Hill Farm leave Barely with Mountain to Climb

Barely Athletic 0 Hill Farm 5

Goal: Mike

Defence: Colin, Bats, Andy, Chris

Midfield: Nick, Richie, Jacko, Sam

Attack: Lefils, Ioan

Subs: Steve P, Tom P, Sean

It was a wonderful day for football, crisp and fresh with intermittent sun, and a decent - if somewhat hard - pitch. Barely had a decent team together with the return of Rich 'the pendulum' Jackson to add composure to the midfield. However the list of absentee centre-backs was long - no Danny, Ian, Phil, and no Lee to step into the breach as he did so admirably in Barely' last game. Bats, caught between a rock cake and a blancmange, opted for himself and Andy Lillford in the middle of defence, prompting a pained expression from the latter. Andy went on to put in a man of the match performance, making up for a lack of stature - for a centre-half - with determination and inexhaustible energy.

And despite the scoreline Barely collectively and individually put in a good shift. Both teams like to play good football and the battle lines were drawn along the ground rather than above the player's heads. Barely were playing some pretty stuff in the middle with all the midfield linking well. Breaking the Hill Farm back line, however, proved a tougher task, and Hill Farm adroitly foiled Lefils and Ioan whenever the strikers threatened.

And after half an hour of both teams showing flashes of joined-up football, Hill Farm finally broke through the Barely back line twice in succession and put themselves 2-0 up. Mike had expressly asked the outfield players not to let Hill Farm shoot 'along the ground' but that's exactly what they did, leaving Mike with a long way to go to the floor, and by the time he got their the ball was past him on both occasions. Barely looked slightly dazed but tried to galvanise a response; Jacko had at least one shot blocked, Sam jinked between players to put his effort just wide, and Richie thought he'd scored but his thumping shot was deftly tipped over by the keeper. Lefils tore down the left a couple of times but Hill Farm were first to every ball in the box, and the break came with Barely came two goals down.

Rich Batten initiated the rolling subs system with Tom coming on in central defence for the gaffer and Nick going into goal for the injured Mike. Steve came into left midfield, and Sean came on for the last half-hour upfront.

Hill Farm though were confident in the box seat, and soaked up the Barely pressure before picking their moments to score a couple more - one on the break from a Barely attack, and one a bullet header from a corner. Inevitably Barely's heads went down and the match became scrappier as Hill Farm had no need to pressurise and Barely were forced to do the running. Lefils and his opposite number began a preamble to what would have been death of a thousand kicks had the game gone on long enough and a vein of cantankerousness crept into the game, which was thankfully was kept a lid on by some sensible captaincy from both sides.

Sean's debut was impressive in terms of his energy and distribution, but despite a late rally from Barely where they were for a few minutes encamped in the Hill Farm penalty area, no-one really had a decent sight of goal. Hill Farm even rubbed it in a bit by scoring a fifth late on to well and truly put a thumping seal on a game that did not have 5-0 written on it in terms of the balance of play or level of performance.

But then unless they change the rules it's the goals that count, and Hill Farm scored five of 'em.

Late show - Early Bath

Barely Athletic 5 Bathelona 2

Goal: Nick

Defence: Chris, Lee, Ian, Rich Bats

Midfield: Sam, James, Mike, Richie,

Attack: Lefils, Jim Banton

Subs: Steve, Jimbo, Jimmy, Ioan, Tom

Barely took a small step towards securing their first division status with a delayed but deserved victory over Bathelona, who had slightly put the dampers on an evening kick-off by going to the wrong ground and arriving an hour late. With everyone keen to play, however, the teams agreed to play half an hour each way, and duly kicked off.

Rich and Steve had a veritable cornucopia of players to choose from with 16 Barely players eager to play a part in reversing their recent fortunes. With a subs bench that could have made a decent barbershop quartet (with a sub of it's own) Barely rolled players on and off throughout the game to keep things fresh.

Barely started strongly with Wednesday regular, but big-match debutant Jim Banton getting on the end of a decent move and putting the home side one-up after just ten minutes. Lefils added a second to reward his persistent forward play and at half-time the score was 2-0, with Barely feeling comfortable. The Barely side was in constant flux, so much so that as the second half progressed they began to play with three forwards and two right wingers, but two goals from new recruit Jimmy had put Barely back in the box seat after Bathelona, playing better in this half, scored twice between Jimmy's efforts to make the score, at one stage, 3-2. The way Bathelona were playing you wouldn't have begrudged them a draw at that stage, but a penalty from Lefils after Jimmy was felled in the box - he did fall somewhat extravagantly, but it looked a trip - made the final score 5-2 and Barely took a precious three points away and a spring in their stride for the next game. As Bats said afterward, what a difference having a full squad makes.

Man of the match voting didn't happen, for some reason, but as well as notable mentions for the brace-scoring Jimmy and Lefils the Barely Reporter though Jim Banton was excellent on his debut - a goal as a forward, then virtually impassable in defence. Moment of the match was Lee's wonder-pass up the wing from a deep-position, which is indelibly etched on everyone's brains after Lee relived the moment at his leisure in the post-game discussions.

Fair enough.

As well as a great performance there was the welcome pitch-bound from injuries for Steve and Chris. Thumbs-up all around.