The UNITS travelled to Nunnery Wood to take on Worcs Prem outfit New Inn in the next round of the Nursing Cup. A formidable task awaited with New Inn turning over Wolverley last week and the situation wasn't helped for the UNITS when due to a late few drop outs and Seeks only 50% fit we travelled with a squad of 14 as we lined up: Mala, DJ, Gilo, Sean, Taylor, Baker, Newt, Coco, Pountney, Acer and Seeks. Subs were Ben, Trigger and Barney.
On a big wide pitch New Inn started brightly but the shape of the UNITS was good and we were denying the home side any time on the ball and we were looking lively on the break ourselves. On 6 minutes it was the UNITS who drew first blood, New Inn went long down the centre and Tayl's won a fine header at full stretch against the big target man, DJ picked up the 2nd ball and hit a 40 yard ball in behind the full back for Pountney to race onto, the boy wonder's first touch was excellent as he got in front of his man, accelerated into the box and coolly slotted past the keeper from 15 yards to put the UNITS 1-0 up. On 10 minutes and the home side still shell shocked it was 2-0, some lovely play down the UNITS right involving Acer, Newts and Coco resulted in DJ weaving his way into the box as he cut inside his man he was brought down, no complaints and a penalty to the UNITS, Seeks stepped up to dispatch the kick into the top corner as the UNITS extended their lead.
The home side were getting ratty, clearly not expecting to be behind to a Division One outfit but it was no more than the UNITS deserved, on 15 minutes we were a whisker away from making it 3-0 when again from a slick counter attack some one touch football resulted in Seeks accelerating away form the back line only to beat the keeper from a tight angle yet his shot hit the side netting form 18 yards. New Inn started to edge into the game, from one free kick 30 yards out their lad hit a fine strike which hit the bottom of the post and then from a long ball into the box and a nod down their lad was offside in the 6 yard box as he prodded past Mala. On 30 minutes having weathered a bit of a rally from New Inn the UNITS let the home side back into the game from the penalty spot. Disappointingly it was a UNITS free kick out wide which Gilo delivered into the box and from the clearance we found ourselves 3 on 3 and as their lad was played in he tangled with the recovering Gilo just inside the box, it was a bit of a coming together really yet the referee pointed to the spot and Mala almost pulled off a fine save low to his left as the spot kick just nestled into the bottom corner.
New Inn now had their tails up and Mala did superbly well to punch away an in swinging corner from under the bar and claim two crosses under pressure as the UNITS stood firm as the home side chased an equaliser. On 43 minutes the UNITS made it 3-1 after working hard in the middle of the park Acer pounced on the ball and raced away from the static New Inn back line, he rounded the keeper only for the retreating defender to clear his shot off the line yet Newt's had put a right shift in to support the attack and slid in to prod the ball over the line to give the UNITS a great cushion just before half time.
HT New Inn 1 v 3 TS UNITS
Cuzer was delighted with the first half performance, the shape and application was spot on and the message was very much more of the same. We knew New Inn would come out all guns blazing and on 50 minutes they pulled one back, from a good ball into the box their striker did well to hold up the ball, turn and force Mala to tip over the bar from 15 yards out however from the resulting corner their centre half who's belly was as big as his mouth got in front of his marker to glance a near post header in off the post to make it 3-2. So early in the half New Inn were right back in the game yet the UNITS maintained the work rate and were playing some great stuff themselves, on the hour mark we restored the two goal cushion when after a slick break away DJ whipped in a wicked cross which Newt's was inches away from heading home however the ball found its way to Seeks on the back stick who rifled past the keeper from a tight angle for his 2nd of the game.
5 minutes later it was 5-2 when again some smart passing through midfield resulted in Coco playing in Pountney who finished clinically from inside the area to put the game beyond doubt. The UNITS were a whisker away from another when from a Coco corner Acer was inches away at the front stick from glancing home. It was Acer's last contribution as he was replaced by Ben for his debut as Cuzer shuffled the shape to hold on to what we had. Seeks then had a great chance to grab a hat trick when clean through one on one he beat the keeper only to see his low shot cannon off the post and be hacked away to safety. Seeks then pressured the centre half and keeper into a mistake as the keeper cleared only as far as Coco who dinked the ball over the back peddling keeper only to see his cheeky effort come back off the crossbar, Seeks tried to follow up the rebound yet New Inn blocked and cleared inside their 6 yard box.
With 10 minutes left Newt's gave away a free kick 25 yards from goal and the New Inn midfielder bent a curling effort around the wall and into the top corner, Mala just getting fingertips to the effort to make it 5-3. Cuzer then introduced Barney and Trigger for Seeks and Sean. Trigger was instantly into the action when he was played in behind the New Inn defence, as he shifted the ball in the box as he was about to pull the trigger he was clipped from behind by the hapless home skipper, Pountney stepped up to take the penalty and clinically dispatched the PK to secure his hat-trick. Shortly after the referees whistle signalled the end of the game and what was a superb win for the UNITS.
Some key players missing today but just goes to show the quality of the squad we have as we deservedly beat a decent side.
All through the team it was a great effort, we defended well, PT and Millette were back to their best at the back, Baker, Newts and Coco worked tirelessly in the middle of the park and both wide men caused them all sorts of problems. Seeks was brilliant especially being only half fit yet Man of the Match goes to Acer who came in from the cold having not played for a while and worked his socks off for the team, was unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions and never stopped running.
Next up the UNITS finally get back to league action as we entertain Station at home.
