Axbridge 2 - 4 Barely Athletic
Subs: Gareth, Allan, Adam, Sam, Paul L
Paul Loftus took charge of Barely as part of their new guest-manager regime, and his win record remains intact after Barely survived a stern test of their ongoing annus mirablis - as yet, unbeaten in the calendar year of 2017. Axbridge know how to play good football, and for the first few minutes of this game they were giving Barely the runaround, with some neat touches and interplay to keep tidy possession of the ball.
But Barely are made of sterner stuff themselves these days, and started inching their way into the contest before any subs were called for. Both teams had their moments and Barely were grateful that Kieran, as ever, was quick off his line on more than one occasion. However, Barely's own chances were snatched at or seemed to bobble wide or sail high. Was it going to be one of those games? Thankfully not, as Jim refused to go down despite the close attention of three defenders - he wriggled through all of them and powered the ball hard and low past the keeper to give Barely the lead.
With the bit between his teeth, the smart money was now on Jim to grab his second and so it was - after sporadic attacking down the Barely left was repelled, the ball came to Mr Siemens via Richie, and he provided a deft finish from just inside the box to put the way team two goals to the good.
Axbridge were far from out of it though, and looked continuously to counter-attack with long balls from their defensive midfield pairing. One such sortie down the Axrbidge right was squared and tucked away to put the home team back in the hunt - half-time arrived with the score at 2-1 to Barely.
By now Paul was already rotating the subs, with Adam on up front alongside Gareth, and Sam and Allan in midfield. Jim's hat-trick would have to be another day, as he had to go early.
The second half began much as the first had ended; with both teams eking out half-chances and not taking them thanks to either wayward finishing or smart goalkeeping. That changed however when Darren - who was busy all game - found a way past the goalkeeper to put Barely 3-1 up. That had a visible effect on the away team, who had their strongest period of the game as they threatened the Axbridge goal again and again, and finally had their reward with a goal for the purists: Richie played the ball wide to Darren from midfield, Darren surged down the left and into the box, where he squared for Gareth. the big man helped it on to the steam train that was Richie - as the defence and goalie moved to their left, he steered it neatly the other direction: 4-1 Barely and surely now the jig was up?
No. Axbridge probably felt, not unreasonably, that the scoreline flattered Barely a little, and as the endgame approached they stepped up their game and produced a goal to rival Richie's - a delightful move down the Barely left ended with the centre-forward sending the defence the wrong way as he pulled the deficit back to two goals. Axbridge pushed and pushed, but they couldn't find another, and they began to feel the heat of the Darren/Gareth/Adam combo at the back, as Barely now created chances on the counter, but neither team added to the score.
A great day at the office all around and Richie, as he so often does, took the man of the match award as Barely's march through 2017 continued unabated - for now, at least.
Kieran
Dave Ian Danny Batts
Darren Chris Scott Richie
Jim Bob
Subs: Gareth, Allan, Adam, Sam, Paul L
Paul Loftus took charge of Barely as part of their new guest-manager regime, and his win record remains intact after Barely survived a stern test of their ongoing annus mirablis - as yet, unbeaten in the calendar year of 2017. Axbridge know how to play good football, and for the first few minutes of this game they were giving Barely the runaround, with some neat touches and interplay to keep tidy possession of the ball.
But Barely are made of sterner stuff themselves these days, and started inching their way into the contest before any subs were called for. Both teams had their moments and Barely were grateful that Kieran, as ever, was quick off his line on more than one occasion. However, Barely's own chances were snatched at or seemed to bobble wide or sail high. Was it going to be one of those games? Thankfully not, as Jim refused to go down despite the close attention of three defenders - he wriggled through all of them and powered the ball hard and low past the keeper to give Barely the lead.
With the bit between his teeth, the smart money was now on Jim to grab his second and so it was - after sporadic attacking down the Barely left was repelled, the ball came to Mr Siemens via Richie, and he provided a deft finish from just inside the box to put the way team two goals to the good.
Axbridge were far from out of it though, and looked continuously to counter-attack with long balls from their defensive midfield pairing. One such sortie down the Axrbidge right was squared and tucked away to put the home team back in the hunt - half-time arrived with the score at 2-1 to Barely.
By now Paul was already rotating the subs, with Adam on up front alongside Gareth, and Sam and Allan in midfield. Jim's hat-trick would have to be another day, as he had to go early.
The second half began much as the first had ended; with both teams eking out half-chances and not taking them thanks to either wayward finishing or smart goalkeeping. That changed however when Darren - who was busy all game - found a way past the goalkeeper to put Barely 3-1 up. That had a visible effect on the away team, who had their strongest period of the game as they threatened the Axbridge goal again and again, and finally had their reward with a goal for the purists: Richie played the ball wide to Darren from midfield, Darren surged down the left and into the box, where he squared for Gareth. the big man helped it on to the steam train that was Richie - as the defence and goalie moved to their left, he steered it neatly the other direction: 4-1 Barely and surely now the jig was up?
No. Axbridge probably felt, not unreasonably, that the scoreline flattered Barely a little, and as the endgame approached they stepped up their game and produced a goal to rival Richie's - a delightful move down the Barely left ended with the centre-forward sending the defence the wrong way as he pulled the deficit back to two goals. Axbridge pushed and pushed, but they couldn't find another, and they began to feel the heat of the Darren/Gareth/Adam combo at the back, as Barely now created chances on the counter, but neither team added to the score.
A great day at the office all around and Richie, as he so often does, took the man of the match award as Barely's march through 2017 continued unabated - for now, at least.
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