After last week disappointment we had to get back to winning ways, our head were down after dropping 2 points last week to Palace Athletic!
Again like in ALL the previous games this season we were missing some key individuals from the starting line up. Taxi had the luxury of having 3 subs at his disposal which if called upon could have helped the cause. Rhys came in beside me at centre half and Wayne slotted in beside Stocky in the middle of the park. This worked a treat where Wayne would do the doggy work with his great engine, letting Stocky control the game using his great footy brain. Up top started the ever present Ben T partnered by last week’s goal hero Adrian. Taxi brought our all time top goal scorer Rooney in for his debut for the season, on the right side of midfield.
From kick off it became clear that whoever wins the physical challenges, were going to walk away with all 3 points. The 1st clear opportunity fell to Adrian, with a defence cutting through ball from the outside of Ben T left boot. Adrian could only find the top of the net with his delicate lob over the advancing keeper. We hoped that this wasn’t going to be a repeat of the last weeks missed opportunities!
After numerous wasted corners and free kicks that didn’t clear the first defender, Stocky swung in a quality ball which the keeper could only punch clear. On the edge of the area Rooney controlled the ball on his chest, attempted a bicycle kick which spun off his foot and was handled by the covering defender. Everyone looked straight at the Ref, and he righty awarded a penalty kick.
Up stepped Rooney!! He stepped up confidently and struck the ball towards the TOP RIGHT corner only for it to come back off the post, luckily for Loughborough the rebound fell into the path of the their defender who cleared up pitch. His clearance fell kindly for their striker who was a body double of Emily Heskey. His 1st touch was exquisite but his 2nd let him down and gave me a chance to clear. I fluffed the chance and he totally out muscled me to run clear at goal. Thank God his finishing wasn’t as great as his strength cos he punted the ball straight down Ben’s throat. Just shows how quick football can change, from our penalty to them going clean through!!
Still 1– 0 but we should be atleast 2 goals up, we had to keep picking away at Loughborough and we knew the all important goal would come r way! Little Ben between the sticks was nothing but a spectator.
The half time team talk was a fair one. Taxi made one change not tactical, it was Kav for Terry at right back. Everyone knew that if we defended well and played as a unit we should concede.
We come out the stocks like a raging bull. Stocky made the pass of the match with the outside of his right boot. It put Rooney through on goal with only the keeper to beat, but his effort sailed wide. Maybe it was lack of football cos last term Rooney would have nestled it in the top corner. If that went in it would have been GAME, SET AND MATCH!!
We got our deserved second, and to be fair we were a bit fortunate. It all steamed from a 2 footed tackle from Wayne out wide on the left. He won the ball TOTTALLY but both feet WERE off the ground. He “WON” the ball and looked up, found Stocky on the edge of the 18 yard box. Stocky turned brilliantly and was hacked down by their covering defender. Free kick was awarded, which Stocky curled into the far right hand bottom corner, leaving the keeper NO chance. During the award of the free kick Loughborough players and management staff all surrounded the Ref implying Wayne shouldn’t be on the pitch after the “tackle”!! Ref weren’t having any of it!!
At 2 – 0 up disaster happened, well for Loughborough. Rooney chested the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box, teeing himself up for his 2nd bicycle kicks of the game. The ball was up in the air, Rooney was in the air but their defender headed the ball before Rooney connected. Rooneys right boot SMASHED the defender flat in the face, I was the other end of the pitch and only saw the defenders legs go “jelly” and fall face down into the turf.
We all knew then that it was a serious injury, everyone including both sets of players and management teams rushed to his aid. The Ref advised us to ring an ambulance, which Terry dually done. While we waited for the ambulance, their player came too. His nose was defo broken and was pushed up into his forehead. Thank God there wasn’t a mirror that he could have seen himself! After 15 minutes the Loughborough players moved their defender off the pitch so we could continue the game.
The game didn’t get back to the pace that was set before the incident. We created only one chance that fell to Darran L who had just come on the pitch. He didn’t realise how much time he had. He tried to unleash his almighty left boot to open his account for the Station, but missed the ball completely. He swung that hard he span round like a contestant on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
Loughborough ended the game with a lucky consolation goal. From a corner their striker was unmarked at the far side of the 18 yard box to sweep home. Maybe if our player stayed on the back post instead of pushing out, it would have been cleared with ease!!
2 -1 FINAL WHISLE
A special note concerning the game was that the Loughborough players and management staff were total gentlemen over that horrific event. A lot of teams would of “kicked off” but Loughborough didn’t! They were even concerned with the distressed Rooney who couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
I spoke to the Loughborough Manager the following day and he informed me that their defender had just been released from hospital. He has a broken nose with NO recognition of the game and no idea how it happened!!
