Not sure why they're called Cherry Tree FC instead of The Queen Vic, but here's my former school mate Danny Rhodes' report of last night's eight-goal thriller. Always interesting to get an outside view of our team, and I particularly enjoyed the phrases "the Accies, who caused problems for the Vic defence all night with some clever movement and interchanging of their front players" and "Accies have come on a lot since we first played them three or four years ago".
Accies FC 4 v 4 Cherry Tree FC
Cherry Tree travelled to the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace for the annual pre-season friendly and due to two consecutive cancellations this remained a pre-season game. Late drop outs from several players meant that only ten of this year's squad made the journey, bolstered by ex-players Jonno and Wylie, whilst Swinny was drafted to play in goal (a 5.30pm phone call, in the dog house with the missus...).
Pre-match research of the Accies blog suggested they were a side that had been scoring and conceeding a lot in recent weeks and that proved to be the case. Accies went ahead as early as the second minute, a thunderbolt from the edge of the box after some hesitant Cherry Tree defending, but both sides looked better going forward than they did at the back and in our first meaningful attack Sibbo broke clear on the left before squaring the ball to Tom who fired home (something of a carbon copy of the goal he scored against City Firsts). We went ahead on fifteen minutes, Tom latching on to a rebound off the keeper and then proceeded to concede again, a fantastic dipping strike from outside the box that left Swinny rooted to the spot (too heavy to jump, blinded by the floodlights etc). Changes were made as we tried to instill some of the possession football we've been demonstrating in pre-season training sessions and we went ahead on thirty minutes, Sibbo glancing a header home from a free-kick. Efforts were made to immediately concede again, Damien allowing the Accies nippy Walcottesque winger inside him but on this occasion Swinny made a good save. HT 3-2.
Some harsh words from new manager Rob Taylor. Play football. Talk. Be aggressive at the back. Selective mute Kyle took all advice on board and promptly forgot about it. Back came Accies. On the hour a breakdown in play on the right allowed their player to advance a good thirty yards. His optimistic effort was flying wide but Swinny chose to make a save for the cameras and promptly diverted the ball into his own net. 3-3.
Five minutes later and the Accies, who caused problems for the Vic defence all night with some clever movement and interchanging of their front players, went ahead, Swinny's fine save to his left only serving to offer up a simple tap in for the advancing Accies player. 3-4.
Wayne broke clear one on one with the keeper but hit his shot straight into the keeper's midriff. Cherry Tree made changes. Kyle moved to Centre Forward. A slick move down the right, a square ball across the six yard box and there was the seven foot assassin to toe poke home. Cue a bellow of orgasmic release from the big man as six months of frustration in the opponent's box finally came to an end. Turns out he does have a voice after all.
End of the action? Are you kidding, this is Cherry Tree FC, formerly known as Queen Vic. No sooner had we drawn level than we made various attempts to throw it away. Accies had a shout for a penalty (it never was) and at least two more half chances as they finished the stronger. In the final seconds an innocuous shot from the edge of the box drifted towards Swinny's hands. Slippery when wet, the ball squirmed clear. It was a true 'and Smith must score' moment (google it if you're under 30) but the Accies player had obviously watched this infamous clip once too often and chose to replicate it in its entirety. Swinny somehow made the save and earned himself a lift home. The referee brought proceedings to an end.
4-4. A really competitive and fairly high quality game of football played on a slick surface in fantastic spirit (well refereed too). Accies have come on a lot since we first played them three or four years ago and after pushing us close last time out (we won 3-2) the least they deserved last night was a draw. In fact we were probably the more satisfied as the stadium was plunged into darkness and we headed back to East Kent, in my case via a shitty diversion through Lewisham that wound up with me on the M20! It was midnight when I dropped Swinny off. I'm not sure if he was locked out or not or if he had to break his own front door down...
Cherry Tree travelled to the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace for the annual pre-season friendly and due to two consecutive cancellations this remained a pre-season game. Late drop outs from several players meant that only ten of this year's squad made the journey, bolstered by ex-players Jonno and Wylie, whilst Swinny was drafted to play in goal (a 5.30pm phone call, in the dog house with the missus...).
Pre-match research of the Accies blog suggested they were a side that had been scoring and conceeding a lot in recent weeks and that proved to be the case. Accies went ahead as early as the second minute, a thunderbolt from the edge of the box after some hesitant Cherry Tree defending, but both sides looked better going forward than they did at the back and in our first meaningful attack Sibbo broke clear on the left before squaring the ball to Tom who fired home (something of a carbon copy of the goal he scored against City Firsts). We went ahead on fifteen minutes, Tom latching on to a rebound off the keeper and then proceeded to concede again, a fantastic dipping strike from outside the box that left Swinny rooted to the spot (too heavy to jump, blinded by the floodlights etc). Changes were made as we tried to instill some of the possession football we've been demonstrating in pre-season training sessions and we went ahead on thirty minutes, Sibbo glancing a header home from a free-kick. Efforts were made to immediately concede again, Damien allowing the Accies nippy Walcottesque winger inside him but on this occasion Swinny made a good save. HT 3-2.
Some harsh words from new manager Rob Taylor. Play football. Talk. Be aggressive at the back. Selective mute Kyle took all advice on board and promptly forgot about it. Back came Accies. On the hour a breakdown in play on the right allowed their player to advance a good thirty yards. His optimistic effort was flying wide but Swinny chose to make a save for the cameras and promptly diverted the ball into his own net. 3-3.
Five minutes later and the Accies, who caused problems for the Vic defence all night with some clever movement and interchanging of their front players, went ahead, Swinny's fine save to his left only serving to offer up a simple tap in for the advancing Accies player. 3-4.
Wayne broke clear one on one with the keeper but hit his shot straight into the keeper's midriff. Cherry Tree made changes. Kyle moved to Centre Forward. A slick move down the right, a square ball across the six yard box and there was the seven foot assassin to toe poke home. Cue a bellow of orgasmic release from the big man as six months of frustration in the opponent's box finally came to an end. Turns out he does have a voice after all.
End of the action? Are you kidding, this is Cherry Tree FC, formerly known as Queen Vic. No sooner had we drawn level than we made various attempts to throw it away. Accies had a shout for a penalty (it never was) and at least two more half chances as they finished the stronger. In the final seconds an innocuous shot from the edge of the box drifted towards Swinny's hands. Slippery when wet, the ball squirmed clear. It was a true 'and Smith must score' moment (google it if you're under 30) but the Accies player had obviously watched this infamous clip once too often and chose to replicate it in its entirety. Swinny somehow made the save and earned himself a lift home. The referee brought proceedings to an end.
4-4. A really competitive and fairly high quality game of football played on a slick surface in fantastic spirit (well refereed too). Accies have come on a lot since we first played them three or four years ago and after pushing us close last time out (we won 3-2) the least they deserved last night was a draw. In fact we were probably the more satisfied as the stadium was plunged into darkness and we headed back to East Kent, in my case via a shitty diversion through Lewisham that wound up with me on the M20! It was midnight when I dropped Swinny off. I'm not sure if he was locked out or not or if he had to break his own front door down...
Danny
1 comment:
Cracking report. For info, the full weight of 7ft player moved up to centre forward was planted on my right foot as I attempted to block his shot for their 4th. I am still on considerable pain.
Other than that, a thoroughly enjoyable game and nice to read a good balanced report from the oppo.
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