Oaks Athletic 3 – 1 Belhus Park Athletic

Today’s victory was The Oaks third in a row, which guaranteed them 5th spot in the league. It has been a very successful season so far, and one which we are all really enjoying (even Milesy!). We’ve got two games left in which to make it even better (win, lose or draw).

These two teams last met back in October in the first game of the season (which feels like a very long time ago), when The Oaks out-played their opponents but were denied all three points by two late goals. They had waited a long time for revenge, and had to wait longer than expected due to a no-show by the referee. Some speculated that he may have forgotten to put his clocks forward, but the fact he didn’t turn up at all suggests he may have actually put them back! However, we were fortunate that one of the opposition substitutes had access to a ref’s top and a whistle, and stepped in to enable the game to go ahead.

Nathan skippered the side in place of the injured Stu, and Milesy picked the following starting 11:

ppppppppppppppParker (GK)

ppDeano (RB) Milly (CB) Rob (CB) Eye-Ball (LB)

pNathan (RM) Al (CM) Gollum (CM) (c) Aaron (LM)

pppppppppppJamie (CF) Sharpy (CF)

Subs: Jimmy, Bill

The delayed start didn’t seem to affect The Oaks, who started really positively; dominating both possession and chances. The reward for this good start didn’t take long to arrive as Rob rose well from a Nathan long throw to head the ball into the top corner: 1:0.

The problem with nicknames is that some people (especially those who weren’t there when it was earned) need convincing that the nickname is truly deserved. Eye-Ball left no one in doubt that this moniker was well earned as he picked up his latest facial injury: this time a nice golf ball implant below the left eye thanks to a collision when going for a header – at least I won the ball (I think).

It seems that mild concussion can be contagious, as the whole team seemed to lose the early sharpness as the half wore on. We were still the better team with the ball in possession, but gave Belhus too many opportunities from free kicks, corners and throw-ins in our own half. Belhus were unlucky not to have the chance to bring the scores level from the spot, when Deano handled the ball in the area. The ref’s inexcusable error also meant that Eye-Ball still holds the position as top penalty conceder (not that I’m bitter).

The Oaks may have got away with this decision, but didn’t get any help from the ref when they failed to close down and defend a cross which was smartly headed home by Belhus: 1-1. This was the last action of the half and left The Oaks frustrated not to go into half time in front.

Stu may not have been leading the team on the pitch, but his constructive words at half time were well received, and seemed to do the trick as The Oaks started the second half much better than they had ended the first. Everyone increased the work-rate, with Nathan leading by example in both attack and defence. Al is also striving in his new central midfield position; with Jamie partnering Sharpy upfront now when Al picks up the ball in midfield he has two willing targets rather than one.

It was vital that we got the next goal, and Sharpy once again showed why he is leading goal scorer when he latched onto a perfect low cross from Nathan and hit the bouncing ball first time into the bottom corner. This was a really good finish and fortunately it wasn’t an easy chance: 2-1.

You could have the memory of a gold fish and still remember that a one goal lead has rarely been sufficient, especially with still 20 minutes to go. This was evident in The Oaks approach, which was to push on for the third goal rather than sit on the one goal advantage. This approach paid off when Jamie expertly took the ball down off a combination of his chin and shoulder, and unleashed a rasping shot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Al, who showed Sharpy how to finish from 2 yards: 3-1.

Belhus Park Ath were now almost beaten, but the last thing we wanted to do was raise their spirits by giving away a sloppy goal, and I’m happy to say I don’t need to describe how we held out for the last 10 min. We finished the half as strongly as we had started it, to earn a much deserved 3 points, and justice was done – and boy was it sweet.

Eye-Ball

Next Game: Sunday 5th April, 10:30 v Greyhound @ Home.

Goal Scoring Chart:

Corrections

Oaks 5 - 2 Concept B

I now know the team was as follows:

pppppppppppppppBill (GK)

ppDeano (RB) Milly (CB) Rob (CB) Jimmy (LB)

pNathan (RM) Al (CM) Stu (CM) (c) Aaron (LM)

pppppppppppJamie (CF) Sharpy (CF)

Special mention must be made for Bill who made his maiden appearance in goal, and only conceded 2.

Aaron scored 2, Jamie scored 2, and Stu scored 1.

Rec Rovers 5 - 6 Oaks Athletic

As expected I got my knickers in a twist last week, which I think is understandable given 11 goals were scored during the game. The goal from Al's cross that I awarded to Jamie was actually scored by Nathan, and Jamie got his second when he latched onto an unsuccessful attempt from Rob.

Eye-Ball

Rec Rovers 5 - 6 Oaks Athletic

In theory winning a game of football is easy: just score one more goal than the other team. They score none, you score one; they score one, you score two; they score five you score 6. OK, so a simple equation can soon become complicated, and The Oaks didn’t exactly make it easy for themselves on this sunny Sunday morning at Belhus Park.

Like so many times this season Milesy had the luxury of 14 players from which to select his starting line up, and he opted for the following team:

ppppaaaaaaaaaaaaaNNeil (GK)

pppDeano (RB) Rob (CB) Milly (CB) Eye-Ball (LB)

pNathan (RM) Al (CM) Stu (CM) (c) Aaron (LM)

ppppaaaaaaaaaaaJamie (CF) Sharpy (CF)

subs: Parker, Gollum, Bill

It had been three weeks since The Oaks last played, and it definitely showed as they struggled to find first gear in the opening exchanges, and were soon behind thanks to a deflected shot from their dangerous number 6 (don’t worry Rob, definitely not an o.g.).

This woke the Oaks up a bit, and they were soon back on level terms when Sharpy found himself through on goal and supplied a neat finish from 8 yards. Next came the first of two own goals (or the only one depending on who you talk to), as The Oaks were beaten at their own game; a long throw into the six yard box was met by Al who cleared in the wrong direction and left Neil no chance. 2-1 to Rec Rovers (I hope you’re keeping up).

The Oaks have shown what an effective and direct passing side they can be, and once they remembered this the benefits were clear to see. No more so than when Captain Stu finished off a slick passing move with a delightful ball into Jamie who was never going to miss when through on goal with only the keeper to beat: 2-2.

Having twice come from behind, The Oaks now took the lead for the first time when Al whipped a low ball to the back post and Jamie was once again perfectly place to put the ball past the helpless Rec keeper: 3-2.

I should at this point mention that The Oaks could easily have gone in to half time three goals up rather than one if one of our number hadn’t put a header over from 1 yard and manage to smash the ball straight into the keeper’s face with the whole goal was at his mercy. I’m not going to mention any names, but you must admire the fact that this guy has scored 19 goals when he can’t put away the easy ones.

Rec Rovers must have had something stronger in their water at half-time, as they once again looked to put The Oaks under pressure from the off. The scores were soon back level as Rec scored one of the goals of the game with one player starting and finishing a move with a good header from a left-wing cross: 3-3.

Having had to mentally capture 6 goals up to this point, I must admit that the following period is a little hazy – I blame it on my lung bursting runs that starved my brain of oxygen (I really should learn to multi-task). I do know that The Oaks went 4-3 up and that Nathan scored the goal (sorry Nathan, you’ll have to remind me what happened).

At this point Gollum was bought on for the injured Stu, Parker came on for Neil and Bill replaced Aaron. Gollum’s orders were to sit in front of the defence and break up any attacks; but, to be honest, Neil could have parked his No. 11 bus in-front of the goal and we still would have conceded. This time we were punished for failing to clear the ball from a set piece. 4-4.

I’ll have to leave it to Milesy to decide whether Nathan should be credited with the next goal, but from where I was standing it looked like the defender leathered the ball into the bottom corner in attempting to cut out a cross: 5-4.

There were now only 2 minutes remaining, and the Oaks went 5 at the back in a desperate attempt to keep hold of a lead for only half the time it takes to boil an egg. Unfortunately one extra man in defence could do nothing about the dipping shot from 40 yards that left parker wishing the Mansfield stewards had thrown him out of the country and not just the ground 5:5!

I think that the majority of us had lost the will to live at this point, but fortunately Nathan and Jamie weren’t prepared to give up so easily. The last of many bursting runs from Nathan earned a corner, which he swung over quickly to the back post much to the annoyance of the advancing defenders who wanted to get in the box for one last attempt at being near the ball when it went it at the right end! Fortunately Nathan’s quick thinking paid off as he caught all but one fast asleep. That one was Jamie who snuck in at the back post to head the ball into the goal from an impossible angle. 6-5 to the Oaks! It was the perfect way to round off a brilliant hat-trick, and Jamie obviously enjoyed it has he went running off like the 10 year old school girl who’d just had her first kiss.

So to summarise: The Oaks scored one more goal than Rec Rovers and therefore won the game. THE END.

Eye-Ball

Next game: Sun 29th March –v- Belhus Park Athletic @ Home – 10:30 a.m. K.O.

Scoring Chart*:

*Note that the chart has not been updated with goals or appearances from the previous match (I need to get the details of who played from Milesy).

Sun 1st Mar - Oaks Athletic 5 - 2 Concept B

I could tell you about my holiday, but unfortunately not what happened in this match. All you need to know is that Aaron and Jamie scored twice with Nathan getting the other one in a fine victory for the Oaks.

Eye-Ball