Sparta (3) 3 - Athletico (2) 4
Our bogey team do it again beating us 4-3 in a hard fought game..
The game started badly with a mistake by Daly allowing them to score and continued like that for the rest of the game with constant missed passes and tackles by the whole team.
Despite the defeat we must take the positives and at half time we were 3-2 up all through Jimbo but with him hobbling off at halftime we were left with an uphill task to hold on. Jimbo did come back on for the second half but was now just trying to lay the ball back to midfield if it did come to him so losing the half 2-0 wasn-t as bad as it seemed.
Special mention to Tigwell who was immense, limiting it to a one goal margin and will hopefully fill the keeper slot for the rest of the season.
Cheers Athletico it was a deserved win.
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Having bested Sparta Farnham in the last game of the previous season, and following an extraordinary victory the previous week, it would have been easy for Athletico to turn up for the latest game in a complacent frame of mind. Fortunately, that did not happen and Athletico ran out 4-3 victors in a tight and entertaining game.
A week after the events in question, this reporter?s mind is a bit confused as to what order things happened, but I remember that Atheltico took a surprise lead with Stevie G collecting a scooped Anderson through-ball, bumbling past the last defender and finishing coolly.
It was clear the main threat to this lead was posed by Sparta?s usual danger-man, known in some quarters as ?the ginger assassin?, and whom was a menace for all the first half. Though Athletico put together some good attacks ? including Anderson hitting the post, and skewing a volley high over the crossbar from a right-sided corner, and Esteban being foiled by the keeper after being put through ? Sparta?s direct style of play finally paid off with the assassin finally getting the wrong side of Andy or Tom or Ray and slotting nicely past Stevie H (who was kindly volunteered as the goalkeeper in Chris?s absence).
Sparta scored another one or two ? somehow ? and it was clear that, although the defence (Andy, in particular) were doing a good job sticking close and doubling up on Sparta?s main-man, there was still a threat whenever the ball was knocked long. However, in a convenient twist of fate, the Ginger Assassin pulled up with a mysterious foot injury, calling halftime early and raising Athletico hopes for the second half. Somewhere towards the end of this half (maybe), Stevie G knocked in a second (that I can?t remember, but was assuredly a scorcher) and the half came with Farnham leading 3-2.
However, with Sparta?s front-man carrying his injury and lacking the players to make a substitution, Atheltico took the initiative in the second half, with Anderson belting in a third from six-inches out after more good Stevie G work. This latter finish was not to be disrespected as a feat however, as was proven when Raf performed a miracle and blasted the ball against the bar from a similar position that, being kind to Raf, can only be described as just off the goal line.
At three-a-piece, the game looked certain to end as a draw, with the Spartan goalkeeper notably having an absolute dream of a game, acrobatically denying everything Athletico (and Esteban in particular, who was denied a possible hat-trick) could throw at him ? but cometh the hour, cometh the man: Scanners, checked onto his left-foot and curled a sweet shot into the very-bottom corner from fifteen/twenty/one-hundred yards out. There was time enough for the Assassin to run-off his injury and test the Rovers defence with a final flurry, but the clocks ran out on them and Athletico could celebrate a second consecutive victory over the Spartans and a second consecutive victory in the division.
Credit goes out to Sparta Farnham who played with a sporting and genial spirit, and performed admirably on a warm evening, with no substitutes: a good game was had by all! With regards to Athletico, everyone had a decent game: Andy was an actual rock (sort of like The Thing in The Fantastic Four, perhaps?); Tom and Ray defended ably with the usual tenacious spirit; Esteban?s touch and off-the-ball running caused difficulties all game for the Spartan defence; Stevie G was a running machine and always looked dangerous, and Raf linked up Athletico attacks well (not to mention him providing the most memorable moment of the match, when he worried the bar from a yard out).
Extra credit goes to Stevie H though, who was a great sport in being told to go in goal, and a greater sport for making no mistakes and clearing his lines confidently. Also, yours? truly, who showed the world why Capello made a mistake in not calling him up for the World Cup. Perhaps?
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