The UNITS took on Chainwire for the 2nd time this season, this time in the League Cup and this time on our own pitch
Cuzers plans were dealt a blow with a couple of late pre-game withdrawals when Hunter had a family illness and Barney & Keith had picked up injuries. However Chinner & Ross returned to the fold after their respective injuries as we lined up as follows:
Mala, Danny, Brownie, Kie, Eggy, Baker, Ashton (c) Coco, Newton, Ginge, Pountney
Bench - Chinner, Rad, Taylor & Ross
Chainwire were a little late to get out on the pitch and it wouldn't have helped them with the UNITS starting at a high tempo, Pountney had a one on one saved inside within 2 minutes and on 6 minutes the boy wonder had put us ahead when Ashton helped on a ball forward and Pountney raced away from the Chainwire back four before slotting under the keeper
It was all UNITS and Ginge, Pountney again, Ashton and Coco all spurned decent chances to add to our goals inside the first 15 minutes
The 2nd did come on 20 minutes and it was one hell of a strike, a slick attacking move resulted in firstly Pountney having a goalbound shot blocked, the rebound fell to Ashton who had his shot blocked by a Chainwire body before Baker picked up the ball 20 yards out and rifled a screamer into the bottom corner giving the keeper no chance
What was encouraging was as good as we were going forward we were very solid at the back, Eggy & Kie were having their best game together to date and both full backs were solid as Chainwire struggled to get any foothold in the game
Our 3rd on 35 minutes was another beauty when Ashton picked up a half cleared cross and swivelled on the edge of the box before rifling a screamer in off the post, again giving the hapless keeper no chance
Right before HT Coco shot at the keeper when clean through after another slick passing move but the UNITS came in 3-0 up and it seemed in complete control
HT 3-0
Cuzer was pleased with the first half display and told the lads so good work off the ball too had made life difficult for Chainwire when they did venture forward and it was encouraging we looked solid at the back and the challenge was to now ing keep a clean sheet & not take our foot off the gas
We started the 2nd half well, Ginge again went close and Pountney was a constant threat with his movement as the UNITS were playing with good tempo
We were a little guilty just before the hour mark of not using the width and playing a little narrow which enabled Chainwire to break up more of our attacks and get more into the game, Mala was relatively untroubled though bar a couple of long range efforts
Paul Taylor replaced Newt's on the hour mark, again Newt's putting in a tidy performance, Tayl's went up top with Ginge and Pountney movout wide
On 65 minutes our lead was pegged back to 2 goals and the clean sheet aspirations dashed as Chainwire rifled in a 25 yard free kick which Mala could only watch crash against the crossbar and the Chaniwire striker was quickest to the rebound and bundled the loose ball home
Kie then picked up a hamstring tweak and Radman came on in a like for like swap
The goal lifted Chainwire as you would expect and they fancied their chances of getting something out of the game as the UNITS again found themselves in a game which really should have been all over
We we're still well on top though and Pountney finally put the game to bed on 75 minutes when put in down the left flank he tried to square to the unmarked Taylor but the keeper blocked the cross and Pountney was sharp in sliding home the loose ball from a tight angle
Ross made a welcome return from injury for goal scorer Pountney straight after the goal
On 80 minutes UNITS made it 5 with the best team goal of the day when Taylor and Ashton did well in the build up before Ross was played in behind the full back, Ross then beat his man and crossed low for Coco to run onto the ball and sidefoot past the keeper from 12 yards, a slick build up and finish
There was still time for Ginge to add a 6th, after coming close all day he finally got his rewards when from a sloppy Chainwire throw he raced away from the defence before finishing clinically past the keeper to put a fairer reflection on the scoreline after an impressive mornings work from the UNITS
Man of the match went to Eggy who stepped up after some recent below par performances and did what his manager asked of him with an assured display of defending
Next up is another cup game against Star FC in the last 32 of the County Cup
Cuzer
