27/02/11: Jollies (1) v (2) The Victory Club
Scorers: Smiles 2
Team: Swan (GK), Lewis, Bunyan, Davison (c), M. Dryden, Mountford (Stores), Collins, Lamb (Jackson), Robson, Harding (Hunter), Smiles
Unused Subs: Fisher, Hudson, Rodgers
Yellows: None
Reds: None
A brace from James Smiles helped secure the Victory Club a much needed 2-1 over Jollies in a relegation six pointer at the foot of the Division Two table. An accomplished all round team display saw Lee Hermiston’s charges give themselves some valuable breathing space between themselves and the two teams currently positioned in the drop zone.
The Victory made one change to the side that narrowly lost to The Golden Lion FC a fortnight ago with captain, Greg Davison, returning to the starting line up in place of the unfortunate Nathan Hudson, who dropped to the bench.
Despite the presence of a large puddle on one of the goal lines, referee Kieran Downey, passed the pitch as playable much to the delight of both teams who were keen to get a game on.
The Victory’s very own Rino Gattuso, Anth Collins, was given a strangely warm reception from the Jollies players before kick off but this all changed as the game got underway. Collins was forced to spend the first few minutes watching his back as numerous attempts were made to decapitate him although none proved to be successful.
With only ten minutes of the game gone, the Victory took an early lead. A shot from Peter Harding from just outside the box was parried by the Jollies goalkeeper but straight into the path of James Smiles who gleefully slotted the rebound home. It was no more than the Victory deserved for their positive start.
A few minutes later and the men in red almost doubled their advantage. A Stephen Robson free kick was swung in left footed to Greg Davison at the back post. The Victory skipper, showing excellent technique, met the ball on the volley with his trusty left foot but unfortunately for him the shot flew goal wards and hit the keeper, who knew little about it, and went away to safety.
Davison had another effort as the first half reached its midway point but the least said about his attempt at goal from a free kick the better. It was safe to say that the ball was a bigger threat to people’s windows in the houses behind the goal than it was to the actual goal itself. Anth Collins also came close to opening his Victory scoring account; however, his well struck effort from distance was straight at the keeper who made a comfortable enough save.
Jollies were struggling to string any meaningful play together in the attacking third but they were proving to be a threat from set pieces and it was from a corner that they almost levelled the scores. A ball was swung in and headed goal wards by a Jollies player but Bunyan, who was stationed on the far post, trapped the ball between his legs before clearing the danger. This illustrated the value of having a man on the posts, something which some teams incredibly decide against doing.
Jollies came close again five minutes later when this time a long throw caused havoc in the Victory penalty area but Swan, aided by Bunyan’s shout to let it go, coolly let a header drop just over his crossbar.
The Victory were still in charge of proceedings and Harding almost laid a goal on a plate for Graham Lamb but the Jollies keeper just managed to cut out the square ball.
Harding himself almost added a second goal right before the break but once again the Jollies keeper did well, this time beating away the Victory player’s right foot drive at his near post.
At the break, Hermiston announced he was delighted with his side’s efforts but warned that they must keep it going in the second period.
The Victory now kicking down hill began the second half as they had finished the first – on top. A James Smiles effort from range was a narrowly off target.
Jollies weren’t the only ones to have a long throw specialist in their armoury as the Victory’s answer to Rory Delap, Greg Davison, started to launch his own missiles into the Jollies penalty area. The keeper was making an absolute hash of dealing with these, flapping at everything but sadly for the Victory the ball wasn’t dropping for them.
Jollies continued to struggle to create any meaningful chances but Swan had to be alert to save a shot from distance when the big fat lad playing up front for Jollies turned and shot from just outside the edge of the box.
With twenty five minutes remaining, Hermiston made his first alteration with Scott Hunter coming on in place of Peter Harding.
Within five minutes of the substitution, the Victory gave themselves a two goal cushion as Smiles grabbed his second of the game. There seemed to be little on when Smiles picked the ball up just inside his own half but that wasn’t the case. Encouraged my shouts from the touchline of ‘Go on Maradona’, the Victory front man, sprinted down the left, skilfully evading four challenges before cutting inside towards the penalty area. Despite desperate pleas from two Victory players asking Smiles to square it he only had one thing on his mind and he didn’t disappoint rolling a shot past the keeper at his near post to send the Victory touchline wild. The goal was not too dissimilar to the one Smiles scored in the opening day draw against the New Demi but which of the two was better you’d have to ask the man himself.
A couple of minutes later and the Victory had a chance to go further ahead when Hunter found himself through on goal, however, rather than running clear and then shooting he inexplicably decided to square the ball to Robson, who was immediately given offside by the official. It demonstrated a lack of confidence from the Victory player who is still struggling to get back up to speed since his tummy trouble or more accurately a burst appendix.
Further chances came and went for Hunter – a free kick from twenty five yards drifted harmlessly wide of the left hand upright whilst an attempt at a cheeky lob from distance was comfortably saved by the keeper.
As the game entered the final fifteen minutes, Hermiston brought on Steve Jackson for Graham Lamb.
Then, with around nine minutes remaining, Jollies gave themselves real hope when they pulled a goal back. Unsurprisingly it came via a long throw in. The ball was hurled into the Victory box and found its way through to Anth Collins, who in attempting to clear only succeeded in slicing the ball towards his own goal where it looped over a helpless Swan and into the back of the net.
Jollies, buoyed by their goal, proceeded to throw everything they had at the Victory, even sending the keeper up for long throw ins.
Hermiston sent on Ben Stores for Simon Mountford to try and waste a bit of time.
In the final couple of minutes, Swan was called upon to make an excellent reaction save to keep a shot out at his near post but the Victory held firm and hung on.
At the final whistle the Victory players were understandably delighted as a good team display had helped them win on the road for the first time in the league this season. The win gives the men in red valuable breathing space at the bottom of the Division Two table. Next week, The Victory play host to Sunderland Athletic, although their task will be an even harder one given a number of absentees due to Sunderland’s away game at Arsenal the day before.
