Barely comeback eclipses Red Star

Barely Athletic 3 Red Star Bedminster 2

Goal: Steve

Defence: Andy, Tom, Danny, Sam

Midfield: Ritchie, Jim, Rich, Jeff

Attack: Manrouf, Nick

Subs: Ioan, Jerry.

Barely recovered from a dreadful start to this game to come back from a two goal defecit and claim the win. On a warm and slightly sticky day the backbone of the squad turned up ready to roll, but unfortunately the liver of the squad wasn't fully functioning after the previous night's escapades saw the gang dehydrate themselves en masse, with Ioan in particular looking slightly shaken, and Jerry, a man who looks underwhelmed by life at the best of times, failing to make the kick off. In his stead came old boy Jeff who began on the right wing.

Despite a tidy first five minutes Barely were making no headway in the opposition half, and slowly Red Star began to make their pressure tell. With fifteen minutes gone the ball was sent pinging around Barely's box and fell kindly to an attacker, who made no mistake in putting Red Star deservedly ahead. To add injury to insult, Steve managed to tweak his back but bravely played on. He was to regret that decision shortly, as Barely failed to get any momentum and Red Star kept them boxed in their own half for lengthy periods. They extended their lead when a quick break down the left saw Red Star's nippy winger cut inside Sam and beat Steve with a deft chip from the edge of the box. Two-nil down, and Barely could have no complaints.

However Red Star were unable to sustain the pace they had set indefinitely, and having performed indifferently for half an hour, Barely suddenly found a bit of form and starting chasing the game. They were galvanised by Andy Lillford's latest goal, a trademark hotshot from the edge of the area that found it's way into the net via a deflection. Only a goal behind, Barely sensed a game, and Manrouf began pulling the defence this way and that as Barely looked for a way through. They began creating chances but could not quite manage to convert them - not that is, until Tom picked up a ball on the left from a corner and drilled it goalwards. Red Star's keeper blocked the shot but Nick had gambled on the loose ball and side-footed in, opening his account for the season and sending Barely into the break on level terms.

At half-time Jerry came on for Jeff, who'd had a stirling 45 minutes winning countless headers, though estimates put the figure at around nine. And Barely began the second half where they ended the first, pressing Red Star and searching for goals. Red Star in turn looked to score on the break and Barely's back line had to be alert, which, relatively, they were. But most of the action was at the other end as Barely battered Red Star's penalty box - and Red Star held out. Mani headed a yard wide. Rich's near-post effort was turned away for a corner. Ritchie's cross-shot cannoned off the woodwork. It seemed like a draw was in the offing. Then with quarter of an hour to go Sam launched a free kick into the box, and the keeper came to gather but found the ball bounced off his chest - and Tom was on hand to slot in his third goal of the season. Certainly an element of luck to the goal - but Barely felt their second-half performance merited the lead.

Red Star had one or two moments as they tried to get back in the game - aided by an obviously bored Jerry - but by and large Barely held sway until the final whistle, with Ioan coming on for the last twenty minutes and firing narrowly wide. Red Star can count themselves unfortunate to be on the receiving end after bossing the first half hour so comprehensively, but in fairness Barely's recovery should be saluted, not least Mani who took the man-of-the-match accolade when the votes were counted, a classy display of line-leading, link-up play along with his patented header-that-goes-just-wide.

Now they have to do it all again (apart from letting two early goals in) on Wednesday against Hill Farm.