Match Report

Goals scored
Tony Bush, Dave Rix.

Man of the match
Dave Rix, Paul Farmyard.

Team
Stuart Medcraft, Daniel Sarling, Mark Hart, John Wilson, Paul Munyard, Gavin Mayo, Terry Bush, Rob Marling, David Rix, Tony Bush, Graham Rix.

Subs
Dean Weaving, Dariusz Szymanski, Joe Sanderson, Phil Gyebi, Perry Ives.

Landsdowne Players awoke today to look forward to plying their trade in the 2nd division after their previous successful campaign earned them the right to be here. The Manager picked his team and sent out his players in the hope that they would not be overawed, as the team they were about to face stuffed Landsdowne 10-0 the last time the 2 sides met. The Manager gave an inspirational talk and sent out the same team as in the previous season, barring injury and holiday. The whistle went and Landsdowne were out of the traps faster than Tony Bush on a Sunday morning. Landsdowne made an excellent start to the game creating 2 half chances early on but despite their superiority their were no goals, when about the 20th minute a bad decision by Vegas saw the opposition bear down on goal but despite an excellent recovery challenge by the centre half the ball bounced free to a striker at the back door, leaving Landsdowne trailing 1-0 despite being the better team.

This lead to some poor play for the next 10 minutes as Landsdowne gradually got back in to the game and only a good couple of saves denied Landsdowne their equaliser. With about 10 mins to go, to release pressure, Albion hoofed the ball up field towards Johny "Butterflies" Wilson, whom decided to chest it down and play the ball out. Unfortunately for John the chest control was spot on but as he went to play the ball out he slipped, leaving their striker the opportunity to take the ball in and drive the ball past the despairing keeper. Landsdowne now were trailing 2-0 but were still the far better team. The whistle went, half time had approached.

Manager “Shrek” was greener than usual, he could not believe what he was seeing. The better team was clearly losing, He calmly told the lads he was pleased with the performance so to get out there and carry on the same.

Landsdowne did what was requested and on several occasions came close or hit the post, when up stepped Big Bush, and with precision curled the ball into the top corner. It was a great goal, the score was now 2-1, game back on. Landsdowne basically camped in Albions half. It was an onslaught, however Albion held on and on, when with 20 mins to go, the Yard passed the ball to Dave Rix who spannered the ball as hard as he could and watched the ball fly into the net. What a goal and what justice, although Landsdowne should have been winning rather then just drawing level.

A couple of tactical substitutions were made seeing Whitey return to the back line, Vegas to midfield and man of the moment Dariusz, Landsdowne’s ole solsherr. With 10 min’s left Vegas played Graham through on goal, everbody quickly called the bookies and bet their houses, Vegas bookie refused cardboard boxes and a multitude of varying colours of England caps as deposit. However, everyone was quid’s in when the unthinkable, the Marksman hit the post, but as quick as the hearts had dropped they were back in Landsdownes throats as Dariusz got to the rebound. He had done it again, super sub and what a tactical noose by Shrek, and then the hearts were down again as Dariusz hit the ball well but it got stuck between the belly of the defender and the post.

What did Landsdowne have to do ? It was clearly not to be!!!! Attack after attack was relentless when with 1 minute to go from a pearler of a cross, Dariusz somehow jumped higher, higher than he ever had jumped before and connected sweetly with the ball, but unfortunately for himself and the team he hit the post, but it didn’t matter graham had made a late run from deep and before you could say Cheating B**ta*d the ball was in the back of the net. Landsdowne had scored with seconds to spare, it was all over Landsdowne had won 3-2. Instead the ref blew his whistle and pointed that it was offside, the linesman was waving frantically, Landsdowne had been robbed and cheated of a perfectly good winning goal.

Either the player was not cheating and thought the offside rule was that if you run from deep and have at least 4, yes 4, defenders between you and the keeper it’s offside. However, the fact the linesman was a defender, believe you and me, he knew the offside rule.

Tony was so incensed and had every right to be after such a poor decision and blatant cheating made a be-line straight for the linesman. His 6ft 2inch bulking frame headed for the 5ft linesman, his hair was on end like a lion’s mane, it was not going to be pretty (Tony and the situation). Tony got to the linesman in double quick time and pushed the linesman with such ferocity that we think he swayed about a millimetre. The linesman was lucky he used all his energy getting to him, as was Tony not to get sent off for his powder puff push.

The whistle went and the final score was 2-2 leaving a bitter taste in Landsdowne’s mouths. To be fair the game was played under the right spirit until, well enough said!!!!!