Victory Club 3-2 Donkins FC
The Victory Club claimed their first win of the 2012 / 2013 season with a remarkable comeback to beat Donkins at Marley Potts.
Steve Jackson for a number of reasons was down to the bare bones in terms of a team to pick and even had to play himself. This showed in the opening exchanges as although the Victory tried to pass the ball on the floor they looked a little laboured. They did manage to fashion out the first opportunity of the game though as Scott Hunter crossed for Reece Langley but he seemed to misjudge the flight and could only head over the bar.
Then Donkins got in on the act and forced the ever improving Steve Lordon into a decent stop saving low to his right. The game was a tight affair and the scoring was opened by Donkins who latched onto an aerial mistake from Vics Skipper Nathan Hudson and the attacker made no mistake in lifting the ball over the helpless Lordon.
Despite the setback the Victory continued to play football and were unfortunate not to equalise from a set piece, Karl Addison whipped in a cross only for Scott Hunter's shot to hit a defender, fall to Ben Stores whos shot was also blocked, as Donkins tried to clear the area Addison again crossed to find Stores but again his header went agonisingly wide of the up right. Hunter then spurned another chance when he blazed over, perhaps he may think he could have done better.
The Victory's passing which had been sloppy by recent standards, almost cost them a goal as a mix up between Rodgers and Addison sent a Donkins player through but Lordon again denied him with a strong left hand to push the ball to safety. That was only a short lived reprieve though for the Victory as from the resulting corner a looping header was sent beyond Lordon to make the score 2-0.
Half Time
Jackson was unimpressed by the 1st half display and wanted his players to be less wasteful in the final third.
The second half began as the first had ended Donkins in control and missing chances which should have put them out of sight.
Simon Mountford was the next player to be sloppy in possesion and his woeful attempt at a cross field ball was intercepted only for Lordon again to make a great smothering save, but he could do nothing with the rebound but fortunately for the Victory, Nathan Hudson had retreated onto the line to make an excellent block.
Donkins then with thirteen minutes to go had the chance finally to seal the game when second half substitute Greg Davison was ajudge to have fouled a Donkins player the decision looked harsh, but the Victory need not of worried as for the second week running Steve Lordon saved the penalty pashing the ball away from his bottom left hand corner.
That seemed to give the Victory a glimmer of hope and with seven minutes remaining the most extroadinary period of football began. Reece Langley won a penalty which looked harsh on Donkins but Greg Davison didn't mind as he stepped up to cooly role the ball into the net sending the 'keeper the wrong way. The Victory sensing they may get a chance to sneak a point continued to press by pinning Donkins to their 18 yard line and 3 minutes after the penalty the pressure paid off as Rodgers teed up Karl Addison whos cross flew over the 'keepers head into the net to bring the scores back to 2-2 with 3 minutes to play. Donkins who were now hoping for the final whistle had a chance to take the three points back but a poor choice in the final third gave possession back to the Victory and Michael Snowdon lifted a superb ball into the path of Langley who cheekily chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper before smashing the volley into the back of the net to put the Vics 3-2 up!!
The Victory played out the final two minutes of stoppage time to record the best come back in the club's history.
The Victory will now hope to push on in the league this season as they have already picked up as many points this as they did in the whole of the 2011/2012 campaign, and they have also gone three league games unbeaten, the first time that has happened since March 2009.
