ALI INSPIRES A GREAT COMEBACK BY THE 2's

Of course it rained, we had been playing pre season in 25 degrees, of course it rained! It was, in fact, on the same ground that BOE 2's started their unbeaten season last year but on that day the boys came away with a 2-2 draw and Mark Ison in the bin. Today would be a totally different story as from minute 1 the team was tested, pushed and challenged all the way to the last. Coach Thorogood had called upon the wise words of Muhammad Ali on Friday night to inspire the boys to fight and that they did. The early exchanges were fairly equal with both sides looking to get on the ball and it was very fortunate for the squad the Burnt Ash made a mess of the opening short corner of the day. That would be the epidemic that would spread across both teams and neither side managed to get their set pieces right through out the day and as expected it was a full on mid field battle for 70 minutes.

There had hardly been a sight of goal for either side when Andy Clover and then Erik DeWit sent tracer bullet passes into the D only to be ignored by the BOE front line. Will Powell was getting plenty of joy down the right and Hurstpierpont graduate, Rob Noble, was starting to cause the opposition back line some headaches. But all the while BOE attacked, things didn't really click, balls were miss placed or lost and their numerous D penetrations were amounting to very little. The Burnt Ash right back was running the show and every time he got the ball he would set up an attack. It was through that player that the first goal came as BOE backed off the BA front man tuned and rifled a shot into the bottom corner to set the boys a real challenge.

BOE pressed and pressed and as a ball from Iain McLean ran free in the D, Edd Thorogood looked set to register a strike at goal, it was wet, his grip was poor and as his stick helicoptered across a crowded D, the ball ran slowly to the corner flag and thankfully no one was hurt. A pure moment of total and utter failure from the forward who would rightly receive the DOTD award for being utterly useless. Thankfully, the rest of the side were more capable of looking after their equipment and the game could go on. A fierce drag flick from Rob Noble just flew over the bar and the BOE boys would go in at half time 1-0 down.......how would they react?

Vice Captain DeWit was not amused and quite rightly issued a stern and to the point dressing down. Skipper Baillie and coach Thorogood were left to play good cop as the boys ears burned from the Dutchmans honesty. We hadn't been good enough and at no stage had we made any attempt to follow Ali's words and show the opposition 'how great we are'. Things needed to improve and that they did.......

On 50 minutes DeWit himself turned into the provider as he marauded forward unchallenged, he would smash a ball into the D which looked destined for a BOE stick. Alas it would flick off a Burnt Ash stick and appear to be going for a long corner only for Rob Noble to step in and flat bat a reverse stick side swipe into the bottom corner of the goal. 1-1 and boy were we back in it. The games was set up nicely and as Dow, Tawana and Owen repelled everything down the flanks, Archie and Wickenden set up wave after wave of attack but still the whole game was being played outside of the 2 D's. BOE were more than happy to stay tight at the back and hit the oppo on the break and time after time BOE looked certain to score only for the Burnt Ash defence to thwart them.

Great moments come to those that work hardest, they are born out of great opportunity and they are normally just deserves for those that put in a shift. Andy Clover had been magnificent all game and bossed the midfield but it would indeed be him that pooped up with 90 seconds left on the clock, he took the ball on the top of the D and with some wonderful trickery he would allow himself the space to shoot. Indeed he did shoot and on his reverse stick as well, the connection was sweet, the placement superb and the pace just incredible. The ball would whistle past Archie and, having just avoided our second death of the game, would clip the inside of the post and thunder into the back board, what a moment, what a day, what a goal. The home crowd groaned, the visitors jumped for joy and as the final seconds ticked down the result was ours. The boys had done well and the result was just rewards for an outstanding effort. Fight till the last was the the message at the start of the day, and fight they did. We have 21 games left but The boys have been told to ask themselves 1 question and be proud to say 'ill show you how great I am'

We needed a good start, we got it in the results column, there is plenty to do as far as performance is concerned. Next week we welcome Sutton Valence to College Meadow and they represent a very, very difficult challenge indeed.

http://youtu.be/V6xLYt265ZM

MOTM: Aran Tawana, solid as a rock
DOTD: Edd Thorogood, utter failure and attempted injury of 15 other players as his stick slipped from his hands.