VS BNU Phoenix, Happy Valley Park, 22nd August

BNU Phoenix 2 – 1 WU Elite       

Write-up By Niall
 
Saturday.  Game Day.  The day where amateur dreams are made (that do not involve home videos).

 

Happy Valley.  Field of wet dreams.  Back to where it all began for SteveO and Niall (in a non-romantic sense of course.  We are not a couple).

 
BNU Phoenix.  Rising from the flames of some car they probably just petrol-bombed.

 

The Elite.  The good guys, the heroes of our story and all-round pack of good c*nts.

 
The Stage was set.  The day, the pitch, the combatants. 
 

Roll Call.  Which of Pete’s mates would fail to show today?  Was Ganes drunk somewhere (probably)?  Does Doug know what day it is?  Does Dave have his incontinence pants on this week?  Can someone bring the right sized boots for Noel?  Exactly how much product does CJ put in his hair?  Is Stu injured?  That last one is not really a question to be fair.

 
Warm Up.  Check.

 
Game On.

 
The Elite completely dominate the first 25 minutes, without really created any clear cut chances for our Striker.   BNU creep back into the game, with a number of attacks coming down the Elite right side, via their burly winger.  One attack results in a bit of a goal mouth scramble and, after a tackle deflects straight into their player’s path, BNU take the lead 1-0.

 

The Elite continue to play well and miss a golden opportunity to level before half time.  The score remains 1-0 at half time.

 
Due to some shoddy management, The Elite only had 2 subs, and when one of them pinged both his hammies, we were up against the wall.  Some great 1-on-1 play saw Toddy done like a dinner and BNU took a 2 goal lead.

 

However, the Elite dug in and kept playing, and were finally creating some more chances, which coincided with Stevie getting (formally) moved up to play as a 3rd striker.  To be fair, he played most of the game up that end of the field anyway, so this was just a rubber-stamp move by the gaffer.

 
In the vein of creating chances, our fleet-footed left winger was creating all sorts of havoc down his wing.  On one occasion, he beats 3 players cutting into the box, and then, after doing yet another defender with a majestic turn, was cynically scythed down by a BNU defender in the box.  Despite the dramatic nature of the fall, the ref inexplicably waved play on.  I can only assume that the large chorus of laughter was sarcastically meant for the ref.


Finally, the Elite managed to break through and score.  CJ beautifully curling the ball in the outside of his right boot.  He pointedly ignored Crespo after scoring, who was shaking his head with ever-increasing ferocity.  One can only imagine this was in disbelief of the quality of finish he had just seen.  Score was now 2-1.

 
With the Elite back in the game, and Crespo knuckling (kneeling) down to see out the game, one final, golden, glorious, chance was to present itself.  However, despite his best efforts (and it was a difficult chance to take), CJ’s header back across goal drifted inches wide.  BNU then changed the ref about 20 times in an attempt to time-waste, and the game finished 2-1 to them.

 
Great effort by The Elite and a much better showing than the reverse fixture.  Ultimately though, another game that slipped away.

 
MVP Points:

3 – SteveO.  Seemed to everywhere, probably because he is desperate to score, and was a catalyst to creating more opportunities up front.

2 – CJ.  Scored a great goal.  Could have had a hat-trick on any other day.  Worked hard all game.

1 – Adam.  Won a lot of tackles in the middle of the field and got forward to support whenever he could.