AFC CASTROL
2005 2006 JUNIOR DIV 2 WINNERS & COUNTY FA JUNIOR CUP RUNNERS UP
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2005 2006 JUNIOR DIV 2 WINNERS & COUNTY FA JUNIOR CUP RUNNERS UP |
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Match Reports 2006 Blunsdon Utd 2 vs. AFC Castrol 2 16/08/2006 After the great result the previous Saturday against AFC Stratton, Castrol headed into their 1st mid-week game with confidence. However this was a game against the all-time bogey team, Blunsdon, who have always caused problems particularly at their place. Castrol started with the same formation, 3-5-2 but Stuart Phillips coming in for Phil Burchall who dropped to the bench. Apart from that the line up was identical to the team that started against Stratton, one change on the bench Paul Aust dropping out and Adi O’Connell coming in. The game was scheduled for a 6:15 kick off but about 5:45 the heavens opened with torrential rain and a few thunder claps. Eventually the worst of the weather passed but the conditions were now very slippy as most players had on moulded boots. Blunsdon lined up with a familiar team and their usual system of getting the ball out early and trying to get Danny Pearson on the ball as quickly as possible. The initial exchanges were mainly in the Castrol favour; a couple of early half chances came and went. Donnelly fired a 30 yarder narrowly over the bar and Gee was unlucky not to finish a good chance which he only got to thanks to his pace. Pearson was causing some problems at the back but Alex Woolhouse was doing a great 1 on 1 job on him but did pick an early booking, to his credit it didn’t deter him from the job at hand. With about 20 minutes on the clock a few passes were exchanged in the Castrol half and the ball was eventually fed across to the left hand side to Gee, in a chance remarkable similar to the one he had missed early. This time he made no mistake, he lifted it over the advancing keeper into the empty net. 0-1 Castrol Castrol took heart from this and were playing much the better football and creating more opening although to Blunsdons credit they kept plugging away and playing the more direct stuff. On the 30 minute mark Castrol had a corner fired into the near post by Gee which Donnelly go on the end of and the ball flew into the net but the ref ruled that Palmer had been pushing and ruled out the effort. This was not the first or last bad decision by the referee on the night; in fact at times he completely lost control As half time approach Blunsdon had a couple of chances which breached the Castrol defence but McCarthy was inspired in goal and in tricky conditions his handling and shot stopping were superb. Half-Time The message at half-time from Castrol management was the same as before but ensure you take your chances and kill them off. This message wasn’t heeded and it came back to haunt them. The game continued at a decent pace with few chances at either end with the keepers against doing well in tricky conditions. McCarthy coped well with a shot that bounced up just in front of him and at the other end the Blunsdon keeper did well to keep out a couple of long range Castrol efforts. On 60 minutes the first blow was struck, the ball was once again lofted forward by Blunsdon defence and it dropped between Woolhouse, Donnelly, Northcott and the Blundson number 9. Northcott looked to be dealing with the situation but got caught in two minds and the number 9 swung a boot at the dropping ball and caught it sweet and it drilled into the bottom right hand corner. 1 – 1 Castrol at this point suffered their usual jitters and had to try and quickly find their composure. Blunsdon made a quick change and brought on a youngster up front with pace and dropped Pearson into the middle. This proved to be a struck of luck, Blunsdon were awarded a free-kick on the 80th minute by the referee who by this stage was allowing the Blunsdon crowd to dictate to him (He had even managed to avoid giving a free-kick for a clear stamp on Phillips). The ball was placed just inside the Castrol half and played down the channel, Pearson had made a run off the shoulder of Donnelly who for a moment had lost him and with his head start it was never going to be a contest. As Donnelly tried in vain to get back Pearson slide the ball past the on rushing McCarthy into the far right corner of the net. 2 – 1 Blunsdon With little time left and a ref who seemed very one sided Castrol looked beat. To their credit the management team made a few quick and perhaps questionable decisions? Phillips coming off for Burchall and Parsons coming off for Prictor. The team lined up in a 3-4-3 with Gee and Camden playing wide of Donnelly and Buckingham and Prictor, Burchall and Palmer forming a front 3. This started to create a few chances for Castrol with Buckingham having a fine chance saved by the Keeper and Gee firing narrowly over from 20 yards. With clock ticking down Northcott got the ball in the left back position and fired a ball over the top of the Blunsdon defence, Castrol now employing Blunsdon tactics to beat them. Burchall ran clear and stood up well to one challenge before striding into the goal mouth and firing a great shot into the bottom left corner. 2 – 2 With very little time on the clock neither team created anything more and considering the conditions, a very poor ref and a constant bogey team Castrol will be pleased in the end to leave with a point and to maintain their unbeaten run that stretches back to Aug 2005 in the league. Team: McCarthy, Northcott, Parry, Woolhouse, Donnelly, Camden, Parsons, Buckingham, Gee, Palmer, Phillips. Subs: Burchall, Prictor, O’Connell MOM: Woolhouse |
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SITE UPDATED - 30/10/2006 |
