Newbury 2-2 Gloucester by Gareth Southgate
Gloucester Schools shared the Cotswold League spoils in an entertaining game against Newbury at Speenhamland, a nice ground with portable coffees, a single entrance and a pre-match hillside ramble that registered the need for a genuine warm-up pretty much null and void.
Coach Basford was thus happy on reaching the top of the incline, surreptitiously consigning his hastily cut & pasted ‘FA Warm up No 151’ to his rear pocket, in order for it to be used prior to next week’s league encounter with Swindon instead.
The hosts claimed a fifth minute lead, benefitting from the lack of a 151 as Sheridan planted an excellent header following Luckett’s left wing corner into the top of Moroney’s net, but the city team soon found their feet and began to take control of the play.
Wilkes on the left and Chamberlain on the right linked well with central midfielders Jones and Liggett, while Smith-of-many-Names held the ball up efficiently during his rare moments of remaining upright. Unfortunately the front man found standing on a consistent basis difficult, his recent haircut negatively affecting both his power and strength in much the same way as Samson’s head shave all those years ago played havoc with the Israelite’s bid to win the Ancient Premier League title.
For all their neat approach play however it took until six minutes before the interval for the equaliser to arrive. Smith’s legs gave way, illegally on this occasion, just outside the Newbury box and though Corey Blackburn’s free kick was blocked, the same player followed up to rifle home the leveller, much to his obvious elation. ‘Get in!’ he shouted, to each player in turn, which was ten ‘Get ins’ in total. ‘Get up!’ said the ref every time Smith showed signs of recovery, which was ten ‘Get ups’ altogether. ‘Get lost,’ said Basford, when once again queried about the missing warm-up. Only one ‘Get lost’ was necessary, as this was the tenth time in total that the point had been made.
Two minutes later Gloucester forged ahead, Leighton Blacker playing in Jacob Chamberlain who slotted home to give the visitors an interval lead. ‘Get in,’ shouted Blackburn, testament to his natural predilection for elation. ‘Get up,’ shouted the ref, but Smith was already standing. ‘Get lost,’ shouted Basford, but on this occasion no-one had said anything.
The city team opened the second half on the front foot, but were pegged back eight minutes in when (for the sixth time this season) the ball was lost on the edge of their own box, a free kick was conceded and Hagen’s strike found the bottom corner.
With Callum Mclean, Finn Lynam and Seb Jones in particular looking strong at the back, Newbury rarely threatened for the remainder of the game and it was really a case of whether the visitors could fashion a winner. Indeed, apart from some fine covering from Lynam and Mclean when Pegg broke quickly, the hosts’ only other opportunity was from another Newbury corner where the city marking left a little to be desired.
Harvey Clifford’s effort that came back off the crossbar with ten minutes remaining was the closest Gloucester came to turning their territorial advantage into goals and the city team had to eventually be content with the draw.
The post-match hot dogs were eagerly consumed, though Pain au Chocolat Jones ensured he carefully removed any traces of pig from his dog before despatching the remaining sliver of bread with some aplomb.
Outside the refectory, Coach Basford was busy studying a piece of scrunched up paper that was loitering in his tracky pocket. ‘FA Warm-up 151 – Marking from corners’ it said.
Gloucester: Moroney; Lynam, Mclean, Blackburn; Chamberlain, Jones, Liggett, Wilkes, Smith, Blacker, Clifford.
Coach Basford was thus happy on reaching the top of the incline, surreptitiously consigning his hastily cut & pasted ‘FA Warm up No 151’ to his rear pocket, in order for it to be used prior to next week’s league encounter with Swindon instead.
The hosts claimed a fifth minute lead, benefitting from the lack of a 151 as Sheridan planted an excellent header following Luckett’s left wing corner into the top of Moroney’s net, but the city team soon found their feet and began to take control of the play.
Wilkes on the left and Chamberlain on the right linked well with central midfielders Jones and Liggett, while Smith-of-many-Names held the ball up efficiently during his rare moments of remaining upright. Unfortunately the front man found standing on a consistent basis difficult, his recent haircut negatively affecting both his power and strength in much the same way as Samson’s head shave all those years ago played havoc with the Israelite’s bid to win the Ancient Premier League title.
For all their neat approach play however it took until six minutes before the interval for the equaliser to arrive. Smith’s legs gave way, illegally on this occasion, just outside the Newbury box and though Corey Blackburn’s free kick was blocked, the same player followed up to rifle home the leveller, much to his obvious elation. ‘Get in!’ he shouted, to each player in turn, which was ten ‘Get ins’ in total. ‘Get up!’ said the ref every time Smith showed signs of recovery, which was ten ‘Get ups’ altogether. ‘Get lost,’ said Basford, when once again queried about the missing warm-up. Only one ‘Get lost’ was necessary, as this was the tenth time in total that the point had been made.
Two minutes later Gloucester forged ahead, Leighton Blacker playing in Jacob Chamberlain who slotted home to give the visitors an interval lead. ‘Get in,’ shouted Blackburn, testament to his natural predilection for elation. ‘Get up,’ shouted the ref, but Smith was already standing. ‘Get lost,’ shouted Basford, but on this occasion no-one had said anything.
The city team opened the second half on the front foot, but were pegged back eight minutes in when (for the sixth time this season) the ball was lost on the edge of their own box, a free kick was conceded and Hagen’s strike found the bottom corner.
With Callum Mclean, Finn Lynam and Seb Jones in particular looking strong at the back, Newbury rarely threatened for the remainder of the game and it was really a case of whether the visitors could fashion a winner. Indeed, apart from some fine covering from Lynam and Mclean when Pegg broke quickly, the hosts’ only other opportunity was from another Newbury corner where the city marking left a little to be desired.
Harvey Clifford’s effort that came back off the crossbar with ten minutes remaining was the closest Gloucester came to turning their territorial advantage into goals and the city team had to eventually be content with the draw.
The post-match hot dogs were eagerly consumed, though Pain au Chocolat Jones ensured he carefully removed any traces of pig from his dog before despatching the remaining sliver of bread with some aplomb.
Outside the refectory, Coach Basford was busy studying a piece of scrunched up paper that was loitering in his tracky pocket. ‘FA Warm-up 151 – Marking from corners’ it said.
Gloucester: Moroney; Lynam, Mclean, Blackburn; Chamberlain, Jones, Liggett, Wilkes, Smith, Blacker, Clifford.
