After the previous game, a draw at Old Scotch, the boys were keen to make up for dropped points even though their performance deserved much more.
The venue was pretty much the exact same place as the last game, expect a massive motorway splitting the 2. This seemed to cause some of the players confusing with the Italian Stallion getting lost somewhere in Kew. He did try to explain it to this writer but I stopped listening very quickly.
It was a stunning day for football, a nice flat park and a decent place to play football, which we certainly did at times. With the senior games being called off the day before we had Scott Linford and Jason Hart step into the squad due to one or 2 call offs.
Parkers set up with Ultimate Utility Man & Gaffer, Ben Cooksey, in goals for the 2nd week running. The game started brightly for Middle Park with the ball being passed nicely throughout the team and a through ball for Scott which was snuffed out by the Malvern keeper. However it was long before we struck. The ball bounced around in midfield and Simon played a stunning ball over the top for Scott to run on to and he slotted it perfectly. 1-0, 5 mins gone.
The Italian Tortoise once again was on the ball and hit a shot from distance……it smacked it against the bar. “Goal of the season Dicko” he said…..I think Si is missing the main point of a goal in that it has to go in.
The second goal came in a controversial manner. Saul found himself in the box with the ball and skipped past a few players. He had his back to goal and a defender challenging him only for Dicko to nick the ball from his toes and stick it past the keeper. 2-0. 2nd year in a row that he has stolen someone else’s goal. However folk need to get over it and think of the team.
The first 30 mins we played some magnificent football with Spud, Si and Dicko dominating the midfield and Willy, Saul and Scott getting a number of chances. Saul in particular was bullying their centre halves. From the sublime to the ridiculous…..Mark Hoey gathered the ball from defence and went on a run. Few passes here and there and he was 1 on 1 with the keeper!! Surely he’ll score……nope, he seemed to kick the ground, himself, air and the top of the ball. Numpty. Not long after Mark went off injured with Dave H coming on.
The last 15 mins of the 1st half the boys dropped off and a number of times the Malvern number 7 skipped through a few challenges. A better, more clinical team would punish us and something that the Parkers need to watch.
After half time Ben and Mark made some changes with Jason Hart coming on. After much flouncing around, hair swishing and turning on the ball 24 times he tweaked his hammy and RETIRED (hint hint).
The second half went by in a bit of a blur, Parkers created chance after chance, scoring 5 goals. However conceding 2 was disappointing even though both were clearly offside.
Scott scored his 2nd not long after being put through by Dicko. Saul skipped past a defender and saw his thunderbolt rattle off the crossbar (composure big man ;)) however he got the goal he deserved with Willy’s good work from the wing and setting it up. Saul then repaid the favour by cutting in from the right bye line and his shot/cross was half stopped by the keeper only for Willy to ponce. Scott’s final game, and his hat trick, was again set up by Willy and Scott should have had more!!
Saul was put through on the keeper and went round him…..only to smash it off the post. The final goal of the game came from the Columbian Comeback Kid, Cam!! After weeks..months! out injured he came on and after a couple of interchanging passes with Dicko he his shot was well placed and he marked his return with a goal.
All in all a great result and a good performance. Still things to work on with sloppiness and complacency at time.
Written by Dicko
Squad
Ben
Chris
Greg
Ritch
Vinnie
Mark
Dave
Spud
Si
Dicko
Jason
Willy
Scott
Cam
Saul
MP3s 7 – 2 Malvern City FC
Goals – Scott x 3, Dicko, Willy, Saul, Cam
Assists – Si, Dicko x 2, Willy x 2, Saul x 2