Clifton FC v Aries Veterans F.C. (Friendly)
This week saw another break in league fixtures so another friendly was booked in! After a few days of being rough I popped a few paracetamol and was looking forward to a run out with the boys!
Think most had put there clocks forward a night early as everyone seemed to be there early...except Stu and Andy who were recreating a Wacky Races scene going round and round Queen Marys roundabout! Word is Alberto lent Stu his Sat Nav!!
We was out well early for the warm up but the pitch couldn't have been more opposite than last week's it was massive flat and perfect under foot! Scott and Rick spent most of pre warm up looking for a bus timetable for on end of the pitch to the other! !
After not feeling great I thought I'd warm up with Rick and Stotty as they was out last week so should get a good sweat on...wasn't wrong they were controlling with their shins,knees and bodies and chasing their touches for miles before shanking me passes all over the shop!! I survived so thought I'd be ok!
I lost the toss....Standard and we were with the wind first half! Game kicked off and it was obvious the conditions were going to make it tough. Also I think we thought we was playing with a grenade as no could or would hold onto the ball! 10 yard passes were overlooked and when they weren't the pass didn't find his man. Think a few of the boys must have played in Red and white stripes at previous clubs as all there passes went to the oppo.
Couple of cynical fouls by Scott then Dunc stopped potential breaks this got their winger who I think was sponsored by Just for Men a bit upset...Dunc soon shut him up though. Our best chance came from a corner that Scott flicked on and Andy volleyed against the bar. Scott had a few long range shots but both sides didn't really create anything.
I didn't think they were all that and we were making them look better by not playing our normal game. We had a few good passing moves but Stu was camped offside! Late in the half we played out from the back Dunc set me and I bounced the ball back I went to turn to move forward before being taken off my feet with the ball smashing me right in the ear. That sorted the headache right out. I could just about open my eyes and could see a little pretty pair of black and white boots with pink laces I blinked then saw a white pair with a kids cartoon drawing on. I now knew I was in trouble so had to go off. Over the years I've played with numerous injuries and illnesses and always got through it...never took in to account a Dunc one two! Ear is still glowing now..but luckily it didn't ruin my looks!
Half played out and we came in 0-0 after being pretty poor.
The 2nd half kicked off with Clifton facing the increasingly twattish wind and rain. Missing our talismanic skipper we took time to settle as Aries pegged us back and we struggled to put passes together. Aries are a decent outfit but their shooting was generally pretty woeful, and they had one or two good chances when, out of very little really, Dunc won a header at right back but the powerful wind in our faces took it in to the edge of our area. Champs had switched off momentarily and his man had a bit too much time to slot it in comfortably, 1-0. We got a bit angry, and a bit better, and started posing a bit more of a threat up top, but mostly it still wasn't great in the worsening conditions. Parity was restored with about 20 minutes to go when Stotty burst onto a great ball across the area from Hunter (I think?) and bravely beat the keeper to a 50-50, clipping it over him gloriously into the far corner. Good move, good goal. 1-1. The goal really seemed to get us going - at last. For a good spell, passes went to feet and stuck; tackles were being won all over the pitch; we pressed well and caused problems for Aries and we looked like the team we can be, although the oppo were always dangerous on the break. Lendog dropped into midfield to good effect, Ricky looked busy and dangerous, Andy tried a couple of specials, and the game was there to win. Dunc smashed another ball into a face, but this time it was an opponent who would have been able to claim an assist as the rebound luckily put their forward clear on goal, but he skied it from 8 yards. Aries had a soft penalty shout turned down when Barry breathed a bit too heavily on their quick forward who thought sitting himself down on the floor and waving his arms in the air deserved a penalty, but thankfully it wasn't to be. It would have been an even softer pen than the one which eventually won it for them late on. A bit of aggro in the box with 15 to go saw Reevesy, who spent most of the second chasing wild shots down to the fence at the bottom of the hill, come off second best with a frankly psychopathic earthworm, after he trod on its arse end in the process of passing out to Barry. Old Wormy swanned off giving it all that to his mates while poor Reevesy was left groaning, face down in the back of his net with a knackered ankle and wounded pride. Mark Rogers took over the gloves and stood in well, but he could do nothing to stop their smashed, dodgy penalty with 2 minutes to go. It was a harsh decision as a full-blooded shot from 4 yards away hit the acting skipper's upper arm when it was tight to his chest on the edge of the area. No one really appealed but the ref gave what he thought he saw, and that was that. I thought the ref was pretty good generally but surely they need to re-qualify or at least have their eyes tested after they turn 70. At least it was only a friendly. Something like that against Cudham would have resulted in bloody carnage, without a doubt. We still had time for some decent late pressure and a few set pieces, but we couldn't quite get what we needed for a draw. 2 (mostly) decent performances against pretty good teams in the last 2 weeks should give us good heart going back into league business next week. This is what friendlies are for. Bring on Bow St.
(Additional points omitted in the write up which needs to be included) Dunc dodged a bullet there Shauny - missed him heading against his own crossbar 🙈 Was going to drop a bit more on Stotty in there but want to break him back in slowly.. Reevsey kicks it out..Stotty is in he checks to cross..Doesn't keeps going..checks to shot,doesn't. ..keeps going. Checks to cross but doesn't....ball out of play Goal kick!! 🙈😂⚽💥👂🏼 Should I have mentioned Alberto playing wall passes with all the oak trees? Too late now.
