The UNITS laboured to an extra time 4-1 win over a spirited Vizibar in the QF of the Bromsgrove Sunday Minor Cup
On a rare occasion and for numerous reasons the UNITS only had 13 to choose from this morning and we lined up Mala, Chinner, Ferreira, Eggy, Darbs (c), Ross, Barney, Jim, Baker, Powell & Pountney. Penna and Lacey were on the bench
Vizibar lined up with a very flat and rigid back 5 and we're happy to clear their lines at every opportunity and with their midfield 3 working hard the first 15 was devoid of any quality. Barney and Ross we're having some joy down the flanks yet the final ball was lacking as the UNITS were at times overly sloppy
On 25 minutes Vizibar took the lead when a long 50 yard free kick was allowed to bounce by Ferreira and the striker ran on to poke the ball past Mala. Naturally this gave Vizibar a massive lift and it wasn't until the last 10 minutes of the half when we got well on top, Barney having a dubious goal chalked off and Powell, Pountney and Rook all forced good saves out of Phillips in the Vizibar goal
HT 1-0
Cuzer was far from happy at half time but in fairness the boys didn't need telling we were not playing well and it was up to the same 11 to go out and turn the tie around
Credit to the UNITS as the 2nd half from the off was total one way traffic but Vizibar were putting their bodies on the line and defending well and breaking them down was not going to be easy
In the first 15 minutes we got wide and to the byeline on numerous occasions yet a combination of good defending and poor final ball resulted in us not getting the breakthrough we strived
On the hour Ferreira and Chinner were replaced by Penna and Lacey with Cuzer looking for a lot more attacking play from both his fullbacks
Pountney dragged a shot wide he would normally bury and then had a shot saved well by Phillips as we kept plugging away, Rook again went close as did Barney. The UNITS then changed their shape to a 3-4-3 and the 3 forwards up against the 3 centre halves asked far more questions of Vizibar and from a Darbs flick on Ross headed home at the near post to level things up
UNITS should have wrapped it up in full time with both Powell and Barney missing good chances as the game for the 2nd week running went into extra time
FT 1-1
The momentum was now clearly with the UNITS and you felt if any side was going to go on and win it, it was us and this turned out to be the case
We stayed with the 3-4-3 yet the goal which gave us the lead came from an unlikely source, a fine cross field ball from Barney released Penna, now playing left mid, in behind the full back, one on one with the keeper he's gone for the dink over him only to scuff the ball along the floor, as Penna turns away in disgust the ball rolls through the arms of Phillips into the Vizibar net
This knocked the stuffing out of Vizibar and shortly after a fine cross from Jim was spanked into the top corner from a quiet Pountney from 10 yards to put the game beyond doubt
In the 2nd half of ET Vizibar went down to 9 men due to injuries and the UNITS stroked the ball around with ease, we could have added many more yet we only added one when Ross did well to beat his man and cross for Powell to steady himself before stroking home from 6 yards
All in all into the semi finals but a chance for some squad players to step up to the plate wasn't taken and we were very sloppy at times against committed but limited opposition. Credit to Vizibar they never stopped trying but the UNITS will have to be a lot sharper next week against Div 1 opposition Oceans Designs
Man of the match was Barney who was the pick of a poor bunch!
