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A Day to
Remember |
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An
unusually autumnal day hailed the second meeting of Forest
Glade with Dons Academy in as many weeks. Forest had lost at
home 2-1 in the dying minutes of their last meeting after a
tremendous tussle and was more than eager “to set the record
straight”. |
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Thus
unbeaten so far and with aspirations of lifting the title,
Dons Academy might have been forgiven in thinking that they
would extend their unbeaten run by taking another 2 points
from “the Glade”. |
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Now, for
the record, “The Dons” were a very good team indeed and in
particular their left-winger who had more tricks than Paul
Daniels. However, a fit again David Scriven was drafted in
and detailed to mark him. “Scriffo” was up not only up for
the task, but positively “rabid”, having been denied regular
football because of self inflicted injuries. Scriffo had
been so unlucky this term with injuries, that had he picked
his nose before the match start, he would probably have
broken his fingers. |
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The omens
were good, as Chris Wong had won the toss. Usually, Chris
could not win a toss up even if he supplied a double-headed
coin. |
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The
referee commenced the match looking mighty fine in his
regalia. Forest immediately got into their strides. They
stroked and caressed the ball weaving intricate football
movements, which baffled the Dons players. Their football
was like the first movement in a Mozart Orchestral
masterpiece and frankly had all the Forest parents and
management mesmerised, hypnotised and transfixed, admiring
the grace, the pace and symmetry of such play. Jack Moxley
was conducting the orchestra; Jack Still and Alex Stephens
were clashing the cymbals such were the ferocity of their
tackles. |
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Alex
Stephens was a man possessed and would tackle a crisp bag if
it blew onto the pitch as was Jamie Merrit, tracking back
and putting in tackles that made ones eyes water. |
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By now the
back four had the measure of their attack. Our keeper Matt
swept up all before him, Scriffo have the measure of their
winger, much to their annoyance and frustration. Sam
Alexander was a towering presence and didn’t let a thing
pass, Marshie, playing with a broken hand was as safe and as
reliable as ever. |
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Chris
Wong, well he was there, we think!!!!! Yeah he was there, he
won the toss!!!! |
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10 minutes
into the game, Forest won a corner and from the resulting
melee, the ball fell to Jack Moxley who hit a crisp half
volley heading for the net and deflected off a Dons player
into the corner of the goal. 1-0, Ticker Tape celebrations
ensued. |
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Recently
NASA the National American Space Agency was studying a way
into getting extra velocity from take off in order to keep
the rocket vertical in flight. They needed to look no
further than Sammy Elliott. We all knew Sammy was fast, but
he was absolutely devastating in pace and terrified the Dons
defence. 20 minutes into the game, Sammy blasted out from
trap 6 like a greyhound chasing a hare and skipped past two
defenders, cutting the ball back to Joe Maskell, who buried
the ball into the net, 2-0. More ticker tape celebrations. |
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The first
half continued with more scintillating play from the Forest
boys and at times interluded by sparkling movements, honed
and perfected on the training pitch. |
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The half
ended with Forest 2-0 up. Eric “blow torch” Lazell, and Ray
(Coach and assistant coach respectively) shoved their chests
out even further, such was their pride for their boys and
the half time talk was on other subject matter as they could
asked them to do no more. |
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The second
half was a more sedate affair with the Dons pressing for a
goal. The defence just would not let them pass. The forwards
held the ball up well; in particular Joe Maskell and the
midfield of Jack, Jack and Alex controlled the play. |
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David
Smith came on for Jamie and showed that we had strength in
depth as he played equally well, spraying the ball around
the battlefield. All the chances were created by Forest.
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Sammy
continued to destroy their defence with his pace and the
Dons keeper saved twice from him. |
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The game
was being played at such a high pressure pace so it was no
surprise that the boys began to tire, but no one had told
Sammy. |
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With the
blue touch paper ignited in Sammy’s legs he sped off on
another mazy run, beating one man, two men and cutting into
the by-line, right foot cocked, ready to unleash a
thunderbolt, he was blatantly taken out of the match by
their defender. The tackle would have not been out of place
had “Chopper Harris” or Norman “bite your legs” Hunter
delivered it. |
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“Penalty”
cried the crowd but to our horror and amazement the referee
did not give despite Sammy being prostrate, laid out and in
a horizontal position. Unable to continue the match, Sammy
was replaced by Jamie and the sense of injustice drove the
boys to burst their lungs once more. |
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The ball
was fed to Alex Stephen, riding one challenge he hit the
ball left footed over the keeper and straight into the onion
bag. 3-0 game over. |
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It was
nothing more than the boys deserved. Pele called it “the
beautiful game” today The half ended with Forest 2-0 up.
Eric “blow torch” Lazell, and Ray (Coach and assistant coach
respectively) shoved their chests out even further, such was
their pride for their boys and the half time talk was on
other subject matter as they could asked them to do no more.
|
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The second
half was a more sedate affair with the Dons pressing for a
goal. The defence just would not let them pass. The forwards
held the ball up well; in particular Joe Maskell and the
midfield of Jack, Jack and Alex controlled the play. |
|
David
Smith came on for Jamie and showed that we had strength in
depth as he played equally well, spraying the ball around
the battlefield. All the chances were created by Forest.
|
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Sammy
continued to destroy their defence with his pace and the
Dons keeper saved twice from him. |
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The game
was being played at such a high pressure pace so it was no
surprise that the boys began to tire, but no one had told
Sammy. |
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With the
blue touch paper ignited in Sammy’s legs he sped off on
another mazy run, beating one man, two men and cutting into
the by-line, right foot cocked, ready to unleash a
thunderbolt, he was blatantly taken out of the match by
their defender. The tackle would have not been out of place
had “Chopper Harris” or Norman “bite your legs” Hunter
delivered it. |
|
“Penalty”
cried the crowd but to our horror and amazement the referee
did not give despite Sammy being prostrate, laid out and in
a horizontal position. Unable to continue the match, Sammy
was replaced by Jamie and the sense of injustice drove the
boys to burst their lungs once more. |
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The ball
was fed to Alex Stephen, riding one challenge he hit the
ball left footed over the keeper and straight into the onion
bag. 3-0 game over. |
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It was
nothing more than the boys deserved. Pele called it “the
beautiful game” today it was. |
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You did it
for yourselves, the team, and you did it for the management.
Well done boys, keep this up! |
