Barely Athletic 2 Bathelona 2
Goal: Steve
Defence: Andy, Phil, Quentin, Tom
Midfield: Mani, Jim, Paul, Gareth
Attack: Ioan and Nick
Subs: Rich Batten and Sam
Spectators: Dave and family.
The contrast between Barely' last game and this performance was fairly marked, as the free-flowing footballing cream they produced at the academy gave way to a stodgy bread pudding. And credit must go at least in part to Bathelona for this, as they frustrated Barely at every turn during the first half.
It might have been so different had Barely been able to capitalise on a strong start, but having shaded the opening quarter of an hour Barely were hit first by a goal somewhat against the run of play, and then injury when debutant Gareth limped off with a calf strain. As Rich was yet to arrive, Sam gamely donned the bee-like stripes of Barely and limped on for a gentle perambulation around the right wing. Shortly after (presumably coincidentally) Bathelona began bossing things, scored a second (that going by the surprised celebration was intended as a cross) and thereafter didn't let up their grip on proceedings as Barely held on grimly until half-time. By this time the long-awaited return of Rich Batten had taken place, arm healed, and he slotted in at right-back as Tom pushed into midfield and Sam returned to the bench.
Barely looked for positives but they were thin on the ground - except for the obvious fact they were capable of playing much much better.
Nick and Steve swapped places but other than that there were no changes. Sam urged Dave to get kitted up on the touchline but he bashfully demurred. As it turned out though, what the game needed was a couple of slightly zealous challenges to really get it going, and after Barely forced a goal off a defender early in the second half, both teams obliged as things took a spiky turn for ten minutes or so. Phil was fortunate to get away with a blatant obstruction at a Bathelona free-kick, which prompted a bit of aggressive nuzzling with the recipient. Bathelona in turn made a couple of late challenges as tempers frayed, and perversely the football improved as a result. Bathelona were playing some lovely one-touch stuff down the middle that belied their league standing, but Barely were vastly improving on their first half display, touching the dizzy heights of 'average' as Andy succinctly put it afterward.
They got their somewhat fortuitous reward when Mani's whipped cross was turned into his own net by a defender for a second Bathelona own goal, both forced by Barely's dreadlocked assist-machine. It was hard on the team who'd probably edged things in terms of possession and play over the 90 minutes. But Barely were of course jubilant, and as Bob looked up at the increasingly morbid sky, thinking of the team's safety in bad light, and perhaps dinner, both teams sought a winner.
The only chances, though, were half-chances that tired legs couldn't quite convert, though Bathelona's late flurry earned them a corner that Quentin, not for the first time, was in the right position to clear. Full-time came with both teams in better spirit and a the spoils shared.
Quent's positional play, clearances and cool head saw him steamroller the man of the match award, though following close behind in this correspondant's eyes was Phil, whose spectacular overhead clearance was possibly moment of the match, Jim, who defied his protesting lungs to keep prompting Barely until the end, and Paul, whose indefatiguable running combined with serial header-winning behaviour caught the eye. It must also be noted that after a initially hesitant 5 minutes Rich Batten was back to his high-tempo, lunging, ball-winning best.
So another season is over for Barely and it's been a good one. Plans are afoot to celebrate in the traditional way, but before the great day of dehydration and mysterious bruises comes let us cast a glance over the scoring chart for this season:
Andy LilLford 5
Tom Pinnell 4
Jim Fry 4
Alex 4
Dan Hird 4
Mani Chanfi 2
Nick Ambler 2
Lee Douglas 1
Jerry Gyde 1
Rich Batten 1
Rich Sloper 1
Rich Cormack 1
Bob Lynn 1
Sam Morrison 1
Impressively top-scorer Andy's goals have all come from left-back, Alex scored all his in one game and we think Dan scored all his in two (playing just three games). Jim's goals were all walloped in from "at least 30 yards" and both Sam and Rich Batten have the opposition keeper to thank for being on the chart at all. But they all count!
Thursday 17 May 2007
Monday 14 May 2007
Barely Claim Runners-up Spot
Barely Athletic 6 Nailsea Old Boys 2
Goal: Nick
Defence: Paul, Ritchie, Phil, Sam
Midfield: Mani, Alex, Jim, Chris
Attack: Ioan, Dan
Sub: 'Young' Rich
Barely Athletic broke the 59 year gypsy curse over them by beating Nailsea Old Boys in a fantastic display of attacking football yesterday, and in doing so made certain of runners-up spot with a game to play.
Both teams entered the game admitting they were missing several regulars, but Barely's long time absentees Alex and Chris slotted in as if they hadn't been away. Or as if the time they had been away was spent learning the mysterious arts of pass and move. Alex had a game he won't forget in a hurry (depending on how feverish the celebrations were), scoring four goals and pretty much dictating the play.
Barely began the game on the up and with only a few minutes on the clock Alex collected the ball from the NOBs keeper's parry and slotted just inside the far past. Owing to a hole in the net there was some confusion as to whether it had crossed the line, and subsequently there was a belated offside appeal, but referee Bob allowed the goal to stand. It was a good start, and things got better soon afterwards when Dan finished adroitly, sidefooting home a cross from the right to put Barely two up under pressure from the keeper.
Sam then limped off, with his balsa-wood groin finally giving way, and young Rich came on in his stead. Barely maintained the pressure and Alex converted a penalty after a handball to put Barely 3-0 up. Surely things couldn't get any better?
Actually, no. At least, not directly. A lovely chip over Nick gave them a toehold in the game before half-time, unfortunately coming from the boot of the otherwise impeccable Ritchie. Shortly after the restart they made it 3-2 with a cracking goal, their young striker turing at the edge of the box and finding the top corner. Barely had the wobbles. NOBs are never the type of team to let their heads go down and they'd just come back from three-nil to three-two. But Barely downed a metaphorical shot of rum and came back at NOBs. And again it was Alex who was at the centre of things, matching NOBs earlier goal with a long distance effort before adding a fifth by finishing neatly as Barely pressurised the box.
It could have been worse for NOBs but for some fine keeping by their custodian and some wayward attempts by Barely, who probably had the blood rushing to their heads ad infinitum with the thoughts of a long-awaited victory over NOBs, who have long been unfazed by Barely's attempts in the past. In the second half Ioan and Dan took turns in goal to give Nick a chance upfront, and Barely's stats man came close, as did Mani and Jim. But the comedy moment of the second half was Dan forgetting the rules and picking up emergency centre-back Ritchie's back pass, allowing NOBs a glimpse of goal somewhat against the general run of play. But they saw off the danger, and their was time for Jim to thump in his traditional 20-yarder just before the final whistle to send Barely home happy.
Man of the match award went to Alex, with no quibbling, but a mention should really go out to the whole team, who played with an assurance born of a run of good form (last week's blip against Hill Farm notwithstanding). Mani was his usual industrious self on the wing, Paul a dynamic presence at left-back, Dan and Ioan's link-up play a delight, and Nick and Ioan didn't pick up any backpasses whilst manning the sticks. Ritchie and Phil were solid at centre-back. Space does not permit a lengthy list of eulogising of each player but everyone can pat themselves on the back.
In fact it has to be said that Barely seem to play better on astro-turf, having scored fourteen goals in two games on plastic this season. That said, everyone will be champing at the bit to play against Bathelona on Wednesday and finish the season on a high. Wednesday cannot come soon enough!
Goal: Nick
Defence: Paul, Ritchie, Phil, Sam
Midfield: Mani, Alex, Jim, Chris
Attack: Ioan, Dan
Sub: 'Young' Rich
Barely Athletic broke the 59 year gypsy curse over them by beating Nailsea Old Boys in a fantastic display of attacking football yesterday, and in doing so made certain of runners-up spot with a game to play.
Both teams entered the game admitting they were missing several regulars, but Barely's long time absentees Alex and Chris slotted in as if they hadn't been away. Or as if the time they had been away was spent learning the mysterious arts of pass and move. Alex had a game he won't forget in a hurry (depending on how feverish the celebrations were), scoring four goals and pretty much dictating the play.
Barely began the game on the up and with only a few minutes on the clock Alex collected the ball from the NOBs keeper's parry and slotted just inside the far past. Owing to a hole in the net there was some confusion as to whether it had crossed the line, and subsequently there was a belated offside appeal, but referee Bob allowed the goal to stand. It was a good start, and things got better soon afterwards when Dan finished adroitly, sidefooting home a cross from the right to put Barely two up under pressure from the keeper.
Sam then limped off, with his balsa-wood groin finally giving way, and young Rich came on in his stead. Barely maintained the pressure and Alex converted a penalty after a handball to put Barely 3-0 up. Surely things couldn't get any better?
Actually, no. At least, not directly. A lovely chip over Nick gave them a toehold in the game before half-time, unfortunately coming from the boot of the otherwise impeccable Ritchie. Shortly after the restart they made it 3-2 with a cracking goal, their young striker turing at the edge of the box and finding the top corner. Barely had the wobbles. NOBs are never the type of team to let their heads go down and they'd just come back from three-nil to three-two. But Barely downed a metaphorical shot of rum and came back at NOBs. And again it was Alex who was at the centre of things, matching NOBs earlier goal with a long distance effort before adding a fifth by finishing neatly as Barely pressurised the box.
It could have been worse for NOBs but for some fine keeping by their custodian and some wayward attempts by Barely, who probably had the blood rushing to their heads ad infinitum with the thoughts of a long-awaited victory over NOBs, who have long been unfazed by Barely's attempts in the past. In the second half Ioan and Dan took turns in goal to give Nick a chance upfront, and Barely's stats man came close, as did Mani and Jim. But the comedy moment of the second half was Dan forgetting the rules and picking up emergency centre-back Ritchie's back pass, allowing NOBs a glimpse of goal somewhat against the general run of play. But they saw off the danger, and their was time for Jim to thump in his traditional 20-yarder just before the final whistle to send Barely home happy.
Man of the match award went to Alex, with no quibbling, but a mention should really go out to the whole team, who played with an assurance born of a run of good form (last week's blip against Hill Farm notwithstanding). Mani was his usual industrious self on the wing, Paul a dynamic presence at left-back, Dan and Ioan's link-up play a delight, and Nick and Ioan didn't pick up any backpasses whilst manning the sticks. Ritchie and Phil were solid at centre-back. Space does not permit a lengthy list of eulogising of each player but everyone can pat themselves on the back.
In fact it has to be said that Barely seem to play better on astro-turf, having scored fourteen goals in two games on plastic this season. That said, everyone will be champing at the bit to play against Bathelona on Wednesday and finish the season on a high. Wednesday cannot come soon enough!
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