Royals 1 vs Wombles 3

1. Kris Lines
2. Neil McDermott
3. Dave Maloney
4. Jason Owen
5. Flaser Gascoyne
6. Simon Trussler
7. Neil Lewis
8. Alister McDermott
9. Joe Johnson
10. Nathan Warner
11. Scott Eason
12. Lee Devenny
13. James Harris
14. Robert Noel

A quick match report as Ali was supposed to write it but he has been too smacked up on goof balls this week!

The Wombles returned to the scene of their only league victory with Eason returning to the starting lineup in place of Ben and JJ coming straight back in for Lee. The ressies took the lead against the run of play with a neat finish at the near post from Super Scott Eason on around 15 minutes. Nasal went off injured shortly after but Jim Harris drunkenly stepped into his shoes and did a sound job meaning there was little disruption.

The team continued to defend well whilst also creating chances at the other end without capitalising. Half time came with the score 1 – 0 and the concern was that the blues hadn’t taken their chances when they came. The second half saw Eason add two long range strikes to his tally proving that you don’t have to run to score goals.

Ali (who had been struggling since the first minute) came off to be replaced by Lee and Rob came on for the tiring Maloney who had played his best game for the club (trying to impress his father in law!). Shortly after the Royals pulled a goal back and Slinky went apoplectic calling everyone c@nts!

The Wombles road out the game with Jase again lucky to stay on the pitch with a number of “experienced” tackles finding the mark.

MOM : Scott Eason – Yards run 6, goals 3. Economical stuff from the big man!

Squad vs Royals

• Kris Lines
• Neil McDermott
• Dave Maloney
• Jason Owen
• Flaser Gascoyne
• Simon Trussler
• Neil Lewis
• Alister McDermott
• Joe Johnson
• Nathan Warner
• Scott Eason
• Lee Devenny
• James Harris
• Robert Noel

First Point 3 – Ressies 2

Team :

1. Kris “Redemtion” Lines
2. Neil “Hot Shot” McDermott
3. Dave “Trackie Bottoms” Maloney
4. Jason “Cry Baby” Owen
5. Flaser “Sun Tan” Gascoyne
6. Simon “Lynch pin” Trussler
7. Nathan “Unpunished” Warner
8. Neil “Continuity Player” Lewis
9. Ali “Weak Slide Tackle” Mac
10. Ben “Striker” Taylor
11. Lee “Offside” Devenny
12. Jim “Depressed” Harris
13. Mark “Centre Midfield?!?!?!?!?!” Wingrove

Scorers : Ben Taylor, Neil McDermott
MOM: Neil McDermott

The Wombles made the short trip to Harpole to face First Point  looking to avenge their comprehensive defeat a few weeks previously. With Rob crying off for a family engagement at the last minute Nathan was saved from purgatory after missing last weeks match. Fraser returned to the starting line up after a weeks R&R in place of the absent Jo Johnson.

The game started well for the Wombles with some nice football being played and the makeshift strike force of Ben and Lee combining well up front. At the other end the Wombles were defending well with Krissy making some excellent saves when called upon, more than making up for his minor blip last week. In fact like the first game the Wombles took the lead when a jinking run from Ben saw a deflected strike wrong foot the keeper.

The Wombles continued to perform well with Truss winning everything in the air and everyone playing some decent footy (bar the love sick gaffa who was struggling to pass water) and had a good shout for a goal when a Jason Owen header from a Nasal corner was cleared off the line (but was it over the line – er no).

Half time came and the lads were pretty pleased with themselves but the war cry was to keep doing the same things and not have the customary second half capitulation. Things were going well until they kicked off then within 5 minutes we were 2 -1 down! Ali opted to roll on the floor instead of clear for the first, then a misplaced past from Bugsy led to him and Nath sharing the dubious honour (and fine) for bringing the opposition striker down for a penalty which was converted.

Utd were now chasing the game and Winners was brought on in centre mid for the tiring Lee with Lewy being placed out of harms way on the wing. Chopper then came on for  Jase who stormed off to the changing rooms in a huff, and it was soon 3 – 1 to First Point as a ball over the top caught the back line on the hop.

Strangely this seemed to spur the Wombles on as they attacked reasonably well, with Nasal narrowly failing to connect with a good Slinky free kick. As they pressed however they left gaping holes at the back and were lucky that Kris was in such inspired form, and also that their strikers contrived to miss some good chances and even an open goal!

With 5 mins left on the clock and Winners urging the side forward, an in-swinging corner was met by three rising Wombles players, with Winners actually taking Nasal out in the process. As the ball dropped, a game of pinball ensued before it dropped to the calmest (and whitest) head in the box, er Nasal, who controlled it and drilled it home with his left foot. Game on!

In the dying second a ball dropped beautifully to Slinky 8 yards out who steadied himself … and blasted the ball into the changing rooms. Another defeat but perhaps our best performance. Roll on next week and a trip to the Royals – and maybe a match report written within 6 days of the match!

Wombles vs First Point Squad

This weeks game is now vs First Point at Harlestone after a fixture change.

The squad is as follows.

1. Kris Lines
2. Neil McDermott
3. Dave Maloney
4. Jason Owen
5. Fraser Gascoyne
6. Ben Taylor
7. Simon Trussler
8. Neil Lewis
9. Ali Mac
10. Rob Noel
11. Lee Devenny
12. Jim Harris
13. Mark Wingrove
14. Nathan Warner

Overstone 4 – Ressies 2

1. Kris “Peter Shilton” Lines
2. Neil “That was not an OG” McDermott
3. Dave “Tatto Dave” Maloney
4. Jo “Deep Line” Johnson
5. Jason “Pendulum Jaw” Owen
6. Ben “Cutting In” Taylor
7. Simon “Standing foot shot” Trussler
8. Neil “Tripping Over” Lewis
9. Rob “Sneaky Exit” Noel
10. Scott “Chipped Pass” Eason
11. Ali “Chris Wobble” McDermott Subs
12. Lee “Blind Lino” Devenny
13. Mark “People in Glass Houses” Wingrove

Goals : Scott Eason (2)
MOM : Ali McDermott

The ressies made the short trip to Overstone (via McDonalds) hoping to make light of missing key players (including Half Way Line Nathe who decided not to turn up!) and get their first giant killing in the cup. Conditions were extremely wet but the pitch seemed to be holding up well and the game was on.

The Wombles started well and were playing some nice stuff with Slinky playing a more advanced role getting involved in some nice interplay and Ben making some nice runs down the wing. Things took a turn for the worse though when Krissy was beaten by an aimless long shot – from their keeper! to be fair Jase had been expected to win the header and the ball skipped up off the greasy top and like Shilts in 1990, Kris was left back pedalling to no avail.

It was soon 2 when their striker rounded the keeper and trickled it towards the line, wrong footing Jo who was thinking about a tattoo. On another day the Wombles could have crumbled, but they continued to play some good stuff and were duly rewarded when a poor clearance by their keeper fell 40 yards out where Eason had been standing all game, one touch and a lob shot later and the Wombles were back in the game.

Eason had a fantastic chance to equalise moments later when a shot by Rob was parried by their keeper, but an off balance “hot shot” could only steer it wide. Disaster then struck when a through ball was played to their small striker who went in for a full blooded tackle with Nasal. Nasal won the ball, but it struck the attackers boot and flew into the net. 3 – 1 to Overstone at the half but with the hill in the second, could the Ressies claw their way back into the game?

Yes and no is the answer. The second half saw another strong performance from the boys in Navy and an Eason goal from a Slinky assist was levelled by a long range rasper from the Overstone central midfielder. The second half was also noticeable for the debuts of Lee and Winners who both performed well (although Winners gave the ball away a few too many times for my liking ).

A solid performance from the lads with plenty to build on next week.