Gower Allstars vs Virgin NME - match report

Lions…….English lions……. that’s what the Gower Allstars were like on Sunday – in some of the windiest conditions seen to mankind against a hot-streaking Virgin NME side.

First 10 mins, Gowers didn’t get started, generally slow off the mark, and not in their stride, and a rare mistake at the back let in their striker who finished well into the corner of the net.

Queue the allstar comeback.

With the immense wind with in the first half, Gowers caused Virgin all sorts of problems at the back, with a mixture of Owen, Ricky, Botterill and Durrant causing most problems in the following 20 mins.

Corner one, whipped in not particularly well by Owen, but somehow bundled in by Durrant.

1-1

5 mins later, corner two, and replica corner, this time somehow bundles in by Ossack.

2-1

But the goals did not reflect the style of play that was forthcoming from the Gowers.

With Streety and Ricky winning everything that attempted to cross their line, the Gowers had the confidence and composure to play some really attractive football.

Summed up best by a rare Virgin attack which was thwarted unsurprisingly, by Ricky this time, who drove forward, put Virgin on the back foot, and slotted a picture perfect through ball, to Owen sprinting between the centre and full back. Keeper speeds out to clear, Owen beats him to it and rather than go round the keeper, Owen shifts to his right and slots in a class finish from 20 yards, which curled into the corner of the net.

3-1 and Gowers dominance was finally evident in the score line

HT, but we knew that Virgin, with the wind in the 2nd half, were going to throw everything at us, to avenge the 4-1 drubbing in early October. And it wasn’t gonna be easy.

Step up the heroic Gower lions… who knew nothing but a victory would do for their title challenge.

Everything they threw, the Stars had an answer. And better. Controlling the play, passing the ball out of defence into attack. And boy did they threaten, when they drove forward.

Durrant, Blandy and Botterill in attack and Street, Ricky and Sav in defence – all stood out.

To play such great football in such difficult conditions was a pleasure to watch.

Were it not for some awful finishing (and the miss of the season by Kelly), the score should have been 8-1.

But at the end of the day, the Gowers not only absorbed all the pressure that Virgin could possibly through at them, but also out-thought, out-classed and out-performed the long-standing Premier division opponents.

The score finished 3-1 and Gowers collected three more valuable points.

MOTM = Very difficult to choose between Durrant, who was everywhere defensively and offensively, and Blandy, who, on his full 90 mins return, destroyed the Virgin defence in everything he did. So I am awarding to both.

Huge win. Keeps us top of the league, with Red Star breathing down our necks, 3 points behind with a 6-better goal difference.

Red Star face the mighty Gower Allstars this coming Sunday in a group cup quarterfinal at 2pm Market Road – should be a tasty encounter and one which could create a big psychological edge for the league meeting in February.