Ramsbury FC lose first game of the season against a committed Poulton FC First team in the League Cup.
Team:
Oscar
Jonah James (C) Kai Dan
Euan Leigh Byron Rob
Zac Scott
Subs: Ash, Seany RB, Ben, Ash B and Adam
Seano went with a young side containing 4 teenagers as injuries and commitments meant a few regular team players were absent and saw James captain the side in Chris’ absence. Oscar got a start in goal and Euan and Byron in midfield with Zac in the number 10 spot behind new signing Scott as the number 9. The bench was a strong one with 5 really decent subs….ok fairly decent….Ben, Ash, Seany RB, Ash B and Adam.
The first half saw Ramsbury out of the blocks quickly with a superbly flighted ball by Zac to Rob on the left catching out the Poulton defence and a decent shot by Rob just wide of the left-hand post. Poulton adjusted after the wakeup call and scored a decent goal against the run of play to make it 1-0. The play for the next 35 minutes was erratic at best as Ramsbury kept pinging long high balls against a team that made Peter Crouch look small and were getting frustrated. Frustrations grew and Seano was not impressed as Scott came off with cantsustainthisformuchlongerwithoutavapeitus….not a serious injury….and sorted after a nice rest and a shirt of shame to keep him warm. Next was Euan with a niggling ankle injury sustained while tripping over himself thinking he might have caught cantsustainthisformuchlongerwithoutavapeitus…but…phew not to worry…it was just the ankle niggle!! Seany Red boots came on and then Adam but they were unable to up the tempo and the half ended 1-0 to Poulton.
The second half was so much better.…as …again…like last week….I missed most of it! Sean (apparently) gave everyone a rocket at half time and told everyone to be careful not to catch cantsustainthisformuchlongerwithoutavapeitus…and do their best. With real concern they would go the way of Scott and catch cantsustainthisformuchlongerwithoutavapeitus,
Ramsbury started to play some football. Dan (always) solid at left back was linking better with Rob who looked like he was slightly more interested than the first half and was trying harder to feed Seany red boots up front….who was trying not to catch….yeah you’ve got it…..scottkimbercantsustainthisformuchlongerwithoutavapeitus!!
Jonah at right back was continuing to have a blinder and was linking well with Adam who was containing his rage and not shouting at the teenagers just in case they caught……ok….enough of that….and was supported much better by Byron and Leigh in midfield who had worked out that one of them had to be the CDM. It was better and with the subs streaming on and Seano having a touch of old timers and bring on both Ash and Ash and Ben to use up all his 5 subs…..thinking…please god let this go to extra time….the miraculous happened and Rob woke up….did some footballing stuff with his feet….bamboozled the Poulton defence…and himself I think…and got the ball to Ash B…who hit what can only be called a tame daisy cutter bobbly goalkeeper avioider into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1! The crowd went wild….ok…Seano and his family and the subs cheered and the ref restarted the match.
So….as it was a cup match you are thinking it is now game on as Ramsbury have plucked this one back from the depths and will shut up shop and go for 1-1, extra time and win with all the 5 subs Seano used…..wrong!
Ramsbury go for the winner and don’t get it….and Poulton…who have the average age of a saga convention…bang it down the pitch to get a corner and score…yes they score an unchecked header to make it 2-1….misery! To rub salt into the wounds…Poulton grab a last minute fumble into the net….the bloke actually fell on the ball and his belly scored to make it 3-1 and end the match….it was a woeful last 15 minutes and the match ended 3-1 to Poulton.
Not a great game, but some real promise in the second half as Ramsbury played it more on the ground and played some good stuff….Scott got the shirt of shame….but he will recover…and Jonah quite rightly got the man of the match award for a decent all round display at right back. Big well done to the teenage posse and to young Oscar for playing the whole game and to Ash for playing out of goal (the boy can play) and Ash B for a quality goal!
Importantly, the pub afterwards was full….so Ia m told (by Zac) and the banter and beer quality….and the team go again for another league win.
Remember….this is a work of pure fiction…and I cannot be held responsible for what is written!
Jon
