Match Report AA2 v Bondi United (08/07/12)

Barnstoneworth Vs Russia

After another overnight downpour, Paine Reserve was unbelievably open. Hopefully the council willcompletely re-turf it with a set of new floodlights for next year!

Yeah, and Andy Murray will win a Grand Slam title!

BUFC AA2’s are looking light on numbers at the moment, which is surprising considering the gigantic 19 player squad we had at the start of the season, the injury/absentee woes currently look like this:

Adam               Cracked Ribs (2 weeks)

Barry               Ankle (1 week)

Bryn                 Stomach (Rest of Season)

Dan                  Groin (3 weeks)

Frampton Jr     Back (1 week)

Ian                   1st team (Judas)

Jonesy              Catching some sun in the UK

Macca             Ankle (3 weeks)

Starky              Hamstring (2 weeks)

Ben                  Tool Shed

Barry and Dan bravely decided to play, with Dan pulling up in the first half, making the line up as follows; Cogley, Neale, Frampton Sr, Taylor, McEneaney, Smith, Ward, Maxwell, Baker, Deegan, Nolan; Subs; Dan Eeles, Ed Dore, Anders West helping out from the AA4’s.

The game kicked off in glorious sunshine, and Barnstoneworth set about breaking down the dirty Russians with superb 1 touch passing. The ball got wide a number of times with some of the crossing not quite good enough, Deegan and Nolan upfront working tirelessly, the 5 midfielders and the back 3 keeping things solid and the ball on the floor.

HOOF!!!!!! Bondi get the ball back and smash it up field, the ball runs through to Cogley.

Some more entertaining play from Barnstoneworth that is just picked off.

HOOF!!!!!! This time the long ball gets to their striker who has a shot which is saved.

MOAN!!!!!! Something is said to the ref in Russian and BUFC continue to play some good stuff.

HOOF!!!!!! You get the picture!

Then against the run of play, a poor throw in from Maxwell and the ball is HOOFED once more up field, this time the striker gets a hold of it and puts it passed Cogley, 1 – 0 to Bondi.

Then it all looked like the wheels were going to fall off as Ward decided to berate Maxwell for his mistake for the next 10 minutes! He looked pretty angry, and the gaffer nearly thought about bringing him off to calm things down. A 7th apology from Maxwell finally got Ward on side and Barnstoneworth got back to playing some decent stuff.

And it was finally an inspirational turn and shot from Nolan that got the red and whites back on level terms. 1 – 1 and surely now we would really start to turn the screw. Wrong!

HOOF! Another long ball from Russia, BUFC failing to clear and somehow the ball is in the back of the net again. 2 – 1

Half time; and despite having 98% possession in the first half, Barnstoneworth found themselves behind. Story of our Season.

And it didn’t get any better, despite an inspirational team talk from the manager at half time, you guessed it HOOF!!!!!! And a goal, 3 – 1 to Bondi.

BUFC really had to show their resolve now, and it was a fantastic looping shot from Smith, ‘aiming’ for the bar that set up Frampton Sr for his 1st BUFC goal with a pin point header that got them back in the game, 3 – 2.

Then a few minutes later, Barnstoneworth showing that they can also score ‘shit goals’ played their own long ball, to which Smith delightfully placed past the Bondi Keeper 3 – 3, great comeback!

Que more moaning, more diving and more HOOFING!!!!!! From Bondi.

It was Bondi though who had the better finish to the match after Maxwell took one for the team, bringing down the only English speaking player in the Bondi line-up on the edge of the area for his 2nd booking and despite a late chance for Dore and Deegan, it finished 3 – 3.

The finals are still looking out of reach unless Barnstoneworth win all of their remaining games and ALL other results go our way. But we are playing with a bit more freedom and smiles on our faces…….except Joe, Barry and Niall.