It looked like the snakes were dying out as numerous excuses were thrown out for the absentees. Although with the few that remained, a strong starting 11 was named with the most athletic bench the club has ever seen.
The ref blew the whistle to start the game.... the ref blew the whistle to end the half.
The first half went forward with next to nothing to note. Lucy was full of energy running up the right wing and had one moment where he could have set the tone if only he/she (we'll settle for IT) had the confidence to lace the ball with it's weaker foot. Instead, the drag queen squared the ball and somehow it missed everyone and resulted to nothing. Literally the only piece of positive attacking action from the first half. There was some good running from individuals namely Jonny, Andy, Lucy and Casey but unfortunately, as a team in the first half we just weren't at the races.
The highlight of the game coming just before half time as Captain Chocolate was doing his substitute duties in retrieving the ball, pulls yet another muscle!! A true candidate for Dick of the Day.
As the half time team talk would have it, the management spoke of the lack of quality going forward in the first half and so as the second half started, the snakes looked to push forward more.
A couple of crosses in to the box found their target but unfortunately, there just wasn't enough power on the headers from Gibby to beat the opponents makeshift keeper that normally plays centre half.
A couple of changes were then made in the 60th minute, David on for the Angry Man of the team (Lee) with David going to the right wing and Andy coming in to Central Midfield.
With the pace of David causing a few questions for the opposition full back, he was found on the right wing and dribbled the ball in to the box before it was cleared, the clearance fell to Jonny who struck the ball well and caused the keeper to make the best save of the day with what seemed to be the only real attempt on goal.
Another change then came in the 70th minute. With Lucy being run in to the ground, IT came off to be replaced by Marcus the gaffer Williams. He took up the role between the sticks which allowed Thrums Halls very own Monk to push up the pitch to try and support the attack and hopefully support in generating some more opportunities.
The Monk as usual was extremely comfortable on the ball and with the support of the very impressive Snake of the team (Casey), started to cause trouble down the left hand side.
Disaster then struck on the 73rd minute as a moment of lapse in concentration allowed the visitors to break down the right and they got in behind the defensive line and a very low effort in to the bottom right hand corner had the substitute keeper beaten at the near post. He believed it wasn't a Stanger Clanger or a Tap Flap and that the attacker shouldn't have got through, but the consensus on the side lines was that it was Mr Williams that was the culprit resulting in a Silly Willy mistake.
The players wanted to get back in to the game but unfortunately were on the back foot again as the ball came down the left flank and as the cross was put in the box, Carl Cannon Cartlidge decided it was time to stop playing football and start playing volleyball and handled the ball in the box. PENALTY GIVEN in the 78th minute. A neat finish in the bottom right hand corner had Mr Silly Willy wishing he wasn't 5 foot tall as he just got his hand to it. If only he'd have a few extra inch (so his missus keeps saying) and he'd have kept it out.
The final substition came in the 80th minute as Josh came on for the impressive Andy.
With the game feeling done and dusted and the result going against us, we actually started to play a bit of football and started to pass the ball a little better. In the 83rd minute, after some neat passing, the ball was played in to the box and David was there to slot the ball home. 5 minutes left to play and a couple of wild shots that never hit the target left the team frustrated and wondering if only.
The result, a 2-1 loss.
We move to next where the snakes not only need to find their bite, but need to make sure there is some venum in that bite!!!
