Match Report – O35.1 – Game Date: 26 July 2015

BMFC O35.1: 3
vs
Springwood United FC Inc: 0

BMFC Goal Scorers: Pauley McCartan, Chicken (brace)

Player of the Match: Young Sean Burns

Match Report: It was beautiful warm winter’s day at Knapsack Stadium as the Blueys arrived for the penultimate fixture of the season. It’s a must win for Blueys and Chicken is very careful to avoid anything resembling Bananas in his breakfast selection. Such was the level of Chicken’s paranoia that he even refused to sleep in his favourite Bananas in Pyjamas onesie and threw his Big Banana fridge magnet into the rubbish bin. “You just can’t be too careful”, he explained to the boys.

The team is read out and the boys were initially reeling at the absence of Rori Badcell, man of the match against Hazelbrook and producer of some top of the range free kicks. The black cloud did have an edge of silver though when it was discovered that Brad Collier was returning to the starting line-up, hungrier than ever for some action. Dave Heyman’s bad boy ways finally caught up with him, serving a one-match ban for multiple bites of the Gouda throughout the season. Matty Witjes fledgling netball career is now in full flight and his only appearances for Blueys is for the occasional cameo and autograph signing. All said the Blueys are left with a squad of 14 which includes a call up for the Steve (Darts) Hurley fresh off his 9am fixture.

The usual pre-game banter and warm up routine and the touches are looking good. The game kicks off in much the same fashion; Blueys hold possession with some simple passes and threaten the Springwood Goal early.

The witching hour arrives, which for Blueys is the 10 minute mark in every game. Suddenly short passes become long passes, shape turns into jelly and the Blueys start to present an otherwise unthreatening opposition with a few decent chances and are lucky to be trailing by a goal or two. Meanwhile, at the other end of the field our strikers are practicing their synchronised off-side routine.

As luck prevails, the Blueys are presented with a 1-0 lead after about 20 minutes with the ever reliable Pauley McCartan running onto a lovely ball from Joey Crye with some magical dummy intervention by JB along the way. Pauley finishes clinically with a well hit left into the bottom right of the goal. Somebody said “We’re lucky to be ahead” and the rest of the team said “Hear Hear”.

The off-side machine began to move into full swing and the young linesman on the right was starting to complain of RSI towards the end of the first half. Apart from the 38 offside transgressions in the half the Blueys still managed to create a few good chances. The most notable chance was from a lovely side foot volley at the back post from Young Sean Burns, eager to open his season account, only to be denied by a reflex parry onto the cross-bar from the Springwood keeper.

We go into half time with a narrow 1-0 lead and are by no means home. Chicken once again assures everybody that he did not sleep in his B1 onesie.
Coach Joe delivers some wise words to a disbelieving Shimmy Margetts about his positional play. This prompts some debate around the changing room, and soon everybody is having their say. Rhett sagely points out that it’s fine to say it, but why not just get out there and do it. Order is restored.

Second half is different. The two stoppers have finally figured out that all they need to do is mark the two Springwood strikers and shape will prevail. It works. The Blueys really start to dominate the midfield. Marty Dunn is playing a lovely holding role whilst Brad, Mick C, Joey and Sean are combining nicely with the forwards to create some good chances.

JB and Brad are in everything, combining with each other to deliver a great through ball to Chicken, who happens to be on-side. Chicken seizes the opportunity and delivers a great volley into the top right hand corner. 2-0.

Steve (The Darts Player) Hurley arrives on the field to blitz the opposition with some speedy penetrations down the left flank. Unfortunately, being placed at left midfield, this meant also a speedy retreat into defence upon loss of possession. Fair play to The Darts Player though, he held up admirably.

Some confusion at the back as Pommy appears to make a tackle with the ball dribbling back to Rhett in goals. Rhett, reeling from the backlash of not picking up the earlier not-back pass from Pommy, decides that the prudent decision is to pick it up. The referee immediately blows for an indirect free kick to Springwood. Fortunately this is diffused without too much drama.

More chances for Springwood, this time JB is denied by a well positioned goal keeper in the middle of the goal. The ferocity of the shot, however results in a dislocated finger for the Springwood goalkeeper who by this stage has single-handedly kept the game to a respectable margin. Judging by the state of his finger it looks like he will have to continue his work single-handedly. Blueys are denied more goals by both the cross-bar and the linesman’s flag. The game is put to bed by a nice finish from Chicken on the end of a lovely defence splitting ball from Pommy. 3-0. Shimmy Margetts falls victim to a sniper attack near the trees at the South Eastern corner of the field and The Pirate goes down with his 5th season ending injury. Both are looking questionable for next week’s fixture against Band Club.

Some good moments and a good result for Blueys, although some creases need to be ironed out if they are to take out the title next week. Man of the match is awarded to Sean Burns with a solid game in the midfield. Special mentions go to Steve (Darts) Hurly for helping out, Mick C runner up man of the match, Brad Collier whose return made Rori Badcell a distant memory, the strikers for an all time Blueys records for the most off-sides in 90 minutes (2,657). Finally, thanks to Springwood for a local derby played in good spirit.