| Spartak in cup glory!
Most Spartak players will vividly remember the FA
Cup Finals of the 1980s. The games seemed so memorable back then; Coventry beating
Spurs, Beasant diving to save from Aldridge, Whiteside curling an extra time beauty
for Manchester United. Some of the old guard might even recall the moment of
brilliance from Villa (Ricky that is).
When they
woke on Sunday morning the feelings of excitement and anticipation that Cup Finals
used to evoke would have been strangely familiar for the Spartak boys. Would it be
their day?
It had all began back last year with a
comfortable first round win against Genetics. In the league Spartak were blowing hot
and cold, displaying the inconsistency that has been indicative of their mediocrity
in recent years. But in the cups Spartak were starting to put together three decent
runs. In the CDFL Cup in particular, the run was gaining momentum like a Bowman
charge up the right wing.
A nail-biting golden
goal victory against Chesterton was followed by the dramatic semi-final defeat of
Orange House. All of a sudden Spartak were in the final. They now faced Darley Stud,
a first division outfit that had torn them to pieces in a 6-1 demolition earlier in
the season. This was the toughest challenge yet.
It was warm and the air heavy as the Spartak lads arrived at the Soham
Town Rangers Ground and accustomed themselves to the unfamiliar surroundings, cut
grass, covered seating and a BIG pitch. Perhaps most astonishing of all was the
presence of other human beings. People other than substitutes were actually going to
watch them play!!
There was one problem however.
Spartak did not have a ball to warm up with and stood nervously around the tunnel
waiting for Bowman, who had last been seen running naked through Lion Yard at
3:30am. (It has been said that Dave led the team in a lap around the pitch, but in
the interests of ethical Journalism it would be irresponsible to report this as
fact).
In the meantime Dave, who had kindly
bought pre-match energy drinks for the team, gave the team talk and announced a
return to the 4-4-2 formation with Steve dropping back to centre back. Bowman
eventually arrived and as the stand filled with supporters the Spartak lads
tentatively warmed up. Then the moment was upon them. Dave made one last
Lucozade-fuelled speech and they were ready for the off.
From the moment the whistle blew Spartak were at the opposition and
the first twenty minutes was all blue and white with Chris and Dave and John coming
close with half chances as the unfamiliar sound of cheering spurred Spartak on.
The breakthrough came as Dave chased down a Darley
defender and sent a sliding challenge/shot flying inside the near post. The delight
was obvious and the Spartak players performed a semi-bundle.
The goal, however, proved to be a turning point and now Darley seized
the initiative. Within a few minutes a ball over the top left Steve and Paul
dithering and a Darley striker ran through to head into the empty net. Darley were
now pressing and the second came soon after as a free kick into the box saw a Darley
head rise highest, and a Paul Scholes look a like stabbed the ball in. Half-time.
As Spartak walked off having had the better of the
first half Pete was heard to say: 'We can win this.' This is a direct quote of
Russell Osman in Escape to Victory. Could the Allies do it?
Dave began his half time talk but was interrupted by an impromptu
performance by his Grandad who encouraged a bit more patience on the ball. This
seemed to be enough for the Spartak boys who emerged onto the pitch with heads held
high, much to the surprise of those expecting them to break-out through the shower
and do a runner to Fen Ditton.
The first ten
minutes of the second half were fairly even, with one exception. The Spartak
supporters, predominantly female, had become increasingly aroused by Spartak's
passionate display, and every time Spartak pressed forward, there were screams of
encouragement. Joking aside this support was to play an important part in Spartak's
thrust for ascendancy.
Dave then made his tactical masterstoke.
Having sized up the opposition Spartak moved to a more attacking 3-5-2 formation
with John, Owen and Chris (who had performed brilliantly) were replaced by Neil,
Graeme and Clive.
From this point Spartak played
arguably their best stuff of the season as they bombarded Darley with attack after
attack, looking particularly dangerous with down the right with Matt and Rich
breaking forward. It was from one such attack that the equalizer came. A ball
forward found Clive and an innocuous Darley challenge was penliased on the edge of
the area. Steve played the ball in and a Darley defender flicked in on to the
waiting Andrew who powered a downward header goalwards. A Darley defender stuck out
his hand to stop the ball and a penalty was given.
There were calls for a red card but a yellow was shown as Dave lined
up the pressure kick. There was silence as he ran forward and stroked the ball to
the right of the keeper who could a slight touch as the ball went into the
corner.
Concentration again momentarily lapsed as
Darley won a free kick on the side of the box. An excellent kick was swung in by a
Darley player and went straight in. Spartak hearts sank but the goal was
dramatically disallowed by the ref who had raised his hand to signal it was
indirect. Spartak breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Undeterred and hungry for more Spartak came forward looking for the
lead, and it was not long before they got it. Rich broke forward, beat a couple of
men and then under what appeared a fair tackle went down like a dying swan.
Sportsmanlike he immediately admitted it was a dive, but hearing the ref had awarded
a penalty, quickly changed his story.
Dave again
shouldered the responsibility and again kept his cool to slot the ball down the
centre. The crowd went wild and Sparak could taste victory. They just needed to hold
on for about 15 minutes.
Darley were pressing now
with a succession of corners that Paul and the defence did well to withstand. In one
such effort Andrew went down in pain and was hauled to the edge of the pitch yelping
'I've got cramp in both legs', a brilliant piece of self-diagnosis.
Down to ten men the blue and whites continued to
defend with fervour. Then with two minutes left Darley broke down the right. It
looked a clear offside but the lineswoman failed to flag and Darley won a corner.
The ball was whipped to the far side of the box from where one of Darley's best
players curled a beauty into the top corner. Gutted.
The final whistle went and any pundit would have favoured Darley who
now had the psychological advantage. Spartak also had an injured man, Andrew, who
was heroically coming back on at centre forward. (A bit like Mark Wright against
Cameroon in 1990, a game that also featured extra time and two penalties. He was
also ginger).
Dave tried to lead the team back
into the changing rooms by was called back by the referee and a scene reminiscent of
a flock of compulsive turkeys ensued with everybody speaking at once. It emerged
that for the last 15 minutes a number of players hadn't really known what position
they were in, and the team reverted to 4-4-2. On reflection, in these brief moments
true democratic teamwork took place - all were utterly focused on winning, for
themselves, for the supporters and for each other.
The extra time was golden goal, ten minutes each way, and while both
teams tired, Spartak looked the more likely, finding fitness on the big pitch they
didn't know they could muster.
The first chance
fell to Andrew who found himself unmarked on the penalty spot. He controlled well,
but the legs visibly seized and a defender intercepted. Moments later Graeme, who
had been passing like Beckham put in a great ball that Bren only just failed to
convert.
Spartak continued to press and won
another free-kick just inside the Darley half. Graeme again played a great ball in
and the ball was knocked on to Clive who was unmarked on the right-hand side of the
box.
It was all happening in slow motion now as
Clive hit the ball across the goal. Every breathe was held and for a moment it
looked to be going past the far post. But then the net bulged and the cries of
victory sounded. The Spartak players formed a wild and sprawling bundle reminiscent
of American methods of torture in Iraq (except the Spartak players were wearing
pants, at least I was, and I hope to hell the rest of you buggers were!).
Spartak went to greet the fans and clapped loudly as
Darley collected their runner up medals. Dave then stepped forward followed by the
team and raised the trophy. Spartak had won the cup.
Truly, any player could have been awarded man of the match. Bren was
outstanding in easily his best game of the season, and Clive finished expertly for
the crucial goal. Yet it goes to Dave, as much for his tactical acumen as for the
hat-trick which included two high pressure penalties.
It was a fantastic occasion for all in the Spartak camp and provides a
real impetus for the squad to stay together and move forward next season. The whole
squad contributed to the triumph giving toil, cheers and sweat, and if Spartak go on
to achieve more successes in the future men will still say, this was their finest
hour.
| 
CDFL
Challenge Cup