Fun at the Unwin
A few days ago I said that I was longing for some proper football and I did toy with the idea of going to Cambridge V Kidderminster, but I wouldn't have had time to get back for the bonfire night display, so I decided to go even further down the pyramid and visit Ely Reserves against Lakenheath in the Cambridgeshire league.
The crowd was pretty low as you would expect, but the standard was not much different to the Ridgeons League and Steve Bell and Tom Beech, who are perhaps more associated with the first team were having a run out for the reserves. Lakenheath also brought a few fans who seemed most intent on barracking the poor lad who was running the line than watching the game.
Things started off badly for the second string Robins when Lakenheath scored on 4 minutes. However 3 minutes later Dean Missen was clean through ang got brought down in the box. The defender was rightly given his marching orders, although the Lakenheath fans were busy moaning that he was offside and therefore the first offence should have been taken into account. However, as the linesman didn't give the offside, correctly in my opinion he had to go and up stepped Tom Beech to knock the penalty into the back of the net.
Now Ely had a one man advantage and the Lakenheath fans were claiming that every foray into their half was offside. Ely didn't take long to make their advantage count with Dean Missen extending the lead on 14 minutes. Ely didn't have it all their own way though and a lovely goal by Lakenheath on 41 minutes meant that the sides went in at the break on level terms despite Ely having an extra man for most of the first half.
In the second half Ely capitalised on their extra man advantage and Lakenheath didn't really get into the Robin's half. Bell looked particularly impressive on the left wing and you have to wonder why Dennis doesn't make him a permanent fixture in the first team. On 60 minutes Ely finally took advantage as Adam Salmons slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Despite Ely's dominance though it really didn't feel like the game was over, or maybe that's because I'm more used to the first team throwing away wins! However on 81 minutes it really did look like it was game over when another foul in the box. Paul Skinner converted the penalty this time as Tom Beech had limped off a couple of minutes earlier when he had been brought down just outside the box. He actually seemed a bit pissed off about the penalty as he was standing just behind me when the decision was given. I can only think because he wished that he had been on the pitch to convert it himself.
At 4-2 it looked like Ely had sealed victory, or did it? On 88 minutes with Ely having lost their shape after using up all of their subs Lakenheath made it 4-3 and set up a tense finish.
In extra time the unthinkable happened and Lakenheath found the back of the net with what would have been the last kick of the game. However, the linesman who had had to put up with the Heath fans appealing for offside all through out the first half had given an offside this time and the match finished 4-3. What goes around, comes around.
So although I'd been hankering for some higher level football this was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed and was glad that I went to.
The crowd was pretty low as you would expect, but the standard was not much different to the Ridgeons League and Steve Bell and Tom Beech, who are perhaps more associated with the first team were having a run out for the reserves. Lakenheath also brought a few fans who seemed most intent on barracking the poor lad who was running the line than watching the game.
Things started off badly for the second string Robins when Lakenheath scored on 4 minutes. However 3 minutes later Dean Missen was clean through ang got brought down in the box. The defender was rightly given his marching orders, although the Lakenheath fans were busy moaning that he was offside and therefore the first offence should have been taken into account. However, as the linesman didn't give the offside, correctly in my opinion he had to go and up stepped Tom Beech to knock the penalty into the back of the net.
Now Ely had a one man advantage and the Lakenheath fans were claiming that every foray into their half was offside. Ely didn't take long to make their advantage count with Dean Missen extending the lead on 14 minutes. Ely didn't have it all their own way though and a lovely goal by Lakenheath on 41 minutes meant that the sides went in at the break on level terms despite Ely having an extra man for most of the first half.
In the second half Ely capitalised on their extra man advantage and Lakenheath didn't really get into the Robin's half. Bell looked particularly impressive on the left wing and you have to wonder why Dennis doesn't make him a permanent fixture in the first team. On 60 minutes Ely finally took advantage as Adam Salmons slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Despite Ely's dominance though it really didn't feel like the game was over, or maybe that's because I'm more used to the first team throwing away wins! However on 81 minutes it really did look like it was game over when another foul in the box. Paul Skinner converted the penalty this time as Tom Beech had limped off a couple of minutes earlier when he had been brought down just outside the box. He actually seemed a bit pissed off about the penalty as he was standing just behind me when the decision was given. I can only think because he wished that he had been on the pitch to convert it himself.
At 4-2 it looked like Ely had sealed victory, or did it? On 88 minutes with Ely having lost their shape after using up all of their subs Lakenheath made it 4-3 and set up a tense finish.
In extra time the unthinkable happened and Lakenheath found the back of the net with what would have been the last kick of the game. However, the linesman who had had to put up with the Heath fans appealing for offside all through out the first half had given an offside this time and the match finished 4-3. What goes around, comes around.
So although I'd been hankering for some higher level football this was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed and was glad that I went to.
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