A very special game took place at the Open Academy last night, as Alan Tayler and Liam Frost celebrated a joint testimonial by gathering players from the past & present - plus a couple of guest appearances for a match that vaguely resembled a game for the current side against a 'legends XI'.

First team manager took the helm for the current side, while crocked defender James Chaplin set up the Legends. With a disappointing number of drop-outs in the days leading up to the game, both managers were restricted when it came to team selection. Both sides started the encounter with the unorthodox (but now customary for the Green Machine) 3-4-3 formation with both wing backs and wing forwards. The current side was able to call upon: James Bradford in goal; a defence of Josh Petch, Adam Everett and Alan Tayler; in the center of the pitch Jake Dugdale, Brad Abbott, Mark Bale and Scott Francis were tasked with supporting a front three of Ollie Parris, Matt Nudd and Scott Tuttle. The Legends lined up with Maycon Sousa in goal; a back three of Jordan Frost, Tom Friskey and Dan Sherwood; the midfield consisted of Adam Burroughs, Adam Depledge, Andy Lawn and Simon Greer; an attacking trio of Liam Frost, Mikey Robinson and Nathan Strugnell offered pace and strength going forward. Substitutes including Kris Wright, Robert Poor and Jimmy McCloy were rolled on as both managers made full use of fluid substitutions to keep legs fresh.

The first half started fairly even although neither side was able to carve out a clear cut chance. Crusaders started to take control of the game as the half wore on, with Dugdale and Abbott causing problems and the unusual formation creating holes in the Legends backline as legs struggled to adapt to the heat and pace of the game. The opening goal came on the half hour mark and was against the run of play as Sherwood latched on to a loose ball and struck a clean half volley from the edge of the box that Bradford could only help into the net. Sousa was forced to pull off a couple of decent saves and had to be quick off his line to smother an Abbott effort, but on the stroke of half time the Legends doubled their lead when the ball was worked well to Strugnell, who finished low to the keeper's left.

Half-time: Crusaders 0-2 Legends

The second half started as the first did, with Crusaders just edging the contest. McCloy and Tuttle were both guilty of putting gilt-edged chances over the bar, before Strugnell put the ball into the net for the second time. Unfortunately for him, the referee disallowed the goal under controversial circumstances for a handball. If that decision was questionable, it evened itself out later on as Liam picked up a through ball with a question of offside and took the ball around Bradford before finishing for his first of the evening. He doubled his tally shortly afterwards by capitalising on a mistake at the back and completed the quickfire hat-trick with a fine finish 10 minutes later. The rout was completed in the dying stages when good work from Burroughs set up Robinson, who squeezed a shot in at the near post.

Full-time: Crusaders 0-6 Legends

Although the game was essentially a friendly kickaround, Tong will be hoping that the obvious preseason rustiness amongst his players can be shaken off over the next few weeks. Regardless of the scoreline, it was a useful evening and a fittingly enjoyable event to mark the occasion.

Constable Crusaders

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