|
A return to Enfield playing fields meant that the terrain was familiar to both the team and supporters. Luckily the position of the ice-cream van also remained the same so that Hot-Dog Dave Perry could rip out a voucher from his season ticket to claim himself a hot snack from a man famous for lemon sorbet and Calippos. Due to Craig Norris’s future examinations, Mr. Adamson’s Plumbing Sundays and Chris Wicks’s naughty hamstring the Geese had their first major injury crisis of the season. As all the preferred centre backs were absent, Paul Cully decided to browse Rob’s Football manager stats and delegate Andy Perry the role (having traced the players history back to East Herts Under 9’s partnering Tony Boy Vullo). Chris Cedrone was to take on the “destroying” role tucking into midfield and this meant a recall for fan’s favourite James Musk who was chosen to play on the left flank.
The previous meeting between Turnford Geese and The Accies was 1-0 at half time and 4-1 at the final whistle. The Boys knew that their opponents were organised and were going to be hard to break down. But since that game belief has become stronger amongst the gaggle, and the bond on and off the field has accumulated into a figure Rob Cully would be proud of on his Ladbrokes slip.
As the game began the two teams scrapped for the ball, passes were long and time was needed for the game to settle. The Geese were first to strike when a long throw from Matt Cully was controlled brilliantly and turned into the net by Paul Dodd for his first. The midfield pairing of Enefer and Cedrone was working well, both players eating up the ground to win back possession, and with in no time Dodd bagged his second when a ball over the top from Cully again, saw Paul turn his man, avoid a late lunge by a struggling defender and power the ball past the keeper.
When writing a match report its hard to keep track of the time to goal ratio and keep it realistic but at this stage of the game the geese weren’t easing up and Peters determination saw him hacked at by The Accies frustrated striker. Its sometimes strange the reason why grown men feel they need to play football when the make no attempt to play it. But after receiving a yellow card, the free kick was sprayed over to the left where Musk beat his man and delivered a cross to the near post where Dodd claimed his third, rounding off his hat-trick. It seems to be the best way to retaliate in football, is definitely by scoring goals.
Just as things were looking comfortable The Accies forced a corner that was whipped into a dangerous area at an awkward height and headed into the Goose net. It was a well-delivered set piece giving the home team hope of a comeback. Things went from bad to worse as Chris Cedrone came out worse in a “coming together” sort of challenge in the middle of the park involving three or possibly four players. Although nobody wants to stop playing in their head, the limp and wincing expression was enough for Paul Cully to see that the young Italian was unfit to carry on.
Martin Belsey replaced Cedrone. Belsey was to be used as a substitute for the second successive week, but today’s fifty-five minutes would be a real fitness test for the giant midfielder. With his first touch he played a ball over the top to Dodd who confused his marker by showing him his pog (the world tour) collection, he then ran onto the ball and comfortably stroked the ball home for his fourth before half-time.
Dodd’s fifth came shortly after half time when a Matt Cully free kick was floated into the box, dropped by the keeper and bamboozled into a near empty net. At 5-1 the Geese’s lead looked comfortable, but as Adam Cas felt his hamstring go he was forced to go off, his replacement was Bradley-Wright Hewitt. The injury came at a time in the game when The Accies began to press on, into the Goose half; although they were four goals behind they clearly weren’t finished yet. A diagonal ball from the right split the centre back pairing of Perry and Dodd, as “Pacey” took a touch and finished past an inflatable Rob Cully. So at 5-2 the game still looked in reach for the home team. The game looked more at reach when Perry made contact with “Pacey” inside the Goose box who used the touch as an invitation to go down. The referee awarded a penalty, however awarded the player no opportunity to re-position the ball as it sat in a divot looking more like a ratio seen inside an eggcup.
Amazingly Robbie Grobbelaar was up to the challenge, he dived to his right and punched to his right, and the penalty was saved as Perry then cleared the ball for an Accies throw. Once again Rob Cully came up trumps, came into some money, hit the big-time, played a blinder, surpassed everybody’s expectation of him when seeing him the night before, swaggering yet staggering. He capped off his save by rubbing his buttocks, well done Robert.
The penalty save lifted the Geese it has to be said; lucky not to have had their lead reduced to two goals they strived for more. Jimmy Musk whipped in a ball from the left, which saw Paul Dodd slide in for his sixth. As the minutes ran down, a tired Musky Musk was rested after a great return performance, he was replaced by thug Dave Perry, fuelled by that earlier dirt-dog and looked raring to go after stripping Cedrone of all his belongings.
Although Brett shouted “Go on Dave” and Tony Vullo described Perry (of the hot dog variety) as the best player to play in front of him this season, he was a few yards short of the cross when Matt Cully played a ball to somebody called Paul Dodd (don’t know if I have mentioned him yet) who Controlled, Spun, and Chipped a Lob into a net now Bulging, and in bold it shall read his seventh of the match.
Neal the Seal Dodd led celebrations. Once again he picked up a plastic water bottle from the tray and began to jump like a Formula One winner stood on the podium, water was sprayed to look like champagne, how clever that is. He once again led the Geese into battle; Pino Packer was waiting again for Paul Cully inside the central Pavilion.
“I am very pleased today, obviously Paul was excellent, but looking at all of his goals, despite making all of them look easy, the passing today in the final third was emphatic. At least four of his goals were set up by crosses or dead ball situations, something that at this stage in the season is hard to work on in training yet routines are looking very impressive from the sidelines. A few players had to play out of position today but not only did we cope, we came here a made them deal with us. Yeh he was pleased with them, and that pleased me. The biscuits were a lovely gesture, although the obscure had to be changed, it now looks very nice, my dads as happy as Larry, Wizardora? …Yes we do adore her.
Ratings - R Cully 9, A Castiglione 7 (B Hewitt 7), N Dodd 8, A Perry 7, T Vullo 8, M Cully 9, C Cedrone 7 (M Belsey 8), P Enefer 9, J Musk 8 (D Perry 7), P Dodd 10, B Norris 9
|
