Scorers: Nnamdi
The 5s went into the fixture looking to continue last week’s good form, but as we arrived the club had inadvertently forgotten that they play football there and everything was shut up tighter than Tottenham when James Kennedy is out on the town.
With time to contemplate life, pump the new ball, discuss the two sets of shirts that make up our kit and to check out the oppo, we noticed their keeper looked very small.
The lads therefore decided to protect him from their mighty blows and purposely shoot everywhere but the goal.
So the game started with the same keeper and back 4 as last week; Smith, Burwell, Robinson, Piner and Krefting and a small but agile midfield of Tom White, Rae, Liam and Ditmar. Marek tucked in up front alongside Angelo, with the Greek’s Mrs looking on. A strong bench of new boy Nnamdi and a random called Dan Wilding (I heard he ended Joe Robinson’s midfield career but that may just be a rumour).
So the game kicked off and AP were all over Winchmore Hill, playing fast down the wings, using the channels well and cutting in to take pot shots at goal frequently. At this stage AP remembered their solemn oath to protect the Hill keeper at all costs and managed circa 20 shots over the bar and wide even from 2 yards out.
The Hill to their credit did what every team needs to do to win games and that was put away their chances. First goal they beat the offside trap after a corner, heading calmly past Smith and the second goal was a bit of quality from their right winger who was trouble all day. As we pushed in the second half, introducing both subs to try and add creativity and potency, we conceded the third, Burwell misjudging a header to sublimely flick on for the centre forward to finish. Their fourth came right at the end with absent corner marking to leave a free man.
We did get a consolation, Nnamdi scoring on his debut, seconds after pushing a shot on an open goal wide, with a mildly audacious overhead kick. His celebration was modest, shouting praise at himself for how amazing the shot was – as Dave Mc. put it on the sidelines, you thought he’d scored the world cup winner!! (Good goal anyway lad)
Score line flattered them, in particular as two were scored as we pushed to get back into it. All in all we dominated and just couldn’t shoot for toffee.
We received thanks from their keeper in the form of mild laughter of joy; good that he was safe and well at least.
MoM Liam Coughlin.
