Match Report: 12.11.06

White Heat Bogles- 1 Gower 2nd XI – 8

Gower 2’s secured a confidence building whitewash of the leagues bottom team in fair conditions down at Wormwood scrubs. The 2’s were hit by a late back injury to Muffdog and a no-show by Leon. Yet by comparison the opposition were a complete mess and worthy of their position at the bottom of the table, they started with 7 and went up to 10 men by 10 minutes in, Gowers went down to ten men themselves after half an hour with Fleshie off to see Arsenal.

The team lined up Hill in goal, across the back Dens, Treen, Elliot and Sam, in midfield Sumner, Nick, The Wall and Henry. Jon and Fleshie led the frontline.

Unsurprisingly Gowers dominated possession as they sought to breakdown a stubborn opposition defence marshalled by an excellent keeper. Eventually Jon turned the ball in after constant pressure from the flanks. Then disaster as Luke and Elliot complete misunderstood each other in attempting to clear a long ball, the two Gowers ran in to each other allowing Bogle to equalise. 1-1.
Gowers didn’t dwell on the error, pouring forward with strength in numbers. The Wall and Nick communicated well and made sure that clever passes were the order of the day. On the right Henry terrorised the oppositions flank players with his tough tackling, while Sumner’s skill and footballing brain embarrassed Bogle’s right hand side. With Treen imperious as ever alongside Elliot both Gower’s full backs pushed forward, eventually leading Fleshie to hit home from inside the area. Jon, a bison like forward whose strength was likely that of the opposition’s back four combined, charged and bucked his way across the forward line, eventually forcing it in to make it 3-1. Then just before half time Nick, the midfield puppet-master, headed in to secure a 4-1 lead.

The second half for Gowers was all about team building and developing good habits. A powerful cross from Jon was met by a sliding finish from a Bogle defender, a great own goal. The enigma that is Luke Hill then scored a quick fire two, giving him the best goals per time on the pitch ratio in the team. Luke has all the attributes to be a 20 + goals a season striker, however he needs to give serious thought to his game and avoid snap spectacular efforts in favour of a more subtle approach. Treen scored a regulation unmarked header to make it 8-1 before Jon had his hat trick denied by the keeper saving his penalty after Sumner was felled.

So all in all a regulation drubbing of a weak and disorganised team. Gower 2’s played well within themselves but the signs of the ability to compete with the best are clearly there. Wall and Nick excelled in the middle and not one single player disappointed.

MOTM: Jon Sumner- Terrorised the opposition with his subtle passing, direct running and range of skills. Clearly one of the teams most gifted players, he was involved in most of the goals and had his best game yet in a Gowers shirt.