Happy Reunion

Reunion 2-2 Barely Athletic

Allan

Dave          Danny         Mark         Colin

Jim B           Scott            Paul L             Paul Taverna

Gareth

Darren

Subs

Bob

Mike G

Paul Tovey

Chris

Batts

Sam

Oft-times match reports start with a mention of the conditions - the sun streaming, the rain drizzling, the mud underfoot hampering. Yesterday was the turn of the wind, which blew a blustery gale so strongly across the pitch that the game promised to feature much unwanted randomness. However both teams had different ideas about that.

Paul Loftus was the manager for the game and after an intensive discussion with Batts - the power behind the throne - they went with a 4-5-1 formation to counter Reunion's ball-playing midfield. He went for strength too, with a combative centre-mid trio of himself, Scott and Gareth starting the game. Batts volunteered himself onto the bench as long-time absentee Mark returned to grace the centre-back position, and Barely volunteered to start facing the wind and get it 'out of the way' for a hopefully more comfortable second half.

The game began at a fast pace, but - perhaps partly due to the artificial surface - gone were the horizontal challenges of the last couple of games. Both teams looked to play football, and Reunion's high line dropped significantly when both Paul Taverna and Darren charged past the full-backs to ping crosses into the middle. At this point, Barely couldn't capitalise though, and Reunion - currently top of the league, and off the back of trouncing Nailsea 4-1 - were inevitably having moments at the other end as well, forcing a couple of excellent saves out of Allan.

And it was Reunion who took the lead, cutting inside from the wing to rocket a ball inside the far post. A great finish, but one that punctured the metaphorical Barely balloon.

However, with a metaphorical pump on hand, Barely only took ten minutes to equalise, when Paul Taverna surged to the byline again and sent a low ball skidding in front of goal. The attempted clearance from the defender sliced into the net, and Barely were level. At the break, there was a feeling of the hard work done, as Barely would have the wind behind them in the second half.

Unfortunately though the wind wasn't as helpful as they'd hoped, because the ball would hurtle away from the onrushing attackers and to the feet of the Reunion sweeper-keeper, who was regularly out of his box to clear. But the early part of the half was probably Barely's best period as they forced the champions-elect onto the back foot, and might have scored when a corner ball broke loose to Sam. With the goal gaping he sent his effort a yard over the bar.

But amends were made only a short time later as the keeper snaffled another through-ball and attempted to dribble around Sam, feigning to clear before turning the ball inside. But you can't kid a kidder (or feign a feigner) and Sam emerged with the ball to prod into an unguarded net, and give Barely the lead.

Barely stayed on top for another ten minutes, but despite inroads down the left from the scampering Chris, they couldn't add to their goal tally, and a dramatic end-game beckoned as Reunion regained the upper hand in terms of possession, and began exerting a fair amount of pressure on Barely's back line. Mark was in imperious form and inspiring those around him, and when the defence was breached Allan was there again, at one point foiling an attacker by smothering he ball as he shot a yard from the line.

But it was starting to get relentless, and like a tied and bound suspect with an angle-poise lamp directed in their face subject to a series of slaps, Barely couldn't hold out. Minutes from the end a near-post corner was flicked deftly into the net and Reunion had their equaliser - gutting from a Barely point of view, but from a neutral perspective, not something one could begrudge them. 

A good result, then, with Chris, Allan and Paul Loftus all picking up votes for man of the match, but Mark - can he come more often? - walking away with the win. Barely's performance was, as the watching Mike said, the best he had seen in some time, and certainly they used the ball better than they have done recently when in possession, and defending stoutly against the best footballing side they've played this season.

A classic game, and one that will be remembered fondly.