Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
The reserves welcomed Brummie visitors down the M40, A406 (the way they should have taken – if they wanted to be on time) for a quarter final AFA match on Saturday. The game, which displaced the 1s to give the oppo some decent Sergio hospitality, took place on a boggy racecourse pitch which unfortunately led to rather scrappy affair and ultimately a 1-0 defeat. Disaster was on the cards from the off when we lost MOD to the 1’s (although massive thanks to Bardgie and the 3s boys for the loan!) and Tom Spencer arrived at the racecourse doubled over with pain having pulled something in his back at Kings Cross (make of that what you will).
Wake Green took the lead from a dodgy peno 5 minutes in after beegee simmo was wrongly adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. After that AP dominated the half with wake green keeper pushing a Wilding exorcet onto the bar and tucking a Hancock shot round the post. Hubbard also dragged a Bergkamp -style control and shot just wide from close range.
At half time skipper and manager asked for more of the same but for the first 20 AP looked subdued – and the oppo even managed to hit the bar from possibly their third venture into the box all game.
The final 25 mins were all AP’s but despite hitting the bar twice more and simmo trying (and failing) to flatten their keeper, the reserves 12 match unbeaten run came to an end. Good luck to wake green in next round (well done for staying for a beer). For the reserves – defeat had to come sometime – let’s just ensure this is a minor blip.
Team – Bardgett, McLoughlin, Simpson, Jeator, Irvine, Hancock (Nicholas), Wilson, Cornibert, Wilding (Manu), Harvey, Hubbard.
