Best performance of the season so far with a good Dorkonian recovery.....
Weather crisp and sunny, pitch slightly greasy but actually remarkably well drained given the rain over past week, boys in good humour, coach positive, home crowd in fine form (although a little bleary in the south stand)....the match day was nicely set-up.
Vipers had a good warm up, Marco walked a dozen miles white lining everything in sight and Steve and Craig even had time for a tug o’ war as they unpicked the knots in the respect rope.
Ist Half
Good opening pressure from Vipers – first 10 mins played mostly in Dorks half. Vipers keeping their shape and making strong tackles too meant that the Dorks were on the back foot. Jody had a snap early shot which whistled past the post – Viper strikers began to gain confidence. Vipers defence were talking to each other well and playing the offside trap too...it looked and felt like a cohesive and well drilled team in action. Charlie in particular was getting back, helping in defence then making surging runs down the flank. Cam was also calmly making his presence felt with powerful interceptions and clearances and Sam with vision and flair making great runs down the wings and tracking back too.
At 12 mins the pressure told – Jody had a clean break on goal, Dorks GK got stranded on edge of penalty area, Jody dropped a shoulder & cleverly surged round him and planted it into the goal with a crisp low drive...get in! 1.0 Vipers. Crowd surged joyfully onto the respect rope but luckily the stewards got to it & held them all back...
The Vipers purple patch continued. Raff wing play was mesmerising – cool and collected and tireless in defence too, he is really earning his nickname ‘Raff Van Dyke’ . William was cleverly busy and everywhere as usual – helping out in defence, midfield and then rifling in brilliant corners too. Great little interplay of Cody...Jody...then Cody again with a snap shot ...again a very near miss...eat your hearts out Barca! Pressure mounting on Dorks with Harry majestically controlling the left wing with Raff nutmegging Dorks midfield...ball was then slipped inside to Charlie who went Kane-like round the Dorks GK and side footed it brilliantly and it bulged the net.. yeeeess 2.0! Lordy Lord. In the crowd smoke flares were let off and banners unfurled...the ground was shaking...well, maybe not quite...but it all felt like that. Our new GK, George, was imperious in goal – owning everything in the box, taking all Dorks shots calmly and then clearing brilliantly quickly and accurately out to our forward line.
Vipers had a good warm up, Marco walked a dozen miles white lining everything in sight and Steve and Craig even had time for a tug o’ war as they unpicked the knots in the respect rope.
Ist Half
Good opening pressure from Vipers – first 10 mins played mostly in Dorks half. Vipers keeping their shape and making strong tackles too meant that the Dorks were on the back foot. Jody had a snap early shot which whistled past the post – Viper strikers began to gain confidence. Vipers defence were talking to each other well and playing the offside trap too...it looked and felt like a cohesive and well drilled team in action. Charlie in particular was getting back, helping in defence then making surging runs down the flank. Cam was also calmly making his presence felt with powerful interceptions and clearances and Sam with vision and flair making great runs down the wings and tracking back too.
At 12 mins the pressure told – Jody had a clean break on goal, Dorks GK got stranded on edge of penalty area, Jody dropped a shoulder & cleverly surged round him and planted it into the goal with a crisp low drive...get in! 1.0 Vipers. Crowd surged joyfully onto the respect rope but luckily the stewards got to it & held them all back...
The Vipers purple patch continued. Raff wing play was mesmerising – cool and collected and tireless in defence too, he is really earning his nickname ‘Raff Van Dyke’ . William was cleverly busy and everywhere as usual – helping out in defence, midfield and then rifling in brilliant corners too. Great little interplay of Cody...Jody...then Cody again with a snap shot ...again a very near miss...eat your hearts out Barca! Pressure mounting on Dorks with Harry majestically controlling the left wing with Raff nutmegging Dorks midfield...ball was then slipped inside to Charlie who went Kane-like round the Dorks GK and side footed it brilliantly and it bulged the net.. yeeeess 2.0! Lordy Lord. In the crowd smoke flares were let off and banners unfurled...the ground was shaking...well, maybe not quite...but it all felt like that. Our new GK, George, was imperious in goal – owning everything in the box, taking all Dorks shots calmly and then clearing brilliantly quickly and accurately out to our forward line.
Sylvester, now on for Harry, was having a blinder too and making great clearances. Sebby made telling tackles and headers as well...Dorks despondent but however not down – they began to flicker to life with surging runs up the wings..we needed to be careful...game not won by any means. The half ended with Colin (our caffeine sated linesman) taking some time with his derriere in the air looking for the ball in the ferns...not a pretty sight.
Whilst London is beset with two huge political campaigns of Brexit and Extinction Rebellion, a campaign broke out at Great Common - the "Bring Back Vinny" campaign!!!!
2nd Half
Vipers now playing uphill had a reasonable start. Jody ran through the midfield Messi-like, jinking as he raced into the goal area shoulder to shoulder with two defenders...he shot on the run...crowd held their breathe...their GK helpless...but the ball slammed into the goal post...it could have been 3.0!!! 1 min later, ball at the other end, Dorks somehow get the ball into our net... 2-1...that’s football for you...the agony and the ecstasy. Vipers try & regroup, the possession now equal between the two teams. Dorks finding more confidence going forward, slipping the ball to each other more easily, the Vipers perhaps now a tad slower and not now getting the second ball after the tackle as they did in the 1st H.
Individually we were still good, Harry J. made a brilliant sweeping tackle as their striker powered towards the goal, Charlie fired just wide and another great William corner nearly had a resulting tap-in at the post ...however...however...a powerful in-swinging corner from the Dorks and rats!...it’s now 2-2!!
Vipers now playing uphill had a reasonable start. Jody ran through the midfield Messi-like, jinking as he raced into the goal area shoulder to shoulder with two defenders...he shot on the run...crowd held their breathe...their GK helpless...but the ball slammed into the goal post...it could have been 3.0!!! 1 min later, ball at the other end, Dorks somehow get the ball into our net... 2-1...that’s football for you...the agony and the ecstasy. Vipers try & regroup, the possession now equal between the two teams. Dorks finding more confidence going forward, slipping the ball to each other more easily, the Vipers perhaps now a tad slower and not now getting the second ball after the tackle as they did in the 1st H.
Individually we were still good, Harry J. made a brilliant sweeping tackle as their striker powered towards the goal, Charlie fired just wide and another great William corner nearly had a resulting tap-in at the post ...however...however...a powerful in-swinging corner from the Dorks and rats!...it’s now 2-2!!
Keenly contested, the match swung back and forth from there and Vipers now with a 2nd wind (or was that Steve... )
were pushing hard again but the whistle blew and a honourable draw was the outcome. However truly the best display by Vipers to date and real development over the past few weeks. Roll on the Vipers!
Player of the match: George – our new brilliant signing as our goal keeper – well done George!
were pushing hard again but the whistle blew and a honourable draw was the outcome. However truly the best display by Vipers to date and real development over the past few weeks. Roll on the Vipers!
Player of the match: George – our new brilliant signing as our goal keeper – well done George!
And NOW...... for those all important post match interviews. I do have some sympathy with the issues around controlling the crowd. Where is "Vinny the Enforcer" when required....
| | |
RSS Feed
