University Unicorns 2- WU Salmon 9
(Halftime 1-5)
Anderson
Scorers:
Craig Ireson (4, incl. 1 pen)
Sam Mills
Matt O'Driscoll
Mike Upchurch
Matt Fulton
Own Goal
MOM Points
Craig Ireson- 3 pts
Callum Crane - 2 pts
Matt Fulton - 1 pt
This would have to be one of the more bizarre games in Salmon history,
and the first time since our 7-0 cup win in 2009 that we have really
dismantled a quality opposition with a relentless desire to dominate.
It seemed as though the old adage of the best
time to play a University team is during term break was going to be
true. They only had 9 players with ten minutes to go and their captain
was in the sheds on the cell phone rather than warming
up- believe me I have been there too!
We discussed offering them a player but, seeing
as they had beaten us soundly in both encounters last year, we decided
to wait 15 minutes before actioning any charity.
The first five minutes were all Salmon and even
though we had a man advantage Uni made it seem like two as they made
error after error in defence. Steve Westcott, Sam Mills and Matt
O’Driscoll started bossing the middle early and it was
Sam’s well timed through ball which found the skipper in space in the
box. Craig finished off the left hand post for 1-0.
The next five minutes continued the theme as the
extra space on the wide, wet Anderson allowed Callum and Fulton to get
behind their markers and link up with the middle. The second was
contentious; Steve Westcott whipped in a chipped pass
into the box after Uni once again failed to clear. A Uni player rose to
head it away but only nudged it into the path of Craig. The Uni captain
and centre back appealed for offside as Craig rounded him to face the
keeper, aggrieved, the Uni player hacked at
Craig’s leg, bringing him down.
Rhys the referee had every right to point to the
spot despite the protest from the Uni captain. Craig stepped up and
though the penalty was close to the keeper it powered through his hands
for 2-0.
Some Uni players now decided to concentrate on
moaning rather than playing and it showed. A through ball from Callum
found Craig again who crossed for Fulton and Sam but the Uni defender
got there first to send it into the net for 3-0.
Salmon felt sorry for Uni and now, after 20
minutes and 3 goals decided enough was enough and offered up one of our
subs to them- Uni’s reply? “we don’t have any shirts, they have to play
skins”- - Ah no thanks, 11 v. 10 it is then.
Craig’s hat trick came soon after when Callum
ran into the box from the right wing and hit the far post from his shot.
Craig followed up and took an age to tap the ball into the net past the
diving keeper. 4-0
Uni rallied a bit, but there goal was
fortuitous, albeit expertly dispatched. Their danger man striker who
took us apart last year took possession outside the box and drilled a
low shot past Richie who seemed to have lost track of where
the goal was for a fatal second. 1-4.
The next passage of play saw a bizarre twist yet
again. Matt was in the box facing away from goal- The Uni skipper slid
in and tackled him from behind; cleanly but dangerously in the eyes of
Rhys. A penalty was awarded. Cue University players
raging as the spittle from last night’s Export Golds at the end of term
party flecked their lips. Craig decided the aggro wasn’t worth it and
gently rolled the ball to the keeper in an act of appeasement. The
keeper then booted it downfield to try and catch
us on the break- thankfully they didn’t. The Uni skipper spent the next
five minutes whinging to me about the penalty, to which the reply was
“I’d love to see you give up a penalty like that mate.”
The bottom line was, although the penalty was justified, we were playing too well to take charity.
Sam had a chance to make it 5-1 soon after when he was put through on goal and side footed wide. He’d soon make up for it.
The fifth came from Fulton cutting inside and
into the box, he did enough to set up a one on one, but was off balance-
Sam pounced on the chance instead and buried it. It was the right
decision by Sam because a chance is just a chance until
it’s finished. 1-5.
To half time and a jubilant mood in the shed-
However Salmon had lost from such positions before so the watchword was
caution and to keep playing the way we had been.
And that’s what we did. The first 15 minutes
were scoreless, but then a corner was won on the right. Matt O’Driscoll
found the loose ball with his header to score from close range for 1-6
Matt Fulton made a run down the right and back
heeled to Craig who shot/crossed to the far post- the keeper spilled and
Mike Upchurch followed up to open his Salmon account. 1-7.
Craig had a shot from the edge of the box which
ricocheted off to Fulton following up- A deftly placed header looped
over the keeper for 1-8.
Salmon were on fire now, with Dan and Steve J
making runs and Richie Hallam even getting in on the act marauding down
the right wing. It was classy stuff.
The final goal was the tidiest finish, but the
most direct lead up- A punt from Richard met the wind and sailed through
to find Mike, who passed onto Matt- Matt lofted a ball over the top to find the run of Craig-Once again Uni thought the best defence was a
good moan and appealed for the offside while
Craig chipped the keeper from the left edge of the box.
There was enough time for Salmon to concede a
soft gaol- their tall striker finally hitting the target after some
second half misses.
The final act was James falling and hurting his
keen while crossing from the left- a sad end, but as Matt said it showed
our desire to finish the game off.
But it wasn’t Uni’s day- it was ours. It was
aday when we played fluid, composed football and battled like troopers- a
day when even the sprig marks left on our legs were as the imprints of
triumphant tattoos.
