Strikers End with a Flourish !

The Strikers were bouncing after the great 6-2 victory in the top of the table clash with Cherry Hinton Lions last week. The trouble was this week we had to visit Fulbourn. Our home match in the winter was an unmitigated disaster. Billed as the Clash of the Titans NST didn’t really turn up - frozen out by the freezing fog and tough opponents, we crashed out 8-2.

Since then Fulbourn have continued their awesome form - undefeated for the whole season, only a single point dropped and surely looking to defend that record right through to the last match. This was a bit of a problem for us as we needed a win to make sure of second place ahead of the Lions in the league (un-officially and non-competitively, of course!)

Faced with the reality of the task, no one really held out much optimism for this match, except Pete who had turned up without the lucky chair - “no need” - and (no so very) confidently forecasting a 4-4 draw.

Ah well, maybe like Liverpool we just needed to believe. That was certainly the message Duncan was preaching - “go and play football, enjoy yourselves, show your skills”

Well it’s a glorious day and a flat pitch - definitely the best pitch we’ve ever played on and the blow-up goals looked sturdy enough. So come on ref - let’s get on with it.

 Fulbourn have the kick-off and boot it straight into touch. Is this some cunning plan? Apparently not. We’re soon on the attack, but their defence seems well organised and repels our efforts. Back down our end their giant No 6 takes a throw in that lands on the penalty spot. Blimey! They must have been working on that - Joe heads away to safety and we break with Jake and Matty S combining well - but within seconds the move breaks down and the ball is back up our end. Phew, these guys look dangerous....

There’s another gigantic throw in from Fulbourn. This time Ollie punches clear (He’s the goalie, so that’s ok!) and Matty S is onto it quick as a flash. He slides it forward to Jake who moves it out wide to Alex surging down the wing. He drives it across goal to Ed who spanners it up for Matty S to head. It clonks off Matty S and a defender tries to clear, but the ball limps out to Ed again who cunningly tonks it off a defender for Matty S to BURY IN THE BACK OF THE FULBOURN NET from two yards out !!!!! You little beauty!

Strikers 1 Fulbourn Nil. Oh yeah baby!

(Note for Bridget: Spanner, clonk and tonk are special footballing terms. Use them in your next match report and you’ll sound dead professional like me.)

The NST supporters are all very pleased, with big cheesy grins, but looking at each other with knowing glances which say - “Great, but I’m not sure we can hold onto a 1-0 lead for the whole match...” The boys don’t seem aware of our trepidation and are buzzing around like maniacs. We win a corner and Ed’s header is only inches over the bar, oooohhh!

Back down the other end there’s another massive, threatening throw-in, but no damage is done and we’re soon back on the attack. The boys are on fire today. Matty S goes close with a shot across goal after a mazy, penetrating run from Alex. The opposition are not all about long throw-ins either. In one fine move they go from goalie to centre forward in a couple of passes and are unlucky to have Ollie make a fine save. Back down the other end Alex sends a shot fizzing just past the post after some great approach work by Ed and Jake.

Start of Q2 and Oliver, Matty P and George are unleashed. Ollie comes out of goal handing the yellow jersey to Alex. Oliver brimming with confidence and shows off his fancy footwork for us to admire. Soon we’re back defending another long throw. This time it isn’t really cleared and bounces around the box until finding the Fulbourn No 6. He slots it coolly to make the score one all. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted. Here comes the retribution....

Oh Ye of little faith ! We attack back and the Fulbourn goalie gathers. He rolls it out to his full back. No danger, except Oliver is playing out of his skin today. He relieves the full back of possession, does him for pace and crosses early for Ollie to slot left footed before the keeper can react. What a goal. It’s a thing of beauty.

The fans are stunned. Strikers 2 Fulbourn 1. Now we believe !

After the re-start Fulbourn are back pressing. After some snappy passing by Fulbourn we are relieved to see a rather tame shot gratefully clutched to Alex’s chest. He wastes no time launching a counter attack and Oliver smashes a fierce shot into the goalie. Ollie is unlucky to not finish off the rebound.

Then a real break through. George has been withdrawn for medical attention and Ed is covering. He picks up the ball in right midfield and drives at the heart of the Fulbourn defence before sliding the ball out wide to Oliver. Oliver pings a first time pass for Ollie to latch onto and his nonchalant finish is in the back of the net before you can say “Shelford and Stapleford Strikers”. Wow ! 3-1 to NST. There is some fantastic football being played here. Come on you Strikers!

Oliver receives a throw in and skins the first defender but is crunched by the second. Free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box. As Oliver lines up the shot Ed is lurking unmarked but there is no doubt what is going to happen here. We hold our breath.... BAM ! Straight into the side netting. Unlucky son.

The match is a throbbing affair. One minute the Strikers are driving forward, the next Fulbourn are pressing us back with their smart, passing game. Goal mouth incidents abound. Sean goes close in one melee and then is back down the other end throwing out a leg to intercept the ball. All the boys are on top form. Matty P pings a shot wide and then exchanges passes with Matty S to win a throw-in. Alex lobs it into the box and Jake rises gracefully to nod it in past the goalie. Where was the defence? But to quote a famous commentator, “frankly, who cares?” The score is 4-1 to NST. We’re in dreamland ! Somebody pinch me.

There’s still time for more action. Fulbourn come forward again, but the giant No 6 is dispossessed by the diminutive, terrier-like George. It’s just that sort of game. We can do no wrong. The ball breaks to Oliver who blasts a shot goalwards but just over the bar.

But the key to this match is our defence. Joe has been immense all match. Disciplined, organised, strong and alert, quick into the tackle. Hansen would be purring if he could see this display. He’s partnered with Mark at the moment and the pair of them are like a couple  of guardian rotweilers. Even when the rear line is breached, Matty S is in superb form making an acrobatic save from a particularly threatening cross-shot. The final minutes are played out and as Oliver blasts another shot just into the side netting the ref blows his whistle and it’s over.

What a fantastic game played with terrific spirit. Congratulations to Fulbourn on winning the  league and many thanks to their team manager for the positive way he managed his team and for his kind words about our boys after the match. A true sportsman.

And a big thank you to Duncan, Paul and who Dave have managed and trained the boys so excellently and with such dedication this season. We’ve had a lot of fun along the way and look forward to the next season and maybe winning a few tournaments over the summer?

Squad: Matty P, Matty S, Alex, Jake, Sean, Mark, Oliver, Ollie, Ed, Joe, George

Scorers: Ollie (2). Jake, Matty S

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