Blunham 0 Knobs 2

Our annual trip north up the A1.  Again, too many players made themselves available leaving the management dream team with the task of ruining squad members’ weekends by telling them they had been selected.

The weekly management meeting had gone well and the starting 11 selected and game plan devised.  Management were confident after last week that we could beat our old rivals who had somehow beat us 3-2 earlier this season at the Rec.

Friday night, Chairman Al advised of his withdrawal.  A replacement was drafted and plans amended.  All toe-punts were dropped from the game plan.

Saturday afternoon, Martyn withdrew.  Another replacement was drafted and again plans were amended.  All step overs and flicks were dropped from the game plan.

Saturday night, Dave K withdrew. Another replacement was drafted and again plans were amended. All left hooks and right jabs were dropped from the game plan.

Fortunately everyone else turned up (big thanks to the late replacements!!) and there was a confidence amongst those in the away dressing room. With dropouts and injury there were a few changes from the week before. Dan stepped in for the injured Tony C in goal, Greg slotted in alongside James at centre back, the gaol machine dropped to left back, Chris Cox started the game at left midfield and Jono lined up on the right of midfield.

The game kicked off and Paul injured himself.  He shall now be known as Gary Baldi, clearly being made of biscuits.  If Norris McWhirter was still alive he could tell us if Paul holds the “least minutes played per injury” record.

A very early change was made and on came Banksy on the right and Jono went up front.  It would have been understandable if all the changes and disruption had affected the team but it didn’t.  Having 2 balls to warm up with this week clearly helped as the team started well and maintained the performance throughout.

In terms of a team performance this may have been the best so far this season.  Everyone pressed, tackled, passed and supported throughout.  There was some great football and not many spells where Blunham kept the ball for any length of time.  We spent most of the game in their half and with the ball.  On the rare occasion they broke it was solitary attacks from a long ball and all were snuffed out by the back 4.  James had a particularly good game winning every tackle and occasionally overlapping the forwards as we attacked.  It didn’t look like Greg’s first game at centre back for us and he showed some nice distribution of the ball into midfield.  The wingers when not panting were getting up and down well, supported by Bren and Tony at full back and Bully and Darren dominated the middle with energy and good inter passing and received great support when an extra man appeared. Dave J gave himself 30 minutes it was that easy for us! Everyone deserves praise.

The goals –

Having had quite a few long shots from the midfielders which didn’t trouble the keeper much (too many to remember but can think of Darren 3, Chris C, Banksy (still rising)) the keeper faced a penalty from Bully following a trip on Lee in the box early in the 2nd half.  Not a single complaint about the foul which is unusual for Sunday football.   As per the previous week, Bully rolled the penalty in and we took the lead.

Half way through the 2nd half a long ball over hit into our box was collected by Dan and he quickly launched it up the pitch.  Before we could moan at Dan for not taking his time the ball was controlled immaculately by Jono inside the Blunham half, he glided past the 2 defenders and struck the ball past the goalie (who was diving the wrong way).  A great goal.

Although he didn’t score, Dave M put in a real shift up front, was unlucky to see a shot come back of the post in the first half and gave Blunham problems all game.

Dan’s only real save was from Tony K, the adjudged back pass the only real threat we faced. (we charged down the free kick so even that wasn’t much threat).

Back to the changing rooms for some more hilarity and onto the club house for jacket spuds with chilli. 

We must have played well as we were asked by Blunham if we had brought in some new players since we last played them!

Knobs 1 Welwyn Sports 2

Despite the subarctic conditions in the days leading up to the game, the forecasted overnight snow and deep frost did not arrive and so the game was on.  A match the day before on our pitch ensured the mud was nice and soft. It was the sort of mud that covers your boots before you even kick off.  Just what you need when you haven’t played for 5 weeks!

Our adversaries were table topping Welwyn Sports.  The last time we played them was towards the end of last season and despite lots of praise for the effort we put in we lost 7-0!

Just how far have we come this season?  Quite a way based on this result and performance.

The management dream team had the luxury again of too many players to choose from so went with the system they used the week before.  Dan and Martyn were the last to arrive and this resulted in the usual penalty of cleaning the pavilion.  Not a good week for this chore or Martyn who took a very muddy kit home!

Dave Knights made his return after a long injury lay off and tried to hide in the corner but was still subjected to repeated abuse over his non-flagging of a goal kick back on the 9th of December.  Forgive and forget?  Nope.  He did display his lovely new spray tan he bought himself for Christmas though.  No tan lines!

Gerry arrived with the kit which he had almost washed.  Some of us looked like we had played a match before we left the changing room.

Anyway, the goals were put up and we realised that just 1 thing was missing.  Balls.

Attempts to steal the first / reserve team balls were thwarted when Dan L broke the lock to the cupboard.  James phoned his wife and asked her to pop into loft to see if he had left them up there!?  He hadn’t.  So everyone decided to blame absent Chairman Al for taking the balls home at the end of the last game.  The fact he didn’t play in that game was irrelevant.  (does anyone know where our balls are please!?)

So we scrounged a ball from Welwyn and with no proper warm up we kicked off. 

As expected Welwyn settled into the game quicker (they had warmed up!) but were not creating much in the final third.  Surprisingly after 5 weeks we showed great fitness and discipline and kept our shape well.  Tony C collected a few over hit long balls but didn’t need to make any tough saves.  We were troubling them down both flanks, especially our right with Tony K and Gerry working well together.  In fact it was Tony K who had our first clear chance when a ball floated over their left back by Darren A put Tony through, his shot unfortunately going past the far post.

With Paul M acting as target man and the pacey Dave M playing off him with his pace we always have a chance in matches.  Unfortunately after a couple of pacey runs Dave was chopped down (again) and hobbled off to the side line.  A blow indeed as pace gives you a chance against any team.  Anyone remember a player called Gavin?

A change of plan was needed with Dan coming on which meant we were playing 2 hold up men up front.  The midfield needed to get closer to the front men.  We continued to defend well and Welwyn were getting more frustrated.  Their passes were getting longer and were easily defended by James and Martyn down the middle and their frequent balls towards our left back were cleaned up by Dave K.

With Bully and Darren A putting the miles in covering the middle of the park a tackle in the middle by Darren A and a quick pass released Brendan (goal machine) down the left.  The ball was eventually crossed to Darren A who had kept running into the box and as he flicked the ball on with his head he was mounted from behind ending up flat on the ground.  Les pointed to the spot and up stepped Bully who despite telling Welwyn he will go left and the keeper diving that way found the inside of the side netting for the perfect spot kick.  1-0 Knobs.

It was all going so well.  And then it wasn’t.  A Welwyn corner resulted in a soft equaliser.  Tony C charged out, the ball was headed skywards over him and as it eventually fell to earth, none of our 3 players on the line seemed to want to clear it and it gently fell into our goal. Cack.

The 2nd half came and went with the same determined defending and solid shape but the boggy pitch and 5 week break began to take its toll.  The last 20 minutes we just couldn’t keep the ball and more passes were mishit or long balls over hit as we tired.  Tony C still didn’t have too much to do.  More than their keeper but no need to make big saves.

The Welwyn winner when it came was a bit scrappy and a big relief to them as they looked like they had run out of ideas.  Their player with the very heavy beard which meant he couldn’t stand up for very long again fell over in our box.  As a couple of Welwyn players inevitably claimed a penalty (it wasn’t) the ball squirmed to an un-marked man in the box who managed to shoot through a crowd of players into our net. Harsh!

The only other thing of note was Dave K reminding us of his debut by again clocking one of their players in the mouth for swinging an arm at his face.  Fair enough and very entertaining. Les didn’t see it (shock!) so we agreed to remove both players to cool off.

Most of us and them retired to the new improved Station pub 2.0 where we received more brown stuff than we could possibly eat.  The latest brown item being a mini pasty.  Dan and Martyn spent 30 minutes cleaning up the pavilion.

Next game is away at the surprise 2nd place team Blunham.  We lost 2-3 at home earlier this season.  We can do them!