The 1s first home game of the season was, as could only be reasonably expected, a game of two halves...
The 1s first home game of the season was, as could only be reasonably expected, a game of two halves. The first attacking and attractive. The second defensively solid. It was also a game of two Simon Yearsley’s. Starting off in benevolent mood, Yearsley offered the opposition an early penalty, with a slight feint of the left arm to a bouncing ball. He then displayed his more miserly side, with some mean defending and even some clinical finishing, dispatching the 1s second goal, before deciding it was time for more charity, and the concession of another penalty early in the second half.
In all fairness he was aided and abetted by some despicable refereeing, even by ABSSA’s standards. L’arbitre didn’t endear himself to the home team by showing a distinct lack of festive spirit in judging Paul Christmas’ temporary (police) id insufficient. The opposition agreed, and Goran Abramovic was forced to take the field slightly earlier than planned. The ‘Croatian Rock’, as someone (had to be the ‘Luton Crock’, Binning) put it one of his many man of the match votes, proved some replacement.
If Xmas’ exclusion added a bit of edge to proceedings, it took a while to arrive. The early exchanges were largely confined to the midfield, with both sides striving to find cohesion. Perhaps he was bored, because with little over ten minutes gone the ref awarded the day’s first dodgy spot kick. Luckily for the 1s, captain and goalkeeper Mark Adams was more than equal to the task plunging low to his left to keep out a well struck effort from the Entente centre forward. Abramovic, ever alert, did fantastically well to get to the rebound first, clearing it downfield.
The British, three Belgians, a Croat, a Dane and an Irishman were spurred into action. Almost immediately they began to apply pressure to the opposition goal, forcing a series of corners. From one, a half clearance was met on the volley by in the inrushing Legère. With Villé causing some consternation on the goal line, the ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net.
One-nil RBBFC was quickly turned into two. Another dangerous corner from Roberto Carlos - sorry Abbas Hussain – found Yearsley’s forehead. The goalkeeper didn’t even have the chance to move.
Perhaps feeling a little aggrieved to be the only one of the three summer recruits from hosts Everberg not to have scored, Villé chipped in with number three. R. Carlos called for and received the ball from Adams in the left back slot. He fed the ball in centrally to Griffiths. With Rice hoarse from calling for the ball on the right side, Griffiths felt that his only option was to plant a sublime half-volley with the outside of his right foot, diagonally over the heads of the disoriented visiting defence, straight into the path of Villé. The finish was a formality.
If that was good, RBBFC had almost done better minutes earlier. A zigzagging passing move the length of the pitch, involving a half dozen of the team, ended with a low drag back into the six yard box which Marinus converted with élan. The ref, clearly not a believer in Flemish solidarity, ruled the goal offside. Another bad decision and a real shame. It was a move worthy of recognition.
The clear message at half time was not to relax. An early goal, it was emphasized could revive Entente’s flagging hopes. Five minutes in and the ref, who obviously bores easily, tried to ensure that the visitors got just such a morale boost with the second dodgy spot kick. Adams’ presence on the goal line surely unnerved the taker, who blasted his attempt high and wide.
And that pretty much was that. Fee departed for some well earned rest (his first in seven weeks) having provided a superb focal point for most of RBB’s attacking play. Magaud came on in his place, with Marinus switched upfront, and ably assisted the team in holding out for the victory.
Entente got increasingly desperate, two of their number making elaborate plans to batter each other after the game, and it was obvious why. The 1s defence was soaking up everything been thrown at them. Christensen was dogged in his chase of anything that entered his no-go zone. Goran ran and ran and ran, and cleared more mitres than Mike Davies could collect on the sideline. When Entente did once get through, Adams once again proved impassable.
Villé nearly added further gloss to the result with a gentle lob from outside the box, which grazed the top of the bar-end crossbar. But it was the ref who had the last word of course. The final whistle. Three-nil. Three goals from the newboys. Three cheers. Let’s make it three out of three next week lads.
MOM: The Croatian Rock
