University were the team that avoided relegation on the last day two years ago by winning against Antonhill. That result saw the German�s themselves relegated to Division 2. In previous years University have always skirted the drop, usually having a late surge at the end of the year, but this year the opposite is true with some good early results.
The German�s after a decent, if not totally convincing, win the week before in the Cup were approaching this game not sure what to expect from an expected better University team.
The team line-up saw the defence stay the same as the previous two games with only two new starters from the week before with Andy Jeffreys and Nick Park (back from injury) in and Tim Narey and Haneef Mohamed out due to being absent.
The game started (at 10:00 a.m.) with some good possession from the German�s as we forced forward against a pretty sleepy looking University team. Good ball was being won in the middle by Moses and Andy Dixon while Will was creating some decent chances.
University on the other hand seemed to only have two good left-sided players and a decent striker up front. Admittedly, University were without their sweeper and long throw specialist, Paul Barrett, or the ex-German who always slips in the bath, Andrew Orr � a double absence of almost insignificant proportions.
University�s left-sided striker, Rob, was obviously looking to shoot on goal, and after pulling away from Steve �Glory Hunter� George his shot fortunately hit the side netting. Steve did the thing that all defenders do when they make a balls-up and blamed everyone else, especially Haneef, which would have been justified if the �Curry on Friday Night Offerer to the Whole Team But Then Keeping Quiet As He Realised He�d Made a Foolish Offer Intoxicated By Half a Can of Heineken� was actually playing.
A further shot by University hit the post, and it looked bad for the German�s as we started to struggle controlling the oppositions attacks. A further curling shot by the University striker was comfortably tipped over by the German keeper.
Of course this was all remedied by a goal of the season from Will in the middle of the first half. From outside the box he cracked a swerving shot high into the University left-hand corner of the goal. Will ran to celebrate his opener and he reached the halfway line before anyone else got up enough energy to chase after him. Moses, who requires to beef up a bit if he�s going to make it as a footballer, took the easy option and congratulated Will at the halfway line as the game was about to resume.
This took the wind out of the University sails a little bit, the German�s responding to this easing of pressure by doing what we do best and losing the rag.
Once we got this out of our system, and as half-time approached, Will ran through on goal and shot only for the ball to cannon of the goalkeeper to the edge of the box where Nick Park cracked a strong volley back towards goal. I�m not sure what happened next as the goalkeeper, the post and Simon all got a touch, but it appeared that there was no goal and the keeper had possibly been fouled. Instead, however, the referee had given a goal and Nick had scored his first of the season.
Half time and the German�s were 2-0 up.
As Moses said at half time �Keep your cool lads,� which of course was greeted by much ridicule. The phrase with the words �pot� and �kettle� comes to mind. Alan Pengelly�s comment that we must not lose an early second half goal was just inviting trouble.
And so it proved as University got forward early, cut the ball back to the centre from the by-line to the un-marked centre forward who had an easy task to score.
The first 20 minutes of the second half were difficult for the German�s as University put on some serious pressure. However, we nearly got another from a Nick Park special when his lobbed shot beat the keeper all ends up only to hit the crossbar.
And then the German�s got the most amazing piece of luck as the German goal of the season candidate was mirrored by University�s certain miss of the season winner. The two Pengelly�s made a bit of a hash of marking the University forward who got past both and then rounded the out-rushing Harris.
Now, I didn�t see this as I was lying on the ground at the time, but the forward with an empty goal, standing on the penalty spot and with no one around him managed to shoot wide of the post. It must have been devastating for the guy, so in the spirit of good sportsmanship, and if he is one of the 7 people who actually read this, I can only say that everyone thinks you�re a toss-pot.
This was followed by the University left-side striker doing the biggest bit of cheating I�ve seen in a long time. As he was not good or fast enough to beat Gary Pengelly, or anyone else in the German team for that matter, it was obvious he was going to fall down looking for a penalty. It was good that the referee ignored this, not so good was the fact he was not at least yellow-carded.
The German�s responded well to this nonsense by running up the field and Simon buried a great shot past the keeper and into the left-hand corner to make it 3-1. And soon after the final whistle ended the game.
Good stuff from the German�s, with everyone playing well. University were definitely not as good as was expected, but victory over them is a great result at a very good time for the team.