CLIFTONVILLE RECEIVE B.O.E - 'DOGGED STYLE'

After pushback the Twos quickly established themselves, with no nonsense defending and confident build-up play, boasting large spells of possession and utilising their legs against the older Cliftonville defence.
Although it had been highlighted in the pre-match team talk and largely contained, the Twos weren’t able to completely prevent Cliftonville’s main threat of aerials. One of which set their winger up for a run into our D, resulting in a short corner for them, which after several deflections fell nicely at the feet of one of their attackers, allowing him to slot in the first goal of the match from 2 yards past James Craigmyle in spite of his excellent positioning. Who incidentally had a solid game, making key saves in order to keep BOE afloat.

Despite the knockback, the Twos rallied and kept up their momentum, with Irvine Turner and Derwyn Baillie both putting in very assured shifts. Irvine (The Barrier) Turner with excellent foresight, picking off key balls, stopping the oppositions attacks in their tracks. Derwyn (Happy Feet) Baillie, utilising his trademark ‘foot shuffle’ in order to expertly dilute Cliftonville’s dangerous spells of possession in our D.

The majority of our first-half attacks started with James Clarke and Gabriel Downer both putting in an industrious performance acting as wing backs, stretching the opposition and giving us plenty of options for effective distribution. Clarke and Downer also showcased great technical proficiency; with close control, surging runs and aerial through-balls for our attackers to run onto. Despite these chances, our midfield and attack weren’t able to convert in open-play, nor in (many) short corners.

Half time crept in and after a rousing (arousing for some…Prem…) team talk BOE started out with twice the intensity and a new impetus – mixing up our outlets by going directly through the midfield and posting up more with strikers, as opposed to the first half’s seemingly exclusively featured wing play.

This new approach paid off and gave Edd Thorogood more opportunity to control our transitions from defence into attack, employing his experience and vision in order to link up nicely with the hard-working Tristan Lacon-Allin and our MOTM Ben Hegarty. It also gave Andrew Slack the freedom to showcase his trademark of silky skills and weaving runs, right into the heart of their defence. Hard work and perseverance paid off 15 minutes into the second half, when the ball came rolling out from a short corner to James Clarke, who fired it onto the outstretched stick of Ben Hegarty, sending the ball into the net giving us our ostensibly elusive, yet well-earned equaliser.

The front line worked unselfishly and tirelessly, most notably Chris Fowler who made an innumerable amount of lateral runs, in order to open up the channels for his fellow team mates. As a result of this, Marley Jones was able to deploy his close control and break into their D, before deftly putting it onto a defender’s foot for (yet another) short corner. The events that unfolded in the next minute are a little blurry; partially because the main protagonist of this set piece was and is your author – Milky. And without the use of goal line technology (regardless of the Drone’s best efforts), we must paraphrase an eye witness – Edd, who claimed, “Never have I seen anyone audacious enough to try and pot the ball over the line as if they were playing snooker”.

Now BOE were in the ascendancy with one siege after another. Marley Jones’ hard work and good vision saw him blitz past their left half and whip in another ball into the D, creating chaos in the opposition defence. Which in turn gave Ben Hagarty the chance to add to his tally, but instead he opted to completely miss the ball when it whizzed past the back post. Whilst we’re on embarrassing misses; a scintillating run by Chris Fowler saw him 1 on 1 with the Cliftonville centre back, before Milky broke the lightspeed barrier and galloped from midfield in order for Fowler to cross the ball into the P spot for Milky to slot away. But Milky didn’t. Britain’s brightest minds are still stumped by the miss, some pointing to the sun (Milky’s kryptonite) whist others claim it was Fowler’s pass. But whatever meaning people try to derive from the shocking miss, Milky does the honourable thing and blames himself.

Shortly after however, Chris Fowler was appeased. A strong piece of interplay between our midfield saw Edd Thorogood break through their defence and rifle a shot on goal. Fowler seized his opportunity and launched the rebound into the top netting. This dogged, and industrious attitude of Fowler’s inspired Prem Marwaha (in every way imaginable). He soon found himself intercepting wayward Cliftonville balls and winning 50/50’s before; driving into the opposition D, shrugging of two defenders at a time, lifting his stick with intent, proceeding to wink provocatively at the ladies on the side line, to finally…completely miss. Or (as he puts it himself) “never get the money shot”.

The Twos steeled themselves and carried out a well fought win, final score:

Blackheath & OEs 2nd XI 2-1 Cliftonville 1st XI