A game of two half's is a footballing cliché very overused today, however it is all that needs to be said regarding ASBs match against Oxford United on a crisp early winters morning in November.
The squad assembled and were delighted to view a pitch that will be hard to beat this season, which was more than could be said for the directions to the ground posted on the list! Country roads and quaint villages are not the norm around Shepherds Bush these days, but with GPS now changing our lives everybody found what we were looking for, a pitch worthy to play on. For a team renowned for their passing game, this should have been a pleasure and for once in a season a chance to show what we really can do when we are switched on and in the groove. But what was this?? I know ASB have had a few battles recently, but helmets and shoulder pads?? This seemed to be taking Riz at his reputation a bit too far. Nothing to worry ourselves, just curious "Yanks", bracing themselves for a game we call "egg chasing".
ASB lined up with a few familiar faces in changed positions but it was nice to have that option and fresh legs on the sidelines should they be required:
Rob
Orv Donny Tina(c) Slouch
Nick Tim Riz Sharkey
Jools Diego
The first half kicked off and ASB struggled to find a real rhythm. With Oxford happy to punt hopeful long balls upfield to their two strikers, ASB struggled to get a real strangle hold on the game and dictate play as is so often the case. Oxford would have seen the two guys at the heart of the ASB defence and thought their luck was in. Tina and Donny both under 6' tall would look like cannon fodder to the untrained eye, but with Tina in exceptional form, this was a tactic that was doomed to fail from the outset. Header after header was won by "il capitano" and with excellent support from the two full back, Oxford were locked out. Rob in goal dammed his decision not to bring a Hamlet and his copy of "Nuts" to read.
Further up the pitch ASB tried and tried but failed to show any meaningful chances for their enormous amount of possession. The midfield probed and the front line, led superbly by Hernan "Jools" Crespo, ran its socks off but to no avail. Nick and Sharkey were finding space on the wings but the final ball was to be elusive for the time being to the boys from the Bush.
As the half wore on, the boys in yellow started to come more into the game. With ASB still playing well but not creating a massive amount of chances, sooner or later a chance would come, and so it did. With a man down injured for ASB, Oxford played on and a shot from 25 yards bounced just in front of Rob who did excellent to steer it round the post for a corner.
Chances came and chances went for ASB as the half drew to a close, the best being to Jools, who at an angle, put the ball over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat. It looked like it would just be one of those days.
The whistle went and the gaffers pulled us in. "Keep going" was the cry, nothing major was wrong but we needed that little bit of luck.
The difference in play immediately after the change of ends by ASB was nothing less than awesome. The way they struggled to break down a stubborn Oxford defence in the first 45 proved to be a walk in the part after the break. As always with ASB, fresh legs were required, and the dynamic duo on the touchline chatted and debated before making a number of changes (too many to mention in this report) throughout the second half.
The change in play was immediate. Within the first five minutes of the second half ASB were dominating play and Tim and Riz found a rhythm that any IFC manager would relish in his side. The passing was slick and with Oxford chasing shadows most of the time more chances fell the Londoners way. Mungo slipped into the style and pace of play immediately and his sublime pass to Sharkey was unfortunately not met with the same finish. High and over, Riz made a mental note, surely not a sign of things to come?
Corners came and corners went, half chances were not taken but it was only a matter of time. That time was approximately 15 minutes in. A foul on the ASB left gave Tina a chance to deliver a quality ball into the box. With the Oxford defence drawn to the back post and the "big boys", Tina's sublime cross was met by as good a flick from Nick. The ball nestled in the corner of the net, one nil. Nick's hard work had paid off, he had come more into the game after the break and his touch and pace down the ASB right was something that Oxford had no answer for. It felt like relief but ASB got back and carried on as it was "nil nil".
Ten minutes later it was two and a thoroughly deserved second for Nick. A slick passing move by ASB down their left saw the ball cut back to Nick, who 15 yards out curled the ball into the opposite side of the net to his first. The net bulged and the players lauded Nick on the touchline with the managers.
With a host of subs being made afterwards, ASB controlled the game at their pace
without ever pushing hard. All newly introduced players performed exceptionally well and the third was surely only just round the corner. A throw on deep inside the Oxford half on the ASB left saw Tim shoved in the back inside the area, a decision Graham Poll would not have missed. The whistle went and the arm of Juzza pointed to the spot, penalty. ASB had their chance for a third. "Nick, Nick" was the cry and Nick could picture the match ball in his display cabinet at home that night. However stalwart penalty taker Riz grabbed his opportunity to make it three.
Maybe we should have seen it coming, but he certainly didn't need to ask for assistance from their goal kicker, but the sight of a bunch of American Footballers warming up next to our pitch probably put Riz's mind in a spin. The kick sailed directly over the bar and almost into orbit. Always dependable and reliable in these positions Riz's effort would have looked more at home at Twickenham than Loftus Road. "Hooray" we heard from the adjacent pitch as a bunch of angry Americans waved their support for a tremendous "conversion". However, alas it was not to be and the score remained at two nil.
The game ebbed and flowed with ASB in total control. The defence found themselves asking Rob where his copy of "Nuts" was as the ASB midfield put up a formidable barrier through which Oxford could not penetrate easily. Tim did a fantastic job on the Oxford central midfielder who had given them hope in the first half. With him nullified it was game, set and match.
The third came towards the end of the half. Immy, with his bright yellow boots that matched the Oxford shirts, converted an excellent pass from Nick and we could go home happy, hoping, just hoping for an ASB/QPR double win weekend.
After the game Riz would complain that the earth had given way around the penalty spot right before he made contact with the ball. Oxford is not known for its close proximity to a major fault line, the last earthquake being in 1986 when they returned triumphant from Wembley with the Milk Cup in their hands (writer sobs a tear of sadness). Riz was mistaken, his eagerness to return to the US this week for work had confused him into believing that half a point was on offer for kicking the ball as high as he could.
Our crazy American cousins on the next pitch looked on and the sound of three-nil made them think it was a very close run thing (Riz is still arguing that his penalty was worth two points). It wasn't, this was a display by ASB, in the second half especially, that bodes well for the season and in Gridiron terminology 36-5 was closer to the mark!!!
"TOUCHDOWN RANGERS"
Here are the player ratings as the managers saw it:
Rob - Did very well today, commanded his area, came out early to mop
up long balls, constantly communicated with his defence and did well
claiming the ball from the couple of corners they had, a much
improved performance that made both me and Keir very happy. Keep it
up mate - 8
Orville - Superb game at right back, totally unruffled, dealt with
everything Oxford threw at him, tidyed up long balls, distributed the
ball very well down the flanks, great first touch, a really good
solid performance - 8
Tina - The squirrel was inspired today, he won every tackle and every
header he competed for, linked the ball well with the midfield and it
was fantastic listening to him shout himself hoarse communicating
with his team mates, he just never lets us down, well done mate - 9
Donny - Absolute quality from the start to the moment he had to come
off with a niggling injury, like Tina won every tackle and every
header, also like Tina fantastic communication and leadership, he has
been doing it for ten years now for ASB and shows no signs of
stopping or slowing down, fantastic performance and a close run thing
for man of the match - 9
Slouch - Did as well at full back as he usually does at left wing,
totally solid in the tackle, great distribution, attacked the line
and linked well with Sharkey, perhaps we negated his attacking
instincts by playing him at full back but Slouch can play most
positions and he didnt let anyone down at full back today, great
performance - 8
Nick - Usually we play him up front but we wanted to see how he
performed on the right wing and he did a fantastic job, his first
touch, skill and trickery allowed him to get away from his marker
time and time again and with his pace he was a real threat, scored a
great header for the first goal, a wonderful strike for his second I
think on his least favourite foot and assisted for the third, as a
result he has to get the MOM - 10
Tim - Yet another excellent solid game from 'Timmy!' - ( ala South
Park ) He has a great touch, reads the game really well, his passing
is first rate, he tackles hard and fair and wins more than his fair
share of battles in the centre of midfield. Did a good job on their
number 15 in the second half too to nulify their only attacking
threat - 9
Riz - Fantastic battling display from Rizla, he won absolutely every
header he competed for, he tackled hard, passed the ball well, drove
the play forward and his vocal support to the other players was
excellent, he was a contender for man of the match but after that
penalty he just misses out - 9
Sharkey - Did very well, linked up with Slouch on the left, caused
their defence a number of problems, although we are still undecided
as to whether he is better on the wing or up front, didnt replicate
his five goal extravaganza against Dulwich but didnt let himself or
the team down with a good solid performance - 8
Jools - Another contender for man of the match and to be honest if he
had converted just one of the numerous chances he fashioned for
himself he would have got MOM but he failed to convert and as such
just misses out. His movement, battling and sheer effort were
outstanding however, on at least three occasions his running off the
ball left him on a one on one with their keeper and if it wasnt for
some good goalkeeping and woeful finishing Jools could have had five
goals. All our forwards should look to Jools and learn from his
movement and effort ( but dont copy his finishing! ) , he really was
first class - 9
Diego - Ran around an awful lot in the first ten minutes but didnt
really get into the game and came off after twenty minutes with a
slight twinge, came back on in the second half after running the line
and did a lot better and had a one on one with the keeper who
unfortunatly saved it, still looking for his first goal and it wont
be too long before it comes - 7
Mungo - Came on for Diego in the first half and played up front and
showed some nice touches and linked up well with the rest of the
teams but he did not look fit and we need to work on this a little
with him in training because a fit Mungo would have scored in this
game, if we can get him fit and turning up for training we will see
much more from the Mungoloid - 7
Weeman - Came on at left back as we pushed Slouch up on the wing and
subbed Sharkey and did a good job there, was solid, reliable and
linked well with the rest of the team, didnt see him much in the
opposition half making over laps but thats not wee mans game as he is
not the quickest in terms of pace but he had a good game non the
less - 7
Scott - Came on at left wing and did OK there, cut inside a number of
times as he is obviously a right footer, we still need to work out
what his best position is but he is commited and obviously cares but
he let himself down with his attitude when we subbed him - these kind
of histrionics we really do not want to see - this is a team game,
its not about individiuals and players should respect our decisions
when we sub them, if he can keep a lid on his temper he will do well,
if he cant we dont want him playing, we want to build a happy team
here - 6
Immy - Came on with twenty minutes to go and scored an excellent goal
which showed superb composure in front of goal - a lesson we should
all learn from - if all our forwards had shown this much compsure in
front of goal we could have hit double figures - 8
Admiral - Came on at centre back for the injured Donny and aquitted
himself well, did not have that much to do but what he did in his ten
minutes he did well, no 25 yarder today but we wont hold that against
him! - 7
Juzza - Reffed the game pretty well I thought, gave us the penalty in
the second half but we should have had another one which he gave as a
freekick but you cant blame him as Jools was a gent saying it was
outside the box, thankfully he never carded anyone, but guys please
can you stop abusing him when he gives a decision against you, it
really is counter productive, just get on with it and accept his
decision.
All in all a fantastic performance from everyone - if we are honest
Jools, Orville, Tina, Donny, Riz, Tim, Nick, were all contenders
today for man of the match they were that good, every player did
well, we were very happy with you all.
Cheers
Inga |
