Recliners 1 Barely Athletic 4
Gareth
Nick Batts Mike Adam
Chris Paul L Richie Darren
Lefils John T
Subs: Jim S, Sam
Barely went into the game with the rare tag of 'undefeated' assigned to them, after a strong start to the season. Recliners were something of an unknown quantity, although Paul Loftus identified their striker as 'a bit handy' having played against him before. With player-of-the-season-so-far Ian out with a mystery injury, Mike stepped into central defence alongside Batts. Sometime guest and now-regular Chris began on the right wing.
The early game was a fairly even affair, as the teams struggled to hold onto the ball for more than a couple of passes, and both defensive lines held firm. Chris was getting down the right wing but hadn't quite got his crossing sorted early on, though he was finding promising positions. And Barely were growing into the game when a mix-up in the Barely defence put an attacker through on goal. Gareth recovered his feet but buffeted the attacker somewhat excessively, and the inevitable penalty was stroked home to give Recliners the lead.
Barely hit back. Chris made another surge down the right, and this time sent over the perfect cross for the perfect header - Lefils was there to nod it deftly over the keeper and into the top corner. 1-1. Barely were now shading things; with Gareth called upon less and less as the game progressed. And the visitors took the lead when Darren was barged over in the box. Despite protestations, Fizzy rammed the ball home to put Barely in front.
The half ended with Barely deservedly in the box seat, then, and with the rolling subs system already in full flow Batts was keeping the legs as fresh as possible.
The first ten minutes of the second half was possibly the best Barely have played in many a moon - Recliners were encamped in their own half for almost the entire time, second to every ball as Barely focussed their attentions down the right side with Adam, Richie and Darren heavily involved. The third goal came when the former set off on a mazy run and was eventually chopped down (or enthusiastically nudged, at least) in the box. Jim took the penalty and Barely were 3-1 up.
Credit to Recliners, they refused to lay down (- I'm here all week) and engineered some attacks on the Barely goal during the last half hour of the game. But the jig was up for them when Fizzy's cross-shot went in off a defender. A hat-trick for the Frenchman, or an own-goal? The dubious goals committee need to be called in as your correspondent - unsighted at the time - has heard two different versions of the same event.
Either way it was another strong showing from Barely, with Paul and Richie operating in tandem in midfield to good effect and captain Batts having a man-of-the-match-winning game as he mopped up at the back. And their two-game unbeaten streak is now a marginally less-desperate three game one, with 4 points from two games as well as the next round of the cup to look forward to. Heady days.
