London Crickets 3 Gower Allstars 4
Great game of football from start to finish
Gowers 1st XI lined up Davis-Gladstone, Glyn, Ossack, Chittenden- Klinger, Mitchell, Street, Durrant-Kelly,Medley
A powerful, very quick, intense start.
Medley upfront instantly became a menace to the Crickets defenders.
Goal within 7 mins – Kelly lay-off to Medley, found space, and struck it corner of the net.
Second goal – superb through ball from Klinger was read perfectly by Durrant who latched on, and struck home finely with his left foot into the roof of the net.
Davis in goal was commanding.
Crickets in midfield starting to play ball though – interchanging and causing the midfield and defence some problems through the middle and down the channels.
Gowers stood off, and Cricketers struck good low shot, Davis got a touch – pushed it onto the post and off the post their striker followed up and tapped it in.
2-1 game on.
Crickets carried on pressurising.
Corner over everyones heads and Davo’s hands but was cleared off the line by Glyn
Warning signs were there.
But Gowers strength in midfield and up front began to show.
Passing neatly, quickly and using the channels really well, and it was Gowers turn to have numerous chances – Medley tested all of the keeper from 20 yards with a top corner effort tipped over the bar.
Then it was Klinger's great shot from 25 yards which almost went in, and then Chittendens turn – from 25 yards, he walloped it – pretty much exactly the same position as Essiene, and pretty similar result – swerving into top corner – Keeper could only parry it but Klinger was there to tap home from 3 yards
3-1 Gower – half-time.
Crickets were up for this still – make no mistake about it.
They had 3 skilful fast yet selfish guys in midfield who began to run their midfield and our defence ragged at times.
Step up Street and Mitchell.
Running, tackling, fighting like terriers, the midfield two battled so hard, if not looking a touch over-run at times, with the tiring Klinger on the left.
This was unquestionably Gowers toughest test of the season so far, especially with no fresh legs on the bench.
And the game turned again, when Klinger and Gladstone were uncharacteristically beaten, and a superb finish across the keeper, got Crickets back into the game 3-2.
Gowers responded soon after with an inch perfect pass from Street, found Medley’s diagonal run, and it was the easiest of finishes for Medley with his 13th of the season.
4-2.
With 15 mins to go, you would think that Crickets would have given up, but no, they came back at us yet again. Mistakes on our left again saw their striker get to the by-line, swipe it across goal to find their left winger come in late but to slot home from a difficult angle. 4-3.
What a sweaty finish this was. Gowers had to resort to pure fight and grit for the remaining 15 mins. Doubling up on their midfielders, all 4 of our midfielders worked damn hard to ensure we weren’t going to throw away this hard-fought great game of football.
And if it weren’t for the saving tackles of Ossack, Glyn, Street and Mitchell especially in the dying minutes, the score line might well have been different.
Gowers held on for the 3 points and an extremely satisfying 4-3 win.
No mistakes, this game was our most testing, exciting and hard fought. Everyone of the team should be proud of this win. We may not have been at our best today, but we have enough quality and team spirit in this squad, to pull us through the dodgy days.
At times superb, others slack, we can go into the Xmas break, unbeaten in the league, enjoying and playing some great football and gunning for promotion.
Well done all.
MOTM = Ben Mitchell – becoming more and more familiar with Streety in the heart of the team, and stepped up and was counted today. Led by example at times, and saved the team on several occasions with some vital tackles.
Sunday 17.12.06
