Gateway 3 – 0 Aveley Academicals (Division 2 League Cup)

I want to write this match report about as much as any team in the Thurrock Sunday League want to play against our opposition.  It is a shame to tar the whole team with the same brush, as they undoubtedly have some good players – and are not all pond life – but even these individuals have to take some responsibility for the company they choose to keep.

So I’m afraid that I’m not willing to waste any more breath (or any more time than I need to) to describe this game other than is necessary to constitute a formal record that it did, in fact, take place.  If you weren’t there, and you want to know the finer details of this encounter, you’ll have to buy someone from the team a beer and I’m sure they’ll be happy to tell you all about it.  If you did something in the game that you had hoped would be mentioned, put it on a postcard and I’ll happily add it in.

Subs: Terry, Scott, Craig

All you really need to know is that we bounced back from a poor first half performance in which we conceded the three goals which ultimately lost us the game, and were able to walk off at the final whistle with our heads held high.  We did create some chances in the second half, and although if these had been converted a comeback may have been on, we were really playing for some pride and each other.  We got stuck in and can be proud of the courage and determination we displayed.

Votes for MoTM were split between Eye-Ball, Brian and Bobby.  Eye-Ball’s contribution was recognised for stepping into Robin’s massive shoes when he was forced off following a nasty blow to the head, thankfully with no lasting affects – although maybe we wouldn’t notice.  Brian finally seems to be over his hamstring injury and was back to his best as he threw himself into every challenge and chased every seemingly lost cause.  Bobby has received a number of votes over the past weeks, and finally (and deservedly) won the award as he led by example in the middle; fearlessly putting in tackles where others wouldn’t dream of going, running himself into the ground and displaying the terrier like determination that has made him such a popular and valued member of the squad.  Although the unmentionables he was hollering at himself following a wayward cross field pass suggests he is also his worst critic.

A special ‘unsung hero’ award has to go to Lewis, who single handedly kept the score line looking mildly respectable with some fine saves, including at least three one-on-ones.   DoTD went to Lee, for a comical display of Sunday morning brain malfunction, as he went searching high and low in the changing room for his socks, only to finally have it pointed out to him that he was wearing them.  At least he had plenty of people to lead him out to the pitch.

So the result of three tough games since Christmas is that we’re out of all the cups, and with it being unlikely that we will challenge for the league title we’ve really just got to go out every week, take each game as it comes and regardless of how it pans out just enjoy ourselves and give it our all.

Eye-Ball

Goal scoring chart