The Lions progressed to the second round of their second Cup competition this season, courtesy of well taken extra-time winner from Ollie and an all-round battling performance against one of our bogey teams. The Lions had previously not even scored against Renegades in three competitive games last season and conceded seven in those games, so the victory was all the sweeter.
Line-up:
Paige (GK)
Phil (RB), Simon (CB), Matt (CB), Julian R (LB)
Lee (RM), JP (CM), Ollie (LM)
Richard (RF), Scott (CF), Kevin (LF)
The kick off was supposed to be at 10 am instead of the usual 10.30, due to a request by the opposition. However, their kit guy didn't get the message apparently, so we still kicked off nearer 10.30 anyway.
The first half was fairly even in terms of possession but we shaded it in terms of chances. Their keeper had to make some decent early saves from Scott on the turn towards the left post after he had been found by Kevin who had an excellent game. Scott was again denied by the keeper getting hands onto a shot and pushing it wide. JP had a shot cleared off the line in a mad goalmouth scramble. In comparison, Paige had very little to do in the first half. Their best chances came from corners, one of which Paige had to tip over.
The one thing we were having trouble with was our short passing game, with too many 5 or 10 yard passes going astray, which was putting us under more pressure than we deserved.
Still 0-0 at the break and we felt we were on top. The second half started as more of the same, but we let them get into the game as the half wore on. Kev had a great chance when he went through one-on one-but he scuffed his shot and it limply rolled up to the keeper.
There was a goalmouth scramble at our end when another corner saw the ball dropping right in the six yard area and being stabbed goalwards. There was a shout that it had crossed the line, but it was cleared out and there weren't too many complaints. At the other end, there was another goal-line clearance, unfortunately, it has to be said by yours truly. I had stayed up for a corner and was making a nuisance of myself next to the keeper. Kyle took the corner early and whipped in a superb ball which skimmed off the back of the defender's head in front of me. I had already started to dive in order to meet the ball, but it flew off the guy's head and just rebounded off me. I had no clue where the ball went, but it most definitely wasn't in the back of the net which is where it would have been but for my head.
It was all fairly even then and getting very competitive with tackles crunching in. Their keeper - who on the whole had a very good game - miskicked a back pass up into the air but the onrushing Scott couldn't get enough power in his header to take it over the keeper.
We had a major scare late on in the half when a free kick from our right wasn't cleared away properly and the ball pinged around the penalty area for ages until it looped out to a guy on the left corner of the box who hit a sweet volley first time. It pinged into the goal off the far post with Paige well beaten. However, the lino (yours truly again) had had his flag up for an offside from the initial ball in, which went unseen by the ref, until JP brought it to his attention, when we were about to kick off again in the centre. To his credit, the ref came over and after a word with me changed his mind and gave the offside. To their credit, the opposing team took it really well when they could have had the right hump, but even a couple of their guys saw the offside to begin with.
Finished 0-0 after the 90 minutes then and into extra-time for I think only the second time in Lions history. And it was us who made the breakthrough in the first period. Dorian took a really long throw from the right which got to Kev, who sent Ollie through on goal. Showing great composure, Ollie buried it on the half-volley.
The oppo's best response was a few blasts over the bar from outside the area, but they didn't really have anything in that first fifteen. In the second period, they started getting more people forward and stretching our tiring - and cramping - defence. One of their guys had a decent effort but it was straight at Paige. Scott put Kev through with another of his sly backheels but his cross into the area couldn't find a blue shirt. Scott then had two good opportunities to wrap it up. The first one was again down to a keeper miskick which was a complete slice with the ball running left of goal. Scott gave chase and got to it but with the keeper running back desperately to his line, he could only blast it over the bar. The second was a half-volley from the right that had needed a smart flying save from the keeper to keep out.
With time running out, their keeper came up to add his considerable presence to the cause and he got on the end of a corner from outside the box to ping the ball into the danger area. This was met with a really smart volley that was going goalwards at speed but was met by an equally smart pair of hands from Paige to turn it round the post.
That was the last major action and the final whistle was a relief to our guys who were nearly out on their feet. A first clean sheet of the season (first one in nearly a year) and another Cup game won. Think we have now trebled our total overall Cup wins in this one month. Well done everyone, now carry this performance into the League.
