Earlestown Athletic JFC
Here to give every child a game of football
Earlestown Athletic Coaches & Parents vs Earlestown Athletic Open Age
30th December 2007
It was that time of year again when the coaches and parents played the open age team in what has become an annual event, the only difference this year was that the aim was to raise money for Wargrave House School.
Match Report (may not be 100% accurate as the drinking after went on a lot longer than the match)
The game started as expected with the coaches going 1 - 0 down to a spectacular 30 yard effort from Craig Fairhurst after only 5 mins. Not getting to down hearted the coaches decided to play a little deeper, this may of been because nobody had the legs to get over the half way line, but it seemed to work the coaches soaked the pressure up for the next 15 mins before a long ball from the back sent the coaches most consistant goal hanger Mike Knight off on a run where he managed to round the goal keeper and equlised to a stunned coaches team as he normally puts his shots 30 yards over the bar. 1 - 1 after 20 mins again the coaches team decided to go defensive just like they practiced in training and it seemed to work again until the open age team decided shooting from 35 yards was getting a little boaring and cut the coaches defence open like a hot knife through butter, Craig Dearden finished off a nice move 2 - 1 open age after 35 mins. This time from kick off the coaches decided to try an attack and set up a cross from the left hand side, then somthing ive never seen before in my life as the ball came to the edge of the box the referee Oggie who would have been playing for the coaches if he never had a broken arm decided to volly the ball at the open age goal, the ball was blocked and found itself at the right hand side of the box where Neil McClymont slid in and handled the ball in the box. Penalty to the coaches. There was only one man ever going to take it because he takes all the penaltys and all the free kicks else he starts sulking and wont play. Neil McBride steped up and placed the penilty to the left of the keeper, 2 - 2 36 mins. The game became a lot more open and a after a few chances from both sides McBride went on a run through the middle and managed to lob a stranded goal keeper form 12 yards although he says it was from the half way line, he must be joking 3 - 2 to the coaches after 42 mins. Thats how it stayed till half time
2nd Half
The second half got under way and after seeing the faces of the coaches and realizing the team was either to fat or to old to continue the referee Oggie blew up after 15 seconds to the astonishment of the open age side. The coaches where happy with that and would of gladly walked back off but it was for charity so the game had to continue. Now I cant remember mutch of the secound half as I spend more time bent over looking at the grass coughing my guts up, I can tell you thanks to Keith Green Craig Furhurst got his second goal of the game to equlize on 50 mins 3 -3 before Charlson scored for the open age to take the lead again in the 60th min 4 - 3. That was a bad start to the second half for the coaches who looked to of gone to bits. Until some one looked down and blessed the coaches side, Neil McBride had to limp off this spured the coaches on and even though the team went down to 10 men the team started to pass the ball which never really happend untill then. Growing in cofidence the coaches won a corner rising head and shoulders above any one else was Riggers to head the ball home and get his first of the game on 65 mins, 4 - 4. The coaches went on to enjoy there best spell of the game with attacks coming in from every where then on 75 mins the coaches won a free kick on the left hand side of the open age box with Niel Mcbride off the pitch Mike Knight got hold of the ball, the free kick was in a perfect place to chip into the box, but not for Mike Knight who decided to take a shot, I mentioned he couldent shoot earlyer as the shot was so bad the referee orderd for it to be retaken. The shot was really that bad even the open age side agreed we should retake the free kick. This time Paul Scott the great left foot form Garswood stood over the ball and swung in a peach of a cross to whitch Mike Knight rose and thundered a header past the helpless goal keeper to get his second goal of the game, which breaks his all time scoring record for any season hes ever played. 75 mins 5 - 4 coaches. The coaches continued to pass the ball around and seemed in total controll of the game winning a corner in the 80th min. Paul scott took the corner which was cleared by the open age defence only to find Steven Knight who hit a 25 yard sissor kick which flew into the bottom corner 6 - 4 to the coaches after 80 mins. 10 mins to go and the coaches had gone 2 goals infront. Tiredness was begining to slow the older and fatter team down and the open age team started to take advantage and ran at the coaches with full pace the coaches started to call for the final whistle but it was miles away. The open age thredded a sweat ball trough the coaches team which Fletchure ran on to and finished niceley, 6 - 5 coaches after 85mins. Straight from kick off the open age side regained the ball and put it through tghe middle of the too center backs of the coaches team having a lot better view that the referee who was looking at clouds in the sky Alan Green picked the ball up from being 10 yards offside and slotted the ball past the coaches stranded keeper Steve Ruine 6 - 6 85 mins. The coaches managed one last final effort to get near the open age box and managed to get a shot in but one of the open age players blocked it, so a few players from the coaches team turned to the referee and shouted PENILTY lookely for the coaches the referee was still looking for shapes in the clouds and gave the penilty kick. Riggers managed to get the ball and with Neil Mcbride trying to hobble on to take the kick in the backgroung, Riggers slotted the ball home, 7 - 6 to the coaches after 87mins. And weve managed to win it or so we thought the open age side where still full of energy and would of kept coming at the coaches for another 90 mins. The open age side where making sure they were fininhing strong and put a few attacks together one in whitch Neil McCloyment managed to side foot an equlizer in before the final whistle 7 - 7 90 mins.
The Man of the Match award went to Steven Knight for non stop running and a 25 yard sissor kick not bad for 47 years of age. The prize for the man of the match was a yard of ale which was given to Ste after a good few pints and again he put a good performance in getting rid of the yard in no time. But it did finish the 47 year old off and he left a pint and half on the table and staggerd home.
Final Score 7 - 7
The day raised a couple of hundred pounds for Wargave House School and was played in fantastic spirit. The Coaches and Parents would like to say a massive thanks to Kieth Green and his team for not taking the game serious and playing the game in a great spirit. Looking forward to next year.
Teams
Earlestown Athletic Coaches & Parents
1) Steve Ruine
2) Ian Smith
3) Phil Smith
4) Paul Scott
5) Steven Knight
6) Neil
7) Phil Knight
8) Neil Mcbride
9) Riggers
10) Mike Knight
11) Craig Picton
Earlestown Athletic Open Age Side
