Ramsbury FC played their final pre-season match against Premiership side Bassett Bulldogs at Beaverbrook that ended in a honours even 4-4 draw.
Team: Ash (GK) Jonah Chris (C) Adam Noah Toby Skips Byron Charlie Zac Jas: Subs Joe, Dan and Leigh
With some notable absences like Rob who was at a dog show (really….and he actually admitted this?), Ben….who probably has forgotten what a football looks like; and Ali and Scott (probably spending all day rehydrating together after their usual Friday night out out!) and Mikey G….who has officially been to more countries than Michael Palin and Alan Whicker….it was a decent team that went to Beaverbrook to take on a decent Bulldogs team who on their last match against Ramsbury had deservedly battered us 6-1 at the Recreation Centre. However, upfront Rob gets the Shirt of Shame for choosing some watered down Crufts event over a Ramsbury FC game!!!!!
Sean below wearing what is now known as the Rob Shirt!!!!
Sean went with a 4-4-2 and for 20 minutes Bassett were reeling as Ramsbury dominated play and had pegged them in their half and were without doubt playing much better attacking football. However, against the run of play a decent punt by the Bassett right back floated over the midfield and defence and allowed their centre forward to side foot volley in past Ash to make it 1-0. However, as in previous games, Ramsbury do not panic and continued their attacking approach and a corner taken by Jonah found Chris at the back post who headed against the Bassett centre half but was quickest to respond and smashed the rebound in to make it 1-1. Game on!
Bassett continued to be put under pressure by Ramsbury who looked sharp and were winning the first and second balls with Adam having a blinder alongside Chris as centre half and Toby and Jonah using their pace to get the ball quickly up the outside channels. But it was the midfield that was dominating with Noah and Zac making the pitch big by staying out wide and Skips, Byron and Charlie getting the ball wide to them and providing Jas with the service he needed. And sure enough a great ball by Charlie to Zac saw him skip past the left back and curl a great ball into Jason to slot neatly past the Bassett keeper to make it 2-1. Game properly on and the Bassett gaffers (all 3 of them!) looked confused, bemused and totally aimless as Ramsbury were making their Prem status look like a bad joke. The half finished in torrential rain with Ramsbury the better team and 2-1 up.
After Bassett had taken the time to have a word with themselves and to prevent themselves from drowning in rain that Noah, the Ark building one…not our studenty fiesta driving one, would have been proud of, the game resumed with most players nearing hypothermia….in bloody August!!!!
Bassett had obviously been told to stop embarrassing themselves by all of their coaches and 5 subs on their portable bench and came out the blocks with purpose. It did them no good as Ramsbury kept their formation and their intent of pushing forward and attacking at will. Toby came off to rehydrate (another Friday night good time boy!) and young Joe came on in defence as the only change. Ramsbury remained on the front foot with Jason terrorising the Bassett defence and going close and Zac and Charlie rinsing the left back and also going close. In the end it took a great interception by Byron (he obviously meant it!) to feed Jonah who calmly slotted in past the Bassett keeper to make it 3-1.
I think Bassett were genuinely embarrassed as they then upped their game and got the score back to 3-2 with a soft goal that Ash on another day would and should have dealt with and made the game closer than it actually was.Ramsbury continued to press and play attacking football and after more pressure Jason got his second to make it 4-2 with an excellent strikers goal!
There was then a crap 15 minutes where Ramsbury switched off and I am not sure how or why? Dan and Leigh came on for Jonah and Byron and were exactly the right subs at the right time and Leigh was his usually physical self and stuck in some great CDM tackles and Dan in at right back threw himself about like he had forgotten that he’s actually quite old and put in some vintage blocks. But Ramsbury just lost the momentum and Basset capitalised with a shite effort from distance that somehow evaded Ash, although its to easy to blame the keeper as the shot should never have been allowed to be taken, to make it 4-3 and then a decent well worked goal to make it 4-4. The Bassett gaffers looked relieved and less embarrassed and Ramsbury had a word with themselves and perked up for the last 15 minutes and could have won the game with a 30 yard rocket from Zac that clipped off the cross bar and which the Bassett keeper had no chance of saving. Jonah and Byron came on for the last 5-10 minutes for Joe and Noah and Ramsbury managed the game well and played it out to an honourable 4-4 draw.
It was a highly entertaining game to watch and Ramsbury should have had at least one clear penalty; and if Zac’s effort from distance had gone in and Ramsbury had not switched off for 15 minutes then the result would have been much different. But a decent draw against a Prem side is a decent result and there were more positives than negatives and a lot for Sean to consider before the first league match at home v Spectrum next Saturday; and if Ramsbury continue with the same intensity, belief and attacking play they will be a real threat to any team.
Man of the match was Jason for his 2 goals but Adam wasn’t far off with a superb display and Jonah, Chris and Zac all scored or assisted to keep the pressure on Bassett throughout. A great game to watch and great team performance by the whole team.
Jon
Disclaimer: this is a pure work of fiction and made up because no can remember their name never mind what happened in the game today! The author takes no ownership of anything that might actually be true.
