DBFC 2 – 0 Goodfellas
7th October 2017 @ 16:30 in Happy Valley Pitch 2
Squad: Yanou, Rodders, Scotty, David, Simon, Jamie, Thierry, Che, Steve, Vilius and Dan Lye (Captain)
Scorers: Steve Lang (assist Dave Moore the Rodders) and Scott Holmes (assist Jamie Bone)
Boss Gazza was getting anxious 30 minutes before kick-off with only 11 players when it should have been 13 and hoping for 15. Then messages in from Furqan to say he didn’t finish his work and will not make it and from new flat mates, Matt H and Dan K, saying they were stuck in Ikea trying to decide on floral patterned or silk bed sheets. No reason or apology from Kiestan. So 11 bare players for DBFC it was; Yanou GK, David and Thierry CB, Vilius RB, Simon LB, Dan and Steve CM, Che LM and Scott RM with Jamie and Rodders up front.
The game started with DBFC off the pace, a lot of slack passing and decision making resulting in losing possession cheaply. Goodfellas were dominating the midfield with a couple of quick tricky players that dribbled passed two or three DBFC players causing panic in the DBFC defence. Goddfellas got through on goal a few times and Yanou was vital in holding the shots. After about 15 minutes of DBFC on the back foot, the Goodfellas midfielder blocked a DBFC clearance with his hand but the referee did not stop play and while DBFC players hesitated while remonstrating at the referee, the same Goodfellas player dribbled in to play a dinked cross for their tall CF to head in. Thankfully, this injustice for DBFC was tempered by the linesman flagging the goal off-side. DBFC let out of jail big time!
After this incident DBFC started to get things back together, but still Goodfellas on top. DBFC were making good counter attacks and it was from one of these that the ball was played to Rodders who had moved out wide to right and dribbled into the 18 yard box to fire in a low cross in front of Goodfellas goal for Steve, bursting through from mid-field to bundle the ball over the line. DBFC were 1-0 up against the run of play but a reward for the work rate shown in defending. DBFC managed to continue defending, sometimes desperately, to see out the half maintaining a 1-0 lead.
At half time Gazza praised everyone for a terrific work shift but pointed out that the football wasn’t working well for us today. He asked to concentrate on keeping it clean and tight and continuing the high intensity work rate. Also that the balance of the team wasn’t working so asked the two CM to sit deeper as DM to stifle Goodfellas tricky midfield, Jamie to drop a little as AM, Scott CF, Rodders LM and Che RM.
The second-half started for DBFC a lot better and on equal terms. David and Thierry had more control of the defence, still having to work hard but Dan and Steve were equally working their socks off to get the upper hand in the midfield. Jamie was none stop as he had been in the first half but now more influential coming from a little deeper. DBFC were penetrating and threating Goodfellas goal more frequently. Good fellas went 3 at the back with about 20 minutes left as they pressed for an equaliser but this left them vulnerable to DBFC counters. There were a few dodgy moments for DBFC in defence with David putting in some last ditch tackles, using his arse cheek to great effect and Dan making a great full stretch slide tackle to rip the ball from the Goodfellas tricky midfielder dancing through the DBFC back line. A pass back to Yanou from the middle of the park caught the DBFC defence high, so when Yanou faffed on with the ball in an attempt to waste some time it was the Goodfellas attacker that got there first to block Yanou’s clearance . Luckily David and Simon recovered with diving tackles at the post to block the shot from the loose ball. At this time Morse was resuscitating Gazza who had gone down with a heart attack.
DBFC survived this and a couple of other less severe moments to mount credible threats of their own on the counter and it was one of these that got the second goal for DBFC. Rodders put the ball out to Jamie on the left and he beat 2 players to cut inside to release a shot the hit a recovering Goodfellas defender and go high to bounce in the box. It was Scotty that was switched on to this and got there first to flick his shot round the advancing Goodfellas keeper. DBFC now 2-0 up saw out the last 10 minutes with continued hard work and compact formation.
The magnificent 11 crawled off the field absolutely knackered but elated by the gritty win. 9 of the 11 made it back to the pier bar for refreshments.
MOM: All 11 players had a shout at this but it was Jamie Bone that stood out for his continuous full blown commitment and boundless energy. A human dynamo and kept going despite kicks and crunching tackles from the Goodfellas defence.
DOD:
Under normal circumstances, Yanou would get the DOD for trying to dribble his way out of goal and giving us all a heart attack – Young Yanou often refers to himself as a mix between Van Der Sar and Cruyff. However, Yanou is not 18 yet – and isn’t legally allowed a tequila– so I think it is only fair that his brother Che takes the hit for him.
