An Unhappy Cobdenite? Read about our last Victory (in 2003) HERE! |
WRITE YOUR OWN REPORT AND SEE IT HERE! Think you can do a better or fairer match report? Email us your version of events, and we'll publish it in its entirety (Except seriously offensive comments). |
The Official marplescouts.co.uk Match Report Kinder 6 v 4 Cobden After three years of Cobden dominance in the annual Easter Camp Football Match, Kinder finally won. The game was played out at Kinder's lacklustre and dilapidated home stadium, which was packed full of Cobden supporters (And not a single Kinder supporter!). The pitch had not been cut for weeks, and they used jumpers for goalposts! In a closely contested affair on Easter Sunday, Kinder conceded the first goal to a well-worked Cobden set-piece. Rick Statham provided the cross, and Andy Togs the header, as Cobden showed their supremacy in the early minutes. But those who thought that Cobden were going to wipe the floor with their counterparts were very much mistaken. Instead of lying down like they have done in previous years after going a goal down, Kinder began to battle. Indeed, their willingness to "Get stuck in" surprised the Cobden team, who were left dumbfounded as Kinder not only equalised, but went on to take a three goal lead! Kinders first goal, and the equaliser, saw Tom Ridgway get hold of the ball in a goalmouth scramble. His weak mis-hit shot somehow found its way through a tangle of legs and (somehow!) under the unsighted Cobden keeper. The goal, however scrappy, gave Kinder new belief and confidence in their ability, their heads probably full of elation that they had scored against the mighty Cobden, and their thoughts wondering that maybe this Cobden team was not as invincible as they had first thought. At one-all, Kinder began to rule the game, with Andy Spreck and Stuart Fletcher dominating the midfield. Cobden were just beginning to get back into the game when disaster struck for the Thursday-nighters. Their keeper, Daniel Hopwood, could only pat a tame shot from Kinders' mercurial Scout striker Ally into his own net, sending the Kinder boys wild. Their joy was not short-lived; After Ally was found unmarked at the back post, he poked the ball home to make it 3 -1 to Kinder; And when the ball rose and struck Pie on the hand, Kinder were awarded a dubious penalty, which was slotted away by Scout Matt Wilson. The penalty caused controversy not in that it was not a hand-ball, but that the Referee was mercilessly inconsistent. The Referee couldn't find his whistle when two similar incidents happened in the other box much to Cobdens disappointment. This should not come as a big surprise, since it has now been over 24 years since Kinder have conceded a Penalty at their home ground. At 4 1 down at half-time, Cobden deserved the hairdryer treatment, but had to make do with changing ends, and just carrying on. With the hill on their side, and with a renewed sense of direction, Cobden began the second half the better side. They applied almost constant pressure to the Kinder box. With Kinder concentrating solely on defence, the few chances that Kinder created were through lone-striker Ally, but were swiftly snuffed out by a marauding Rick Statham and his gang of defenders. Cobden had also changed goalkeepers, with the 7 foot giant John Bintliff now the scourge of the Kinder team. He kept the Kinder players in order when their discipline let them down. As the clock ticked on, anxiety began to creep into Cobdens game. The chances that should have been easily finished instead hit off the arms and legs of flailing Kinder defenders. Goalmouth scramble after goalmouth scramble seemed to reap nothing for Cobden, as Steve Spreck, Acid, and the brutal Twits kept clearing their lines. Finally, Adi Togs managed to find his feet, and reacted quickest when the ball fell at the feet of the Kinder goalkeeper, Ben Ashworth. He managed to poke the ball so that it crept into the empty net from a tight angle. And Cobden began to believe. Cobdens forces began to rally round, spurred on by the realisation that this was not going to be an impossible task. Cobden began to play with heart, and desire. They had urgency in their play, and they had self-belief. The ball turned in a potent weapon at their feet, and it seemed to be attracted to the Kinder goal-area as if it was strangely magnetic. The frenetic pace of the game was starting to take its toll on the Kinder ranks, it seemed. But in their urgency to get forward, Cobden left gaping holes at the back. Kinder made one surge against the run of play and scored an easy goal. This time Mark Makin was provider as Ally, the Scout Player of the Match, tapped the ball home at the far post, before running around crazily in celebration. If the Cobden boys had realised that that this was a massive blow to their chances of winning, it didn't show in their play. They still caressed the ball around the pitch with vim, vigour and vitality. They snatched back a quick goal through a Rick Statham thunderbolt that left the Kinder keeper standing. 5 3. Play restarted, and Cobden took control of the game again, making wave upon wave of attacking play. Kinder, with their box packed choc-full of players, were holding on. But there was still plenty of time left on the clock for Cobden to muster the goals necessary for victory. Cobden somehow failed to learn from their mistakes. With the play heavily in their favour, they were, once again, too attacking for their own good. Even Pie joined in the attacking play, with a mazy run that saw him sweeve past 3 defenders, and then nutmeg a humiliated Andy Spreck. Once again Kinder found a way through the wall of attacking Cobden players only this time Kinder's favourite goal-hanger Dobby Jones was the finisher of a well-worked Kinder passing move. At 6 3, Cobden still didn't allow their heads to drop they simply fought harder, faster and stronger. They laid siege on the Kinder penalty box as they struggled in earnest for another goal. They tried lobbing the keeper, shooting from distance, crossing from the flanks, or charging through the middle, but which ever way they chose, it always seemed to end with a goalmouth scramble in a crowded penalty area. Andy Togs made it 6 - 4 with minutes to go with a low drive that hit the post and glanced into the net. Cobden tried hard, but it was too little, too late. The remaining minutes were played out with Cobden showing their steely resolve: They kept playing right to the end, but the ball simply wouldn't go in the net. At the final whistle, Cobden congratulated Kinder on an excellent contest. Cobden had given a performance to be proud of, but didn't have the luck on the day. Cobden also could have used an extra man or two to play in defence if only the likes of Messrs Plumb and Statham had been available for selection from the start. It sets up an interesting contest for next year, when Cobden will no doubt have the same self-belief, and, hopefully, a bit more luck. |
THE BIG MATCH '04 |
WRITE YOUR OWN REPORT AND SEE IT HERE! Think you can do a better or fairer match report? Email us your version of events, and we'll publish it in its entirety (Except seriously offensive comments). |
An Unhappy Cobdenite? Read about our last Victory (in 2003) HERE! |
