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 After a slightly unlucky and disappointing result against Grampa's 8 my Hampster, Meanwood needed to bounce back and bounce back quickly if they were to climb the table. However, Real Oriental awaited Meanwood. Real Oriental have shocked the league this season and are currently challenging for a top three finish. Last week they managed to beat second placed Park Lane. Could Meanwood rise to the challenge and climb the table or would they be trampled on by a team in a rush for success? All was to be revealed…
Meanwood fielded a full strength team with Aydan Fertug in net. Following the traditional rotating subs policy were defenders Daniel "Gafa" Gaunt, Daniel Woodward, Anthony Mckieth and strikers Richard Bissitt and Nathan Williams. Gafa started on the bench. Real Oriental fielded a much-improved squad to the one that drew 3-3 when they last faced Meanwood with several weak links being dropped and sent to the job centre… The match kicked off with Meanwood trying to hit their opponents with an early goal. Daniel Woodward rushed forward but he fired wide and the shot rebounded straight into the path of a Real Oriental player who triggered a counter attack, which resulted in a shot on goal. However, Aydan Fertug managed to make his first save of the match. Nathan Williams then proceeded to trick his way past several defenders but he failed to get his shot on target.Meanwood were beginning to regain their confidence and look dangerous but this was knocked out of them when Real Oriental grabbed an undeserved goal when some slack defending allowed a Real Oriental player to attempt a long distance shot that stunned Aydan Fertug and found it's way into the back of the net, a massive blow for Meanwood.  Meanwood then pushed forward to try and grab an equaliser. Anthony Mckieth showed why he was last season's runner up player of the season when he wormed his way round several players and sent a through ball to Bissitt. Unfortunately, Bissitt was beaten to the ball by an alert Real Oriental defender who averted danger. Meanwood continued to press forward and Daniel Woodward out-powered his way through two defenders and sent a trademark low shot. However, Real Oriental's keeper got down low and saved well. Surprisingly, maybe even astonishingly, Real Oriental grabbed another underserved goal when a mix up in the Meanwood defence left Aydan Fertug exposed in a one on one situation. The Real Oriental striker managed to place the ball beyond Aydan's reach and put them 2-0 up. Disaster for Meanwood! However, Meanwood's heads didn't drop and they managed to pull one back when Woody broke forward and powered home. However, this joy was outlived when Real Oriental managed to score another when a Real Oriental player broke forward and managed to beat Aydan at his near post and put them 3-1 up. Meanwood tried to stutter their way back into the match but by now their confidence had suffered and they struggled to come up with any ideas going forward. Thus, it was no surprise when Real Oriental put themselves 4-1 up when Aydan Fertug misjudged a shot. Meanwood then tried to launch a fight back within the last five minutes of the second half when Anthony Mckieth broke forward and placed the ball into the back of the net to make the score 4-2. The first half fight back still wasn't over as there was still enough time for Nathan Williams to make it 4-3 when he sent a powerful low shot that managed to find the bottom left hand corner of the net. As the referee blew his whistle, Meanwood found themselves 4-3 down after dominating the first half for long spells.
The second half kicked off with Meanwood looking to continue their goal rush and pull another back. Meanwood went close when Gafa broke forward and sent a shot that was inches wide. However, it was Real Oriental who once again grabbed a goal against the run of play when Aydan Fertug was deceived by another Real Oriental shot. Meanwood were now 5-3 down and needed a goal to maintain their chances of getting something out of the match…. then up stepped Daniel Woodward to drill another effort goal bound and find the back of the net. Meanwood then proceeded to press but with no reward. Meanwood were beginning to lose some of their fire until a Real Oriental player made a high two footed lunge into Richard Bissitt's back. Bissitt was outraged by the challenge and it took almost the entire Meanwood team to restrain him.  Mckieth then had to be restrained when the same player intentionally sweeped at Mckieth's feet. The same player then kneed Gafa and caused even more anger. Although Meanwood's fire may have made them more determined, it also made them more reckless. This proved costly when Real Oriental scored their sixth after Meanwood had tried to gain revenge by snapping someone. However, they forgot that the ball was rolling goal bound and they conceded a soft goal…although they did force a Real Oriental substitution. The clocked continued to tick with Meanwood threatening to score but there were only three minutes left. Would Meanwood be able to score two goals in time to get something out of the match? It seemed more likely when Nathan scored an identical goal to his first and sent a shot flying into the bottom left hand corner. Meanwood needed one more goal to level the match and they got it with two minutes remaining when Woody broke forward and sent a thunderbolt into the back of the net. Real Oriental were heartbroken and they were to suffer even more anguish when Meanwood took the lead ten seconds after their equaliser when Mckieth volleyed in the rebound from Gafa's shot to make the score 7-6. Meanwood then added insult to injury by time wasting…and then hitting them on the counter attack for Mckieth to score an eighth for Meanwood! If that wasn't enough, Nathan Williams completed the three minute goal route with another identical shot that found it's way into the back of the net to make the score 9-6. Meanwood almost added a tenth but Real Oriental had suffered enough humiliation and the final score stayed 9-6. Phew!
Man Of The Match- Anthony Mckieth Mckieth had a wonderful time today, he really enjoyed his football and he played with a great big smile on his face even though his beloved team were losing. Gafa sitting at the back allowed him more freedom to express himself and score goals. Mckieth drove his team forward ruthless in the last three minutes and helped them to score those five important goals. Mckieth may be blonde but he's intelligent to understand how to defend, counter attack and score goals. Congratulations Mr. Mckieth on a good performance… Conclusion Manager Stuart Turpin must teach his team to be more ruthless in front of goal because until the last five minutes Meanwood were losing a game that they had dominated due to inapt shooting. However, Meanwood got there in the end and got their reward. This is turning out to be a bastard season, all we need are some injuries…Meanwood are still only joint fifth. Great… Forget the title, forget second, forget third…let's get this season over with…. it's been the unluckiest season ever…and Meanwood thought this season was going to even their luck out. Wishful thinking… |