RYMAN LEAGUE CUP 2nd ROUND
Att: 168
SUTTON UNITED – 2 [Fowler 17. Bailey 84]
METROPOLITAN POLICE – 0
After Saturdays somewhat ‘interesting’ visit to Northwood, we’re back to the real nitty gritty. The big one. The Bryco Cup! (Don’t miss it!).
You know, that great competition which involved 2 trips to Chesham following a burglary on our dressing room, a trip to Aylesbury, along with journeys to Grays & Canvey to follow that. All midweek.
As you can probably guess, we didn’t really “Miss it” as soon as we were out of the sodding thing.
Tonight then made a nice change. A home match and against oppo currently lurking near the bottom of Division 1 South. And with the rozzers minds hopefully on the shedload of overtime they’ll no doubt be clocking up whilst trying to prevent someone blowing up that Bush bloke, there’ll be a chance for us to notch a few goals.
In the Hood I find Gareth & Dave already getting comfortable. Chalmers manages to show up just before we make a move for the game. Also joining us for the evening is another Dave. Of the AFC Womble variety. Apparently he’s coming down tonight as by his own admission “he’s bored”.
And lets face it. you’d fucking have to be to venture down to GGL tonight mate!
Still no Greek bloke though as he’s not back from his little junket to Sun City. Ha! His loss!
Tonights side has a couple of little tweaks from the weekend. Sadly, Jon Nurse doesn’t get the start we’d expected. Fowler is partnered up front by new man, Tobi Jinadu. Hanlan drops back into midfield.
Sadly, it seems thoughts of lucrative overtime & nicking anti-bush crusties are not occupying the minds of our visitors as they settle very quickly. After just 7 minutes, a long range effort is deflected by Palmer & loops just over Iga’s crossbar. A minute or so later and an unkind bounce puts a Met attacker in on goal, but he pulls his shot across the face.
The U’s finally respond after around 10 minutes. A pass into the area is deflected into the path of Folwer. But the ‘keeper is off his line quickly and manages to smother the effort. Our slow start contnues as the coppers hit straight back. A midfielder is allowed to cut infield unchallenged and he drives a fierce 25 yard effort just a little too high & wide.
A little unfairly on the visitors we’re soon ahead with our first serious effort on goal after 17 minutes. Jinadu hold the ball up on the right before laying it into the path of Matt Gray. He whips in a great ball to the back post, picking out Fowler who outjumps his man and guides a header in off the base of the opposite upright.
Another excellent Gray cross almost brings an immediate second, but Fowler is unable to get a touch onto the low centre and the Plod goal survives intact. Despite these incidents, the first half is largely dull, with little to hold the interest. Just beyond the half hour, the Met are again a little unlucky with a man racing into the box and hooking the ball over an advancing Iga from an angle. But Patsy is there as usual and lulmps the ball to safety.
And, er, thats about it for the half!
The seconds half though is a little more entertaining. Mainly because the U’s step up a gear and hardly give the visitors a kick. A half time change sees Gonsalves replaced with Nurse. Jon naturally goes up front to partner Fowler. Jinadu drops back into defence to cover the injured Lewis. The tempo is much higher than the first half, although it does take us a good 10 or so minutes to manage an effort of any note when Bailey exchanges passes with Fowler on the edge of the box before driving a shot across goal and wide.
Also lets also not forget the entertainment value supplied by the Rozzers ‘keeper , Stuart McKenzie and his retractable studs early in the half. On 4 consecutive occasions, he goes arse over tit taking kicks without an opponent within 20 yards of him. An ironic cheer goes up from behind the goal when heis fifth attempt ends with him still standing.
In fact, Bailey is at the centre of pretty much everything. On 65 minuets a good run down the right by Gray & a good cross in just evades the midfielder at the back post and with a little over 20 minutes to play, Nicky runs onto a lovely pass over the defence by Hanlan. With only the ‘keeper to beat, he somehow manages to pull his shot wide of the far post.
Bailey lest someone else have a go while he gets his breath back and Jon Nurse breaks from deep on the right, cutting across-field. He glides past 2 opposition players before cracking a shot on the run that thumps back of the inside of the far post and rebounds out.
Ooooh, that was exciting! I’d almost forgotten what it was like to have some pace up front!
It’s a brief interlude though as the Nicky Bailey ‘attempt to score’ roadshow resumes. Gray bombs onto a pass down the right flank and takes his time to pull the ball back to Bailey around 8 yards out. But Nicky agonisingly drives the ball over the gaping net.
Christ, are we ever going to get a second?
The lads keep plugging away and another surging run by Nurse brings a good save out of the ‘keeper with the ball running loose on the right byeline. Bailey (who else!) recovers it and lays it into the path of Honey. But his well struck 20 yard effort is straight at the recovering ‘keeper.
With time running out, we’re beginning to wonder if we’ll regret missing this shedload of chances. But with around 5 minutes left, Bailey finally registers. And typically, it’s the hardest of the lot!
Gray goes down the right and plays a pass across the face of the 18 yard box. Nicky looks to hit it early, but is closed out by a defender. He then twists one way then the other a couple of times and just as his marker is about to collapse in a confused heap, he turns and thumps a shot inside the lef thand post with McKenzie completely stranded.
Still chuckling about the ‘keepers Keystone Cops impression, we head back to the Hood for a welcome beer. Here we talk Dave (no, not the womble one!) into coming to Kettering next tuesday.
Silly man.
MAN OF THE MATCH : Jon Nurse. I’d almosty forgotten what it was like to have pace up front!
ENTERTAINMENT : 5. Come on, it’s the Bryco cup innit!
TEAM : Iga, Palmer, Fletcher, Gonsalves, Akuamouah, Gray, Bailey, Honey, Jinadu, Hanlan, Fowler
SUBS : Bolt, Nurse, Hamlin
THE REFEREE’S A………anonymous bloke really. The game really was quite dull and he therefore had very very little to fuck up get wrong. After some of the complete morons we’ve had recently, it made a nice change!