Match Report
Derby Ams (4) v Dronfield Town Reserves (1)
| Player | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Blackburn | 7 | |
| 2 | Adam Morris | 8 | |
| 3 | Richard Mellon | 6 |  |
| 4 | James Derbyshire | 8 | |
| 5 | Ady Colley | 7 |  |
| 6 | Richard Swain | 7 | |
| 9 | Grant Strickson | 8 | |
| 10 | Tom Broughton | 9 |  |
| 13 | Michael Butler | 7 | |
| 14 | Darren Hanstock | 7 |
Date: 16/08/08
Team: 1sts
Match Type: League
Venue: Home
Opposition: Dronfield Town Reserves
Ten minutes into the game and we made a substitution. Its never easy to adapt to a game when you have been brought on after so little time has elapsed in a fixture but sometimes your hand is forced. This season’s goalkeeper went off and the goal keeper of two seasons ago replaced him. Straight into action, the keeper from two seasons ago claimed an easy header that was adjacent to his head. The twist is, it was actually in the net. 0-1.
For the first time this season we found ourselves behind in a match. A test of our character was now at hand, oh and we again replaced the keeper from two seasons ago and put this seasons goalkeeper back in.
(Dibbsy, this sentence is just for you) We took control of the match and stepped up our game but no penetrative balls through the oppositions box or people risking their position meant that we couldn’t get back on top, in terms of scoring, and the half fizzled out disappointingly like a firework with a long fuse but no explosion.
At half time Dave had singled out their biggest threat… Grant! He moved him upfront and put Twedds on the flank making way for Aidan. The midfield were told to hold a higher line up the pitch than they were doing and someone woke Tom up which was pleasant.
Second half followed and we had began like we ended the first half with us on top.
It was inevitable that we would score that illusive goal and it was that man Colley who had bagged it. He may have come into a bit of grief over the last few games for his finishing abilities, or subsequent lack of them, especially when through one-on-one but this time after being put through he dispatched into the far corner. 1-1.
This is a tense score as you are always aware that if the other team score its advantage them. It seemed to stay level for half the second half, until that is, Tom had had enough and wanted to show us all why he decided to buy the season ticket instead of joining us full time by scoring a beauty. A ball played over the top saw Tom rushing like a sloth at half pace, heading the ball into his path with his first touch and with the second lofting the ball over the keeper and into the far netting. Goal of the season contender! 2-1.
Advantage us it seemed or rather game, set and match after Broughtons second and our third. The through ball was a carbon copy of his first goal but this time to the right of the goal and instead of the lob he placed it into the far corner in the same style of Ady. 1-3.
There was just enough time for Grant to wrap up the game and in some what confusing fashion. After a mazy run from left to right with the ball, he looked as if he had lost it after being challenged by a Dronfield defender. Grant emerged with the ball? He continued his mazy only to be once again challenged by the same Dronfield defender. Grant emerged with the ball?? Grant had now wondered into the box but picked up another Dronfield defender. This time there was no way Grant could’ve escaped with the ball after both opposition defenders put in strong challenges to win the ball. Grant emerged with the ball??? He was just outside the six yard box with both defenders behind him and the keeper in front. All three opposition challenged him at the same time. This time grant did not come out with the ball, I mean who could blame after all he was challenged on no less that seven different occasions. Instead the ball had trickled its way into the goal for Grants first of the season. 4-1.
MOTM - Broughton - two sublime finishes straight out the book of Andy Yorke or Dwight Cole. If he were a car he would come with 6 CD multichanger, alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, sunroof and full leather interior all as standard - but he definitely would not come with a Forest season ticket!
BONK of the match - sweeper rich - late in the second half, the play had been stopped by the official for a foul Rich was judged to have made, he took it upon himself to let the player know that he thought he had dived. The player then did the downright dirtiest trick a man can do to another man and went to knee him in the Mellon family jewells. Rich didn’t like this, not one bit at all! The next fifteen minutes were spent either trying to understand what Rich meant when he said “we’ll do this, well do this now. Step off the pitch muffa thucker” or trying to calm him down.
***The countdown is on. Really awful daytime tv host or hosts joke in 4 weeks***