Old Ignatian 4ths 5 – 4 Mill Hill Village
Platon, Moore x2, Bastyan, Hodges
Att 4
(McGeever, Cuffe, Cullen, Cherry)
Well after 23 games this season the 4s have come to this point, the end of the season!! A season of up and downs, giving the beatings, taking the beatings. Boxing match for anyone?
The 4s started with Grandad II in goal, “Dad’s Army” with Rob Johnson, Mr Old Igs, Beep Beep and the Hitman with a combined age of over 130!! With the oldest being 49 and the youngest 18. A midfield of the horses head, Chris Moore, Luke and Tubzy. With DVD and Ginger up top and Jake on the bench.
The pre-match team talk involved telling the team that there was no pressure on us to win, lose or draw as our only rivals for relegation (Grammar) were playing both UCL and Oakhill Tigers, so no points won there. The team were also buoyed up by comments by the Parmiterian 7th XI manager where he described our semi final as that in the 1st half, Parms absolutely battered us and in the 2nd half we absolutely smashed them and didn’t know how we didn’t win the game!! So that was a good compliment for us as our league form hasn’t shown the 4s in good light.
DVD won the toss and decided to choose a side as we were going to run up hill in the 1st half. Then I say hill its more or less a cliff as from our goal you can just about see the cross bar of the other half!!
From the start it was the I’s showing ourselves that we could play football, we won a throw and Ginger threw the ball and DVD tapped in the ball which bounced kindly to his left foot to tap in the near post. 1-0
Within the next 10 minutes the I’s were committing serious mistakes to allow Mill Hill to come back at us, a pass from defence saw Chris run on to the ball and smashed the ball into the net. 2-0
At this point we were in control of the game. That is when we decided to gift the oppo a goal to make it 2-1. Ginger was trying his best to provide ball towards DVD at one point DVD allowed the ball to go behind him to miss a simple tap in. The Hitman and Tubsy were working well as they have done all season down the left flank. Both players attacking at every opportunity.
Half time came where the main thing that came out was that we need to track our men as the oppo were playing with a 442 formation, so no excuses!! We also determined that Mill Hill’s number 7 was very slippery for the back four!! Mr Oldigs had a good game showing how important his experience was as he shepherded the back four with his relaxed approach on the ball and helping the inexperienced Chris Joyce at centre half. More importantly Grandad II has been wanting to play outfield as most outfield goalkeepers to, he was told we have to have a two goal cushion.
In the second half we proceeded to try and get that two goal cushion as we controlled the game easily however not at this point as this slippery number 7 start wiggling around and took a wonderful left footed shot which Grandad II did not even move!! 2-2
We still had hunger to score, DVD tried to get in the act to score his second and this time a wonderful ball from Ginger got to DVD in the back post however DVD decided to use his left foot to sidefoot the ball in however allowed the ball to go under his studs!! Jake came on for Tubzy on the left of midfield. Luke Bastyan has been hitting a rich vein of form by scoring another goal! Making it 3-2.
A free kick presented Ginger with a chance to score, Chris Moore wanted to take it however the captain decided that Ginger should take it as he has done throughout the season!! He duly bent the ball over the wall and into the far post, however due to the drop of the Somme battlefields god knows how he did it as he couldn’t see the goal from where we were. So that was 4-2.
Roll on the crazy 15 minutes, in reward for playing in a position where he does not want to play, DVD, the league’s shortest goalkeeper at 5”3’ went in goal for Grandad II who went up top.
The first 5 minutes in goal was simple with DVD catching the ball, taking control of the ball and commanding his area. However it didn’t end up like this. The fortunate Mill Hill forward took a shot which hit Rob Johnson’s foot and went into the roof of the net!! 4-3
The next 5 minutes showed the I’s totally implode where we didn’t need to as Mill Hill equalised, DVD managed to get hands to the ball but couldn’t stop it going in!!
Step in Chris Moore to score with 2 minutes to spare a good control, turn volley - Chris wanted to score a hat-trick according to Facebook and Facebook also describes the goal as I couldn’t even see what happened as due to my lack of height I couldn’t see the other area!! The winner was a Van-Basten-esque turn and volley just outside the box.
A good way to end the season, but not a great way of doing it, but a win is a win and after 18 games we had a record of five wins, five draws and eight losses, with 48 goals scored (joint 4th best in league) and 58 goals conceded and 20 points.
It was good to see the young elements of the Ignatian community to get a run out regularly or as a stop gap as watching the College 1st team cup final as six of the players have started off in the 4s this season.
As the results panned out the 4s confirmed safety in the AFC 7 North Division.
Man of the Match – Luke Bastyan
DVD
