 months.
REAL DUNDONALD WILL BOUNCE BACK FROM THIS FIXTURE (only the 3rd game in)
