Nailsea Old Boys 7 Barely Athletic 2
Goal: Tom
Defence: George, Danny, Jim, Rich Batten
Midfield: Paul, James, Jacko, Sam
Attack: Lefils, Ioan
No subs.
With a plethora of injuries and enough bouncing offspring to start a nursery, barely once again struggled to make up numbers for this game. There were officially four billion players absent, so Rich Batten called in Young Jim to the Barely central defence and even-more-newcomer George slotted in at right-back. One bright note was the return of James Fry from an extended hiatus, and he took up the central midfield alongside Jacko.
But all this was pretty academic as Barely began by letting in the quickest, sloppiest three goals since Titus Bramble last walked out at St James' saying "I've just got a good feeling about this one". It might have been different had Sam tucked away an early cross from Paul after a break down the right, but his volley went straight at the goalkeeper. NOBs showed no such hesitancy as Barley pretty much gifted them three peachy chances that they took easily. 3-0 with about ten minutes gone and the word 'relegation' might as well have been sky-written by a plane.
But to be fair Barely were not being over-run. The midfield battle was fairly even and Ioan and Lefils were holding the ball up well in attack. As ever, though, Barely's ability to eke out a chance remained at a premium, and at the break the frustration at the scoreline was balanced by a feeling that Barely were actually playing well. Rich brought Tom into centre-midfield, pushed Jack to centre-back and Jim into goal. With no subs, everyone just had to get their heads down and sweat buckets for the cause under a dispassionate sun. And, after a period of thrust and counter-thrust, Barely scored a delightful goal. Rich combined with Lefils to set off Sam on a storming run (ok, a five yard scamper) down the left, and he drilled a ball into the box where George wellied off a defender and into the net. 3-1 and suddenly Barely had a glimmer of light.
The Barely Reporter would love to relate that the goal turned the game on it's head, that derring deeds were done, swashes buckled and goals galore scored. In fact they were, but another defensive collapse by the team in orangey-yellow and eighties fade from black to grey meant it all happened at the wrong end. That's Barely, in case the the kaleidoscope of horror lost you. With half an hour to play it was NOBs who stepped up a gear and, to use the vernacular, they twatted another four past Barely to one solitary reply, when Bats, haring forward in furious desperation, belted Tom's cross into the roof of the NOBs net. Good to see the boss leading by example, but it wasn't enough to save Barely, who really need to find a full-time goalkeeper, or possibly all chip in for an operation on Steve Pinnell's shoulder.
There was no man of the match vote but the Rich Batten sponsored choice was Ioan for leading the line so well - and obviously answering the call when it came. George made a good impression on the team and it was good to see James Fry slaloming through the midfield again, but overall, though Barely managed a decent 7/10, it wasn't enough. They are now staring down the barrel of a ticking relegation time-bomb between a rock and a hard place, and the only person who can save them - is themselves.(Read that last bit in the gravelly trailer voiceover style if you would).
Sunday 21 March 2010
Monday 1 March 2010
Black Mark for Barely
Red Star 4 Barely Athletic 1
Goal: Tom
Defence: Colin, Jim (2), Ian, Andy
Midfield: Sam, Mike, Dave, Bats
Attack: Mani, Lefils
Sub: Kel
Missing more first choice players than you can count on a radioactive centipede's feet, Rich 'Bats' Batten was forced to call on the 'Groinstrain Three' of Andy, Colin and Sam as well as drafting in emergency cover in the shape of Jim (who started at centre-back and swapped positions with Tom at half-time) and Kel, who began as sub.
Red Star are a good side and unsurprisingly began the game on top. Tom had already pulled out a couple of saves as the Barely back line was breached by the time Barely began to get a foothold on the game, as Mike started winning headers and challenges in the centre of the park. It looked like an inspired choice by Bats to play him there. Barely even started to put some attacks together but, as is often the case, the final ball wasn't quite there. Sam felt he might even have had a penalty as he was felled in the box but as the only person who agreed with him was his assailant, the game proceeded indifferently.
The first half was actually a pretty even affair with 'Hungover' Dave industrious in midfield and Andy and Bats combining well down the left. But Red Star went into the break two goals ahead - firstly when their left-winger outpaced Colin into the box to finish well, and secondly as Lefils argued over an offside call Red Star broke forward and scored a splendid counter-attacking goal. As guilty as Fizzy was for arguing, the rest of Barely were equally guilty of telling him to shut up rather than focussing on the game. So they felt a bit hard done to, but their was no arguing with the scoreline.
After a prolonged and confusing team shuffle Colin went to right wing and Kel (who had come on for Dave in the first half) went to right-back. It was a better balance to the team by and large but by the time they found the net - Tom heading in Lefils' corner - they had conceded a third as a cross-shot went into the Barely net off Jim's hands. And despite Lefils dropping into midfield to bolster Barely's play, there was time for another weak goal from a Barely point of view when a Red Star corner went directly in with no assistance other than the crapness of Jim and Sam on the line.
So a fairly sorry Barely put up a fight but were outpunched but a strong Red Star team. Man of the Match - apparently - went to Sam 'for turning up' but your correspondent would put down Ian as Barely's outstanding performer, with notable nods to a few others: Kel looked a very composed player, and Lefils, Dave and Andy kept battling until the end. The Barely Reporter actually felt Lefils was on the wrong end of some decisions as the fiery Frenchman used his strength to turn defenders or win the ball, but in fairness Red Star played and refereed fairly in the big picture. Hopefully Barely can get some rest -and some more players - before their next game .
Goal: Tom
Defence: Colin, Jim (2), Ian, Andy
Midfield: Sam, Mike, Dave, Bats
Attack: Mani, Lefils
Sub: Kel
Missing more first choice players than you can count on a radioactive centipede's feet, Rich 'Bats' Batten was forced to call on the 'Groinstrain Three' of Andy, Colin and Sam as well as drafting in emergency cover in the shape of Jim (who started at centre-back and swapped positions with Tom at half-time) and Kel, who began as sub.
Red Star are a good side and unsurprisingly began the game on top. Tom had already pulled out a couple of saves as the Barely back line was breached by the time Barely began to get a foothold on the game, as Mike started winning headers and challenges in the centre of the park. It looked like an inspired choice by Bats to play him there. Barely even started to put some attacks together but, as is often the case, the final ball wasn't quite there. Sam felt he might even have had a penalty as he was felled in the box but as the only person who agreed with him was his assailant, the game proceeded indifferently.
The first half was actually a pretty even affair with 'Hungover' Dave industrious in midfield and Andy and Bats combining well down the left. But Red Star went into the break two goals ahead - firstly when their left-winger outpaced Colin into the box to finish well, and secondly as Lefils argued over an offside call Red Star broke forward and scored a splendid counter-attacking goal. As guilty as Fizzy was for arguing, the rest of Barely were equally guilty of telling him to shut up rather than focussing on the game. So they felt a bit hard done to, but their was no arguing with the scoreline.
After a prolonged and confusing team shuffle Colin went to right wing and Kel (who had come on for Dave in the first half) went to right-back. It was a better balance to the team by and large but by the time they found the net - Tom heading in Lefils' corner - they had conceded a third as a cross-shot went into the Barely net off Jim's hands. And despite Lefils dropping into midfield to bolster Barely's play, there was time for another weak goal from a Barely point of view when a Red Star corner went directly in with no assistance other than the crapness of Jim and Sam on the line.
So a fairly sorry Barely put up a fight but were outpunched but a strong Red Star team. Man of the Match - apparently - went to Sam 'for turning up' but your correspondent would put down Ian as Barely's outstanding performer, with notable nods to a few others: Kel looked a very composed player, and Lefils, Dave and Andy kept battling until the end. The Barely Reporter actually felt Lefils was on the wrong end of some decisions as the fiery Frenchman used his strength to turn defenders or win the ball, but in fairness Red Star played and refereed fairly in the big picture. Hopefully Barely can get some rest -and some more players - before their next game .
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