Miles Puts Phoenix Ahead at Christmas

Veras – 3 Gower Phoenix – 4

Gower Phoenix (4-4-1 – Muffdog pulled out last minute – Greg – Dens, Wall, Treen, Hunter – Miles, Toby, Fleshie, Sav – Medders)

A resilient 10-man Phoenix team overcame a tricky fixture to finish the year top of League One.

On a bitterly cold Sunday morning in the middle of the Christmas party period and with only ten Gowers on the pitch, Veras started confidently taking advantage of our unfamiliar lineup and two new central midfielders. The defence looked nervous when faced by balls pinged over the tops and Veras’ rather crude football was unsettling the formation. The oppo went one nill up when a simple diagonal ball bisected the Phoenix rearguard allowing the Veras striker to nip in and finish coolly.

Another similar chance went Veras’ way before Phoenix realized that even with ten men – playing football was the way to win this game. Toby and Miles began to steadily make a difference in the centre of the park with the fullbacks Dens and Wall looking to play the ball over the top to Medders who was making a comeback from time out injured.

Twenty minutes in and a fluent series of passes and a break on the right from Miles saw the perfect cross headed over by Medders with the goal gaping – an uncharacteristic miss. Soon after the Phoenix were level when connecting play from Medders and Fleshie saw Miles latch onto a ball over the top and slot home from a tight angle 1-1.

The second half was started better by Veras who had a couple of good efforts saved by Greg including one phenomenal goal line stop. Fifteen minutes in and Dens just failed to reach a Medders cut back 6 yards out. The Phoenix pressure was building. Then following good work from the ever willing Sav on the left, Dens switched the ball cross field where the Wall slipped a peach of a pass through to Medders who announced his return with a clinical finish. 2-1.

Phoenix then went 3-1 up when decent work from Fleshie saw a panic-induced clearance from Veras that Toby took advantage of with a predators finish.
Veras were on the ropes and Sav and Medders combined to play the ball to the left flank where Dens beat his man and crossed from Toby to finish at the near post – 4-1 Phoenix.

Then with less than ten minutes to go Phoenix went to pieces allowing Veras right back into the game as they poured men forward and finished two goals from close range. Cue a very nervous four minutes with Phoenix backs against the wall and last ditch clearances from the whole team. Thankfully after the longest four minutes in football history – Phoenix had the 3 points in the bag.

So out of 14 league fixtures we have played 8, winning 6. We’re in a decent position to win this league but really need a return from the ten or so players that were missing from this fixture. We can only win this league as a squad – so check the website and the fixture list and do your upmost to be available for Sunday games!

Together as one

Dens

MOTM: Miles - Great workrate in new position, fantastic finish for first Phoenix goal.