Goals: N’Gola, Dudmish, Scudamore
After two cup games, two league games, two broken bones and too much exposure to a striker who I’m convinced has lowered my IQ just by being near me, we met Vamps for the fifth time this season.
With the 6s back to winning matches again, and on a pitch where we remain unbeaten, we were full of confidence. Indeed we even persuaded Wayne to surrender his ‘lucky’ shorts in favour of the proper kit (although he did tell me he donned them again for that night’s visit to Silver Bullet).
We lined up in our 3-5-2 but with an exciting new forward partnership of Banny “N’Scorer” N’Gola and Jack “Muswell Hill Messi” Dudmish.
However we started slowly with Vamps using the hill to put us under pressure. Farhad was called into some important saves and Vamps created and missed some half chances. When we cleared our lines it was wild and generally gave Banny and Jack little to work with.
Fortunately we began to ‘raise’ it, get more organised and get a little cleverer with our balls to the front two. A superb free kick from Scants found Jack drifting into the box and he planted a beautiful looping header over the keeper. This rattled Vamps and we began to turn the screw, although Farhad was also forced into a brilliant reaction save on the line to protect the lead.
More good work from Jack on the edge of the box saw him pick out Robin’s lung-bursting run up the left wing. Robin cut it back to Banny in his trademark hunting ground and he beat the defender to the cross and put it in at the second attempt.
Minutes later Ditmir continued his sizzling form with another wonderful assist. Jamie had been introduced up front to compete for the long balls we were hitting up the hill. He did just that, pulling away from the defender, taking it down and slotting it in to become our joint 8th top scorer in the league. Congratulations.
The second half was a more turgid affair. We looked for the goal that probably would have seen vamps collapse but couldn’t quite find it, with Wayne going closest. We also struggled with Vamp’s ridiculously high line.
However they rarely threatened either, with Sam dominating the physical striker and Mike M & Oli sweeping up. Mike P, Nick, Jamie, Scants & Robin closed down centre mid. Wayne, Ditmir and myself took it in turns to respectively torment, terrorise and very mildly annoy their full backs.
A good result that keeps us right in it with 5 games to go. They don’t get any bigger than this Saturday’s clash with Broomfield. Let’s win.
MOM: Jack Dudmish for the game changing goal and good work on the ball.
