Lost 0-1
MoM: Nick Tan (see pic)
DoD: Bert Andrews for leaving his kit bag in Rochester (collected by one of our Care in The Community staff)
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
A report that is a bit shorter (I can already hear an ex-chairman – a well known fruit farmer, character and ex-Friar from near Chartham) already saying as he sits on his tractor, “about time” as your writer is suffering creative writer’s block on this game which somewhat lacked any significant points that can turn a report from fact into fiction!
Still if you are still with me here we go:-
SHORT VERSION: An even game apart from the fact that Old Willies scored a solitary goal and their passing was a lot better in the second half than ours.
LONG(ER) VERSION:
A very late push-back at Old Willies albeit on an early sunny evening saw the game see-sawing back and forward with nothing between the teams until a short-corner on the stroke of half-time saw us one down after an excellent drag shot into the top left hand corner even managed to beat our international GK.
The Friars defence snuffed out a lot of the home team’s efforts and whilst their (Friars’ defence) passing wasn’t too bad, it was what happened after the ball got to a green shirt that mattered. Nick Tan had some useful runs and Bert does created some opportunities.
Not much after that as despite game management from Cap’n Jonesy the Friars did not distinguish themselves with their passing in mid field and up front. Whether this was a reason to “reach-out” to Spec Savers, over-ambition or just poor skill levels others will be the judge. It was only in the last 10 minutes that the reality of a defeat seemed to improve matters. Five minutes from the end an intense melee was really the only chance of a Friars goal and should have been a short-corner – the only round object hitting the back board was Merv The Swerve’s shiny head (he survived). However the ump disagreed with our appeals for a short corner and that was basically it as Old Willies moved from their mantra of their own “game management” to “time management” running the clock down expertly.
We retired to some very tasty curried and spicy pasties.
Squad: John Aikin, Bert Andrews, Mike Barton, Guy Dowling, Phil Dowling, Jamie Harris, Geordie Hayward, Brian Hurlow, Mervyn Lewis, Tim Lewis, Sir Geoffrey Philpott, Nick Tan, Simon Triggs (GK), Tony Jones (manager & off field skipper)
