HC Voyager 2 - Barely 2.
A fresh Sunday morning saw a Barely team bolstered by late additions lining up on a slightly boggy field at Combe Dingle to take on HC Voyager. Allan, Darren and Scott all passed late fitness tests, to make the starting line up which consisted of Allan in goal, a back four of Dave H, Mike, Batts, and Colin. A four man midfield of Darren, Chris, Scott, and Alistair, with John Rosseti and Jim Semmence upfront. The bench boasted the riches of 5 players, Paul Loftus (Manager for the day), Gareth, Kevin and debutants Dave and Rowley.
A minutes silence for remembrance day was observed before the business of huffing and puffing around a football pitch began in earnest. As seems to be the pattern with games against Voyager both teams enjoyed periods of threat in the oppositions final thirds without really troubling the keeper. Jim Semmence was energetically running the channels and trying to feed in late arriving midfielders when the opportunity to punt goal wards wasn’t on. It was from one of these moves that Barely’s first goal arrived. Following some brief interplay down the left Jim once again cut in to spot a steaming scotsman careering toward the box. The pass was perfectly weighted for Scott to take it in his stride first time and plant it firmly to the side of the Voyager keeper.
Paul rang the changes bringing on himself, Gareth, Kevin and Rowley throughout the half as the sides traded attacks, Voyager proving a handful at corners due to their numerous lengthy gentlemen dotted about their ranks. The half finished with Barely one goal to the good and there were many positive notes to the traditional halftime ritual of talking over each other.
The second period saw new guy Dave now occupying a central berth with Mike making way for Chris at the back. The break and subsequent changes along with a Voyager resurgence saw the Barely defence grossly unravelling like a 58 year old stripper (pick your own gender preference for simile purposes). Two penalty awards - One accidental handball by Chris from a wickedly bouncing through ball and an unavoidable block tackle from Dave H, meant that Barely were starting to feel the pressure. Fortunately Alan guessed right and parried the first penalty but second was confidently converted. There was enough time for a goal line clearance before Barely regained their composure to direct further attacks at the Voyager goal. Paul Loftus was all busy energy crashing around the midfield. Gareth in his roaming forward role was causing problems with his physical presence and Rowley providing tidy, pacy interplay from the wing. Barely’s second came fairly fortuitously as Chris’s looping cross shot was deemed to be too pitiful to be dealt with by the Voyager defence and was left for Alistair to gamble at the back post, shinning in a beauty from one yard.
Voyager were not done yet and continued to probe. The pressure told after a breakaway move down the wing produced a decent cross for the tall centre forward, who managed to get his head to it and sky the ball over Allan’s groping fingers. There were a handful of close attempts by each side before the referee brought the action to a close. It was a game that could have had any score line at the end as neither did quite enough to secure the win but also didn’t deserve to lose.
report by Chris.
A fresh Sunday morning saw a Barely team bolstered by late additions lining up on a slightly boggy field at Combe Dingle to take on HC Voyager. Allan, Darren and Scott all passed late fitness tests, to make the starting line up which consisted of Allan in goal, a back four of Dave H, Mike, Batts, and Colin. A four man midfield of Darren, Chris, Scott, and Alistair, with John Rosseti and Jim Semmence upfront. The bench boasted the riches of 5 players, Paul Loftus (Manager for the day), Gareth, Kevin and debutants Dave and Rowley.
A minutes silence for remembrance day was observed before the business of huffing and puffing around a football pitch began in earnest. As seems to be the pattern with games against Voyager both teams enjoyed periods of threat in the oppositions final thirds without really troubling the keeper. Jim Semmence was energetically running the channels and trying to feed in late arriving midfielders when the opportunity to punt goal wards wasn’t on. It was from one of these moves that Barely’s first goal arrived. Following some brief interplay down the left Jim once again cut in to spot a steaming scotsman careering toward the box. The pass was perfectly weighted for Scott to take it in his stride first time and plant it firmly to the side of the Voyager keeper.
Paul rang the changes bringing on himself, Gareth, Kevin and Rowley throughout the half as the sides traded attacks, Voyager proving a handful at corners due to their numerous lengthy gentlemen dotted about their ranks. The half finished with Barely one goal to the good and there were many positive notes to the traditional halftime ritual of talking over each other.
The second period saw new guy Dave now occupying a central berth with Mike making way for Chris at the back. The break and subsequent changes along with a Voyager resurgence saw the Barely defence grossly unravelling like a 58 year old stripper (pick your own gender preference for simile purposes). Two penalty awards - One accidental handball by Chris from a wickedly bouncing through ball and an unavoidable block tackle from Dave H, meant that Barely were starting to feel the pressure. Fortunately Alan guessed right and parried the first penalty but second was confidently converted. There was enough time for a goal line clearance before Barely regained their composure to direct further attacks at the Voyager goal. Paul Loftus was all busy energy crashing around the midfield. Gareth in his roaming forward role was causing problems with his physical presence and Rowley providing tidy, pacy interplay from the wing. Barely’s second came fairly fortuitously as Chris’s looping cross shot was deemed to be too pitiful to be dealt with by the Voyager defence and was left for Alistair to gamble at the back post, shinning in a beauty from one yard.
Voyager were not done yet and continued to probe. The pressure told after a breakaway move down the wing produced a decent cross for the tall centre forward, who managed to get his head to it and sky the ball over Allan’s groping fingers. There were a handful of close attempts by each side before the referee brought the action to a close. It was a game that could have had any score line at the end as neither did quite enough to secure the win but also didn’t deserve to lose.
report by Chris.
