Match Report – O35.1 – Game Date: 12 July 2015

BMFC O35.1: 3
vs
Hazelbrook FC: 0

BMFC Goal Scorers: Brad Collier, Pauley, Joey Crye

Player of the Match: Rori Badcell

Match Report: 17 players, a coach and 3 loyal supporters bravely headed towards the eye of the Antarctic Vortex for our return fixture against Hazelbrook at Lawson oval at 3pm on Sunday. The bleak conditions were reminiscent of an episode of Fargo as we arrived to a greeting of horizontal sleet. Hand warmers were selling faster than leg warmers at an aerobics convention. Even the ever fashion conscious Pommy was forced to put fashion aside and don his Blueys Parker….Perish the thought! (PAUSE)

No visible signs of a dressing room so the Blueys had to kit up outside. Not too much talk due to a combination of pre-match nerves and it being too cold to talk. Things were looking positive though as 14 out of the 17 players were kitted up and ready to go.
Coach Joe raised a few eyebrows declaring a 4-4-2 formation. Brad and Paul glance nervously at each other, having only recently managed to put their differences of opinion aside from their last formation conversation in 2012.

The four defenders are Shimmy Margetts, Davey Hayman, Mick Randall and Pommy. Brad Collier makes a long awaited return to the midfield, alongside Pauley, Micky C and Joey (who for the record turned up with plenty of time this week). JB and Chicken are up front. Subs are Marty Dunn, Matty Witjes and Young Sean Burns.

The referee arrives in the middle, having just lost a shilling and found a penny. The game is shortly underway, and Blueys start off facing a stiff wind. The pace is fast and the field is narrow, so there will be no South American style football today. 5 minutes in and a nice little passage of play through Pauley and JB results in Chicken running on to a nice through ball and being bundled unceremoniously just outside of the penalty area. The keeper sets a wall of 7, but it is not enough to stop an exotic dipping curling shot from Brad Collier into the top left of the net. 66.66% of our supporters are ecstatic, although unfortunately Brad’s celebration is not in the same class as his shot. Blueys ahead 1-0 and Hazelbrook a little shell shocked.

Minutes later however and Hazelbrook have regrouped, Shimmy Margetts thwarts a dangerous looking attack on the half way line with a relatively tame looking body check. Angry ref however, sees it differently and rewards Shimmy with a taste of Gouda. Coach Joe is furious and launches into a tirade of Geordie abuse that nobody could understand. His words were recorded and later interpreted using sophisticated technology with the result being somewhere along the lines of “But surely sir, it would be jolly inconsistent to punish Shimmy for a lesser challenge than that on our Chicken two minutes earlier, wouldn’t it”. Angry ref advises coach Joe to go and sit in a box, or something of the like. Joe appears to ignore.

The half goes on and there are chances at either end. Davey Heyman, with his appetite for cheese heightened from the previous week, bundles the striker over just outside our box. Angry ref produces more cheese and Blueys are lucky not to surrender their lead after an excellent effort from Shakespeare is denied by the far post. Some dangerous crosses from Hazelbrook are calmly diffused by the hands of Rhett. Chicken finds himself in space in the box on a couple of occasions, only to be denied by some fine goalkeeping. Blueys go into half time up 1-0, having had the better of the half, but keenly aware that they are only up by 1 goal and that Hazelbrook have been producing chances.

Second half seems to be different. Hazelbrook are now playing against the wind and their lack of substitutes seems to be taking its toll. An injury to one of their more sprightly players only makes matters worse. Blueys gradually start to take a stranglehold on the game and are rewarded after 20 minutes when Pauley finds himself in space in the box and clinically finishes with his not favoured right foot. 2-0.

Our midfield is now dominating and this in turn eases pressure off the defence. The shape is good and Hazelbrook desperately push another man forward on the right. Marty Dunn is quick to notice and the move is to no avail. Pommy goes down for what appears to be a settler but turns out to be a request for a rest and Chicken replaces him. The game is looking quite safe when Matty Witjes makes a cameo appearance and knocks a beautiful ball for Joey Crye to casually despatch. 3-0.

The final whistle goes and Blueys take the points. No other games this weekend so Blueys take the position at the top of the league with Band Club 3 points behind with a game in hand. It will come down to the Blueys v Band Club clash next week.

Man of the match is awarded to Rori Badcell. Lots of special mentions. Scotty Shields and Mr & Mrs Collier for braving the elements to support us. The Cobra for coming all of the way up to avail himself if required. Corey and The Ice-man injured, but braving the elements also. Scribe. Handwarmers. Shimmy Margetts for a more pragmatic approach to the game this week. The Lawson Hotel for putting the fire on for us. Finally, the Hazelbrook boys who played a hard, fair game with an injury stricken side.