MBDA 0 Knobs 2

A fine victory on a dull, cold, windswept day on a pitch that hadn't been grazed since autumn.
Dunno if anyone listened or even took what was said to heart beforehand but that was exactly what this doctor ordered. No purist football in these conditions so keep hastling the man on the ball with energy. They're gonna need two or three touches just to get the thing under control before they can start their playing. Energy and commitment around the ball, the great leveller. Mind you we had players who want to  get the ball down and play a bit. Hopefully they wouldn't be so committed and I don't think they were, especially first half. It hadn't gone beyond our notice that a couple of their key players started as subs whether for injuries or because they thought we might be a soft touch I dunno but we took the first half and a two goal lead which we held to the end. Second half saw us dig deep and defend bravely against a multitude of crosses and corners. We deserved what we got.
They were slow out the blocks and we had the better half chances in the first twenty minutes, a  long ranger from Chris just over. Their main thrust came from a pacy centre forward but his attempts to play off the last man were thwarted by a canny sense of togetherness by the back four, frequently catching him offside. Vinnie looking a bit laboured on his return from maternity leave was nevertheless causing concern to their defence. He was holding balls up nicely and putting it about a bit. He was rewarded. Springing clear of an offside trap to advance, take it early and  sidefoot past the keeper from just inside the area. 1-0.
Roy was setting the standards from the back with some keen tackling and an unerring ability to utilise anatomical parts some humans don't seem to possess!  Blocker Roy, well done, committed and brave, just what we needed. Gavin arrived on the touchline and became number one sub as arranged and shortly we went further ahead through Richard who toe poked in from a dozen yards following a sustained bit of pressure. 2-0.
Vinnie was capitulating just before half time, shame on his fitness coach and needed a rest. Gavin came on to replace him. We were not without our telling attacks second half but mainly it was a sterling defensive job that saw us home. Gavin could have netted and Andy was desperately unlucky with a cross shot that evaded the far post. Everyone put in a shift and emphasising individuals would be churlish but I'll have a go. Roy excellent, Tony played his guts out and organised well. Alistair coped manfully with a strange position, left back, hit some good passes and his much derided goal kicks were a bonus on the day, he'd put Johnny Wilkinson in the shade. John Boyle great at full back astute positional play with meaty challenges. Chris Wilson a quiet assassin, played great. Darren coped manfully in his first game back from globetrotting, lot of joy with his little drag back trick, 3 times it worked. Andy, despite physical inequality,  really occupied their usually outstanding centre half and tackled back to great effect. Richard played his usual game and wore himself to a standstill with his effort. Not Steve's sort of game creatively but he rolled up his sleeves and defended with the best, only looked heavenwards once! (I'd have brought him back on for a penalty, can you do that?).
Gavin strove manfully for scraps on  replacing the mighty Vinny.  Goalkeeper, the unbeatable Dave? He organised, positioned himself well and caught everything that came at him, almost! And twice succeeded in reining himself in and not clobbering a forward who got beyond the back four. Can't do better than that!
Ron was linesman- hey it's very tiring, especially keeping up for offsides.
Chris Cox was our away support.
A civilised drink in the Royal Oak then we aal went yem chuffed. The title race is not yet run. Hope Des notes this.