Stronstad Utd vs Icomm FC
First Half Action From Farlington:-
Stronstad wanted to end the year on a high and victory today against Icomm FC could have seen them finish the year 7th in the league. The opening exchanged were all Stronstad as they settled the quicker of the two teams and they could have been a couple of goals up earlier on. First the ball was played into the penalty area where Sadiq Mohammad did not get proper contact and the ball drifted harmlessly wide. Then from a great counter attack which saw Nick Crocker rob an Icomm FC player before advancing towards the penalty area but his cross was behind the Adam Razzell but Ian Privett coming in at the back of the penalty area collected the ball before launching one over the bar when maybe he should have hit the target.
Stronstad took the lead against the run of play. Sadiq Mohammad who in his early part of his Stronstad career could not score to save his life but after being moved to midfield he could not stop scoring. 1 Against Cowplain was followed by 5 last week and again today he popped up with the opening goal. The ball was being played around the back 4 of Icomm FC and showing great determination he put the big centre back under pressure before robbing the ball off him and advancing into the box before firing a low strike past the Icomm FC goalkeeper and into the far corner to give Stronstad the lead.
Icomm FC pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left to play in the first half. The ball was played down the Stronstad right which saw the ball go over Ian Privett and into the open space. Usually Paul “Macca” McKay who normally 99 out of 100 attempts would have cleared the ball but on that one occasion he misjudged the slide tackle and the Icomm FC player was able to dance around him and then play a dangerous ball into the Stronstad penalty area where the ball was bundled home at the far post past Craig Stuart to give Icomm FC an equaliser that they might have deserved.
Stronstad continued to play some good football and were unlucky not to take the lead again on a number of occasions as first Ian Privett’s free kick flew over from 25 yards and then a quickly taken free kick from Paul “Macca” McKay curled an effort towards goal but a smart diving save denied Stronstad a second goal.
Then with 5 minutes until half time Stronstad got the all important 2nd goal. The ball was played into the Icomm FC penalty area where Adam Razzell collected the ball before smashing home his first goal for Stronstad and give Stronstad their second goal of the match.
Half Time:-
Stronstad Utd 2
Icomm FC 1
Second Half Action:-
The opening 10 minutes it was Icomm FC camped in the Stronstad half as they were using the wind to their advantage and it was all hands to the pumps as wave after wave of high balls were pumped into the Stronstad Utd box but it was some solid defending from Paul “Macca” McKay and Dan Razzell at the heart of the Stronstad penalty area which were holding firm but it was only a matter of time before Icomm FC pulled as goal back. With Stronstad playing into the wind they almost scored a 3rd goal as Lloyd Adams collected the ball and fired the ball over the Icomm FC defence where Adam Razzell buoyed by his first ran onto the ball and lobbed the Icomm FC keeper but the ball drifted inched over of the empty net.
With 15 minutes gone in the second half Icomm FC pulled level again. A Icomm FC player danced into the Stronstad box but his run was halted by a well timed tackle and for some reason under no pressure Pete Hamilton played the ball out for a corner kick. From the resulting corner the ball was played into the 6 yard box where a Icomm FC player headed the ball goalwards and despite the use of the arm from Paul “Macca” Mckay the ball was in the net and it was game on again. Straight from kick off Stronstad thought they had taken the lead again. Stronstad were awarded a free kick and from the free kick the ball was played into the Icomm FC penalty area where Nick Crocker and the Icomm FC keeper went up for the ball but Nick Crocker was adjudged to have fouled the keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net. Adam Razzell had another sight of goal as the lively Lloyd Adams collected the ball before sending a cross in where the unmarked Adam Razzell headed the ball wide.
Then Stronstad who were still playing some excellent football created a chance which resulted in a penalty. Lloyd Adams who was having another solid game collected the ball and played a through ball to Sadiq Mohammad who beat the Icomm FC keeper to the ball and was fouled in the box for a penalty. From the resulting penalty Paul “Macca” McKay stepped up but as he told me after the game he changed his mind at the last second and his penalty was saved by the Icomm FC keeper but the ball was still alive as Lloyd Adams collected the ball before firing across goal where Nick Crocker tapped home from close range to save Paul “Macca” McKay’s blushes and give Stronstad their 3rd and Nick Crocker his 2nd of the season.
This game was turning into an end to end affair with Aaron “Lurch” Brown putting in a vital tackle as Icomm FC looked to break and with Dean Barlow working tirelessly in midfield to support Adam Razzell up front. Soon came a second penalty to Stronstad as the Icomm FC player missed the ball and Lloyd Adams advanced towards goal and was upended in the penalty area for another penalty. Ian Privett took over the penalty and converted to give Stronstad a 4-2 lead.
From my experience playing against Icomm FC, they never give up and they kept battling away and managed to get a goal back. The ball was played to the big centre back for Icomm FC and he launched a wind assisted ball back towards goal from almost the half way line which beat Craig Stuart and found the top corner to give Icomm FC a lifeline with 10 minutes to play. It was all Icomm FC after this as they continued to put the Stronstad back four under increased pressure but they almost found themselves 5-3 down as Sadiq Mohammad collected the ball before steaming into the Icomm FC penalty area but his stinging low strike was well held and from the keepers kick out Icomm FC scored. The ball was played long to where Ian Privett tried to control the ball but his first touch let him down and an Icomm Fc player collected the ball and sent in an inswinging cross which Craig Stuart could not do anything about and an Icomm FC player knocked the ball home to draw the teams level.
Full Time:-
Stronstad Utd – 4
Icomm FC - 4
