The day started off with everyone getting there on time, if not early for our game (apart from DK and Lofty) which could only look like a sign of us meaning business to have a good cup run! We headed in to get changed, have a chat and listen to our chosen playlist of 80’s music chosen by last weeks MOM Carlos (Mario). The boys headed out to switch on and warm up. After a while we started to ask the question of ‘where are our oppo!?’ We asked the ref about the situation and he responded with ’15 they said they’d be 15 minutes’ with the time already being 2 minutes past the kick off time. They eventually arrived and changed at the side of the pitch, GAME ON! Boars started brightly with some early chances that were not taken, and some good strong early tackles to let them know we were here for the win, even if one of those tackles was Grestey taking out Mario and the ref awarding the oppo a free kick from it? The first goal came…..for them, when a corner got whipped in and their attacker won the header which was blocked by Grestey’s arm from inches away, appeals for handball were listened too as a penalty was awarded to our confusion because of the distance between the players. The pressure was on Fitz who stepped up to go in goal, the attacker converted, 1-0 down totally against the run of play. The boars kept up the good play neat triangles down the centre and the wings lead to more wasted chances! A boar move broke in the centre circle, the oppo midfielder picked it up drove for 10 yards and unleashed a shot that had some behind it which Fitz couldn’t stop busting the bottom corner of the net. 2 down at half time and we were in trouble. The half time chat was still a positive one as we knew one goal for us would put us back in the game. We headed out same as the first half raring to go! The boars got a corner that Iain swung in and the tallest man on the pitch, lofty, got on the end of it and made it 2-1! Not long for them to stick a free kick into the top bins and make it 3-1, the heads didn’t drop because the game was still there, another corner swung in by Iain saw the same outcome but this time it was DK who used his eye to eyeball it home to make it 3-2, and the game was looking great for the neutral. The score line didn’t last long as the oppo left mid went on a run that left 4 players in his rear view mirror, rounded Fitz with ease to slot him for 4-2. The boars were once again in trouble with time not on our side, Vin turned into the hulk when he was caught so late by a tackle (almost as late as them turning up) he threw words out that some may say see you next Tuesday, but not Vin, no sir! We were handed a lifeline as DK dribbled into the box but was then taken down by a sniper as he was upright one minute and on the floor the next, penalty of our own to convert…. Glenn was handed with the job to stick it away, which he failed to do as the keeper saved a poor penalty but the rebound broke out to Glenn which he went to stick away but with the keeper rushing out he made another save which came at a cost of having an extra face as Glenn’s knee caught the Kepler under his eye and was left on the floor for a solid 10 minutes. While their team were seeing to their brace keeper the ref asked if we had a first aid, cue Fitz’s dry sense on humour ‘they don’t have anyone to deliver first aid!? F**k them, not my problem’ with the keeper off, outfielder in goal the game carried on, the boars had their tails up as they knew the oppo had no subs and Fitz was rotating our 3 subs well, we had the legs. The oppo broke forward 1on1 but Fitz remembered the late tackle on Vin and came out like Bruce lee, both legs straight ahead, arms out to the side, best combination of collecting the ball and getting your own back on the player as he delivered a Vinny Jones like tackle, with him rolling around in pain, Fitz again with his humour ‘I didn’t touch him, he’s fine, he’ll live, get on with it, the f**king fairy!” the game caries on and again DK broke into the box and the sniper made sure he got him this time and he collapsed to the floor, ANOTHER PENALTY!!! Denys this time stepped up, again the keeper saved it but Denys stuck the rebound away, something Glenn couldn’t do. 4-3 and this was turning into a game of basketball, you attack, we attack. The boars broke into the box, fired a shot the keeper parried it to Tom B which he put away, 4-4 and we were back in the game! Regulation time done, we needed more time to find a winner, with a quick word from Fitz saying same again we headed out. First attack saw Glenn slide DK in on goal with a through ball, DK’s shot was blocked on the line but luckily Denys was there to follow up and we finally had the lead for the first time in the game! 5-4! The lead didn’t last long as they got one back from a free kick into the top bins to make it 5-5, Fitz no chance. Second half of ET saw the lead look like a distant memory as Vin played a hospital pass to Iain which never reached him but only the striker of the oppo, who ran through to make it 6-5 and the game look all but over. That was until good Merton pressure saw the ball get hit well in the air out to the left which Glenn picked out with ease as if it was the 17th minute of the game not the 117th, beat the defender and whipped in a ball that Denys out in the bottom corner, a Denys hat trick and 6-6, you couldn’t make this up! 120 minutes wasn’t enough time to find a winner so to penalties it went. Merton went first, Mario stepped up to take the first one, Italians never miss penalties,(unless your Baggio or Simone Zaza) 1-0 to us surely? Wrong, the post was to deny Mario. The oppo stuck their pen away 0-1. The reliable Neal stepped up next, wrong again as his penalty was saved, no problem for them as Fitz was sent the wrong way to make it 0-2, just before Glenn went for the long walk Mike Stone asked ‘you good?’ He replied with ‘yeah just want to stick this one away’ he spotted the ball down, ran up and……SAVED! A repeat of his pen in the game, same way, same outcome, so it came down to Fitz to keep us in the shootout, the oppo sent him the wrong way and they ran out 0-3 winners, a great game to watch but not to be a part of if you’re on the losing side like we were. At least we have the league to focus on now, loads of positives to take, like scoring 6 goals but negatives too, such as letting in 6 goals and missing 5 penalties, we know what we are doing at training next. Heads up and go again next week boars! 

Team: Fitz, Neal, Stone, Vin, Iain, Grestey, Mario, Danny, Glenn, Denys, DK

Subs: Jamie, Tom, Lofty

MOM: Iain.                       DOD: Glenn

Posted in Match Reports 3s