| Report | Never have Spartak had so many
players available for selection, and with kit available for all; the local DIY
stores and garden centres must be suffering from all the lost business. Waggon and
Horeses were a subwhat known opposition, having been in the same local Royston
league with four matches a couple of years ago, and two in the 2nd division of the
CDFL last year. Following promotion the previous year Waggon had struggled in the
top flight, with a loss of a few players leaving them with three defeats early in
the season.
Selections were made with Sam covering in nets, and
Ronnie adding some pedigree (not in a dog food way) to a five man midfield, with
John away, and Doc back after injury. Spartak planned to play better than the week
before, not that difficult considering 11 cans of dog food could perhaps have played
better the week before.
Spartak pressured from the Waggon kick off
gaining a early corner. Not to discouraged by prematch practice where most corners
hardly left the ground, (it was a flat ball!), Doc stepped forward to swing it in
from the left with his cultured right peg, (hopefully not in a E. coli type way).
With some quality advice from Fricker, like take your time, the wonderful corner
surprised everyone, including the Waggon keeper who fluffed the inswinging ball to
watch it pass him into the net, 1-0.
Spartak were dominant for much
of the following play in the first half with some incisive passing by Ronnie
switching it to the flanks, and some excellent passing to feet for a change through
the Spartak midfield with Fricker holding it up upfront. Unfortunatly many carefully
crafted chances were wasted and put wide by almost everyone concerned. The Spartak
defence was well in command, well kind of, until a swift break away by Waggon, one
error and a well taken chip over Sam in nets to even the scores.
Not to be discouraged Spartak came back again with continued pressure
down both flanks, and some decent long range efforts that the keeper scrambled to
keep out. Indeed from many chances Spartak couldn't quite force it home. Their
second came from pressure on the right, with Bowman on one of his many quality
forays forward, hooking the ball over to the powerhouse (sorry, midget) at the
farpost. Doc managed to nick in before the rightback, to catch the ball which
flicked up before lobbing the bouncing ball home over the keeper. Most of the
remainder of the half was down the Waggon end with Spartak threatening around the
box, but failing to score, to leave it 2-1 at the break.
'Horses
came out as though they had been whipped into action, keeping Spartak in their half
with a concentrated period of pressure on their right. Spartak weathered the storm
and started to play as well as in the first half with the Steve, Ronnie, Bren
midfield linking up well and spreading it wide, or playing through the middle.
Waggon were still playing mainly on the break, and always threatened from corners
with their extra height and tonnage. They made two of these count in the second half
with Spartak left rueing their missed chances from long periods of pressure. Bren
had managed to half volley one home in between the two Waggon goals after bringing
it down nicely after a rebound off defence following some nice work down the right
by Steve, Ronnie, and Graeme, but this left it even at 3-3.
At this
stage Spartak should have been well ahead, but the one goal advantage throughout the
game was never enough and although they had made chances from some of their best
play this season. Steve had made it though on goal on one occasion after selling a
dummy to the Waggon right back who blundered into him to stop him getting round onto
the ball, and was lucky to stay on the pitch. Spartak had wasted free kicks all
game and this was no different. Clive came on up front to give fresh legs, (OK, no
mouth really). Spartak normally enjoy playing up the hill to the 'hedge end', but
couldn't make any of the chances count, all to often slicing the early ball instead
of taking the extra touch. Several chances heading for goal by Bren, Andrew (yeah
Knights, really), Steve (in particular one half volley) and Ronnie were all somehow
kept out, one such rebounding around coming to Doc to try lobbing back towards goal
again, to only see it slice the cross bar and bounce out.
It looked
as though Spartak were favourite if anyone to take the points but it was a Waggon
long ball and break away on the left, (probably just onside??) that took the lead to
leave Spartak only minutes to get it back. That they nearly did with Knights again
close at the far post. Given more time Spartak would have surely put some chances
away, (they say that about Angel!) but were left trailing the Waggon 4-3 at the
final whistle having the satisfaction of playing well, but taking no points from the
game. |
League