The Sands men Score 4

Back in cup action this week after losing the first game, and this was a must win game and the boys were confident they could do it....

With the usual 4.3.3 in place, the boys were attacking downhill or ‘over the hill’. It was indeed a very interesting pitch with a crater in the ‘top end’ goal mouth, but the ball was being knocked around nicely. It was cagey stuff in the first five minutes, both teams having a go, but the boys then stepped up especially Kurtis, who worked their backline all half, which they could not deal with.

Our back four were immense first half being organised by the vociferous Dent who filled in at centre back to keep the team honest, and nearly deaf by the end of the game..

Virtually all of the corners and free kicks we got were put into the area with great accuracy, but for some reason we struggled to convert. One fan who comes to every game even said we must be one of the most unluckiest sides in front of goal....

This would appear to be so, with Leon, sitting on the back post nodding over several times. However, we had insight into how the first goal would come as Pierre, with a bit of vision and genius and back to goal lifted the ball over his head to see it hit the corner of the post and cross bar..

Not long after, another attack saw Pierre this time get his reward with a lovely swivel and volley, to see the ball fly into the roof of the net.

1 Nil Sands.

Not long after Leon put the boys 2 nil up, finally heading goalward with such force and accuracy (at last) that there was no way he was going to be denied.

Lovely football from the away side would continue until the break...

Yet again, the Sands men told a tale of two half’s as it was thought that more of the same would pursue, but the home side had other ideas as we seemed to come out sleeping, as well as many injuries halting our momentum.

It wasn’t long before Tove got a goal back, caused by our own doing, and failure to be as organised as we were in the 1st half. 2 – 1 Sands

A formation change saw Luke, normally in goal, make his debut up front hoping to emulate Chamakh - his Arsenal idol. Soon after entering the fray, he received the ball and twisting and turning round a few of their players, was awarded a free kick, which led to a goal kick. His stint leading the line was short lived though, as the unthinkable happened and Tove, after going forward, hit a shot from just outside the area, which hit one of our players with his back to goal on the elbow, and then calling for a penalty.....which wasn’t awarded, and the old saying ‘play to the whistle’ now comes to mind as our captain decided to take a rest, stopping on the edge of box with the ball and then what felt like 2 minutes later he decided to smash it off one of their players. Unbelievably, it rebounds towards the goal, where Harry Littlemore stretches to keep it out and twists his knee, meaning he was unable to stop the ball being scrambled into the net. 2 – 2, and with the keeper out of action, Mr Dependable - Luke heads back into goal with just 5 minutes up front, and its game on. Could be anyone’s game…..

For the next 10 minutes it was all Tove Valley and they looked like the only winners...

Then, all of a sudden, what had been up to this point, a very pleasant game changed following a nasty challenge on Kurtis, who, following a punch in the face, turned into the incredible hulk for real – storming to the sidelines with a Conor McGregor-esque strut, demanding to be subbed, although we spoke sweet nothings in his ear and he was back to himself...

The aftermath of the crazy WWF moment in the middle of the pitch saw the Tove Valley player quite rightly being given a straight red...would the 1 man advantage work in Sands favour??

It would appear so, as Sands changed after this, and reasserted themselves on the game, starting to drive forward, all the while being encouraged by Dent - the real Hulk, in Defence.

It was a strange goal that put us back in front as we had our own goal mouth scramble, and with Leon on the floor showing us his dance moves turned and put it in the net.... 3 - 2 to Sands and the relief was there, meaning the lads were now passing confidently again..

Then another setback - Tristan just back from an injury went in for a tackle and everyone could hear his knee pop again so had to be helped off...one more for the physio table…

With time running out, Captain Rob finally got back on the goal trail as he picked the ball up 25 to 30 yards out and curled it into the right side of the goal with the Tove Valley keeper, looking like his feet were nailed to the ground, stood motionless as he watched the ball fly in.....4 – 2 to Sands, which was to be the final score.

Funniest quote following the game, came from Pierre, who was amazed that people were saying that Rob has had a goal drought, because he was shocked that Rob had been on a goal scoring run......

Sands now back up the Alan Dimmer Cup league table, meaning qualification for the next round is getting closer.