City Life vs Orwell 10/11/07

9 games into the new season is maybe a little late to start with those much famed City Life match

reports but with City Life sitting 5^th in the league after 6 games (could go top or second if we win our games in hand) and into the last 16 of both cup competitions it’s time to share that success.

Training for the current season had started for some no sooner than the previous one had finished. Rumour has it a dedicated trio were training three times a week. One of this much vaunted trio looking more like a bunny from a TV advert than a human and earning himself the permanent nickname ‘Duracell Dave’. With bleep tests, pre-season training, activity in the transfer market, pre-season frendlies and house moves complete it was time for the new season. The start wasn’t one to be remembered, two heavy league defeats with Coach Farrington trying a new 4-4-2 formation. Between those two games a club record 17-0 win in the first cup match of the season. Not quite playing the blind team but the defeated team did fold like a pack of cards that weekend. Ever since that second defeat it has been back to the good old ways of 4-5-1 and 5 wins in a row prior to this week’s game.

So, to this week’s game. A tight mid-table encounter was anticipated with City Life one place above Orwell. Once again the skies were grey, the wind was blowing, leaves were all over the pitch, the grass was getting long but there was still plenty of excitement pre-match. Five wins in a row breeds confidence like tomatoes growing in a green house. Some of the squad had decided to forego the usual meeting at Chesterton Sports Centre in favour of an extra shooting training session, such dedication is normally only seen on Premier League training grounds. This team really must be going somewhere.

Once again the formation for the day was 4-5-1. The only surprise was that Martin had turned up 45 minutes before kick-off instead of just as the game was about to kick off. Martin Fincham yet again took his place between the sticks!!! Back four was Lewis (leave my girly alice band alone) at right back, James M (Mr Smooth) and Sam (maturing like a fine wine) at centre back and Tom (watch my hands when I head the ball) at left back. In midfield Wayne (Grandad) took the right. Matt, (Sexy) Mike and Luke (pocket rocket) were in the middle and (Duracell) Dave out on the left. Martin (ok, ok, I’m coming) was left to plough a lone furrow up front. The bench was looking strong with Colm being the unlucky midfielder to be rotated with Coach Farrington acting more like Rafa Benitez than David Moyes. Ian (I have my dummy back) was also on the bench with a new looking Shane Taylor.

So the match kicked off with City Life choosing to kick into the wind in the first half. Things were fairly tight in the opening exchanges, both teams not really getting their foot on the ball and controlling the game. There was an early City Life scare when at a defensive corner Matt, Mike and Sam all went for the same ball and it all ended up with Mike head-butting Matt and cutting his head open. As soon as there was blood Matt raced off the field to seek further attention from Nurse Fannon, unfortunately he didn’t have his uniform on. Anyway, the flow of blood was stemmed and bloody kit was changed and Matt was back on the pitch to attempt to pull the strings in midfield.

The following 42 minutes lacked the kind of excitement and drama of the first 2 minutes with City Life using as much width as a narrow boat and therefore not getting into their much talked about footballing rhythm. (I’m not sure who talks about it but I’m sure it’s much talked about!) Mike, who had been central at the shooting practice pre-match used the training to good effect hitting 325 shots wide in the first half. We were told that in training they were flying in. Try doing it in a game then coach!! The first half petered out, quite literally, when an Orwell player went down injured just before the end of the half and after two mins of everyone standing around the referee decided to blow the whistle after 44 minutes of the first half. What difference does a minute make, especially when about to defend a free-kick in a dangerous position. We were glad the ref had found his whistle after it had seemed to have gone missing for the majority of the first half, especially when, much to the pocket rocket’s annoyance he was felled in the box for what seemed like a certain spot kick. Maybe the ref had heard about the ensuing boxing match that would have taken place between Wayne, Matt and Mike for the subsequent spot kick and decided against it.

The boys in purple and white came out for the second half with the words “get some width” ringing in their ears. No this wasn’t a plea from the coach to go down to the local cake shop and eat as many doughnuts as possible but merely to get the ball down and start playing some football. The second half started brighter than a walk down Blackpool promenade and within 10 minutes the first goal had been scored. Martin, proving every bit of his transfer fee of a piece of paper, ink and signature on a signing on form, latched onto a slight goalkeeping error to slide the ball past the ‘keeper from the edge of the area. A well-deserved 1-0 lead for City Life and now was the time to capitalise on the goal. This was starting to become a common theme for the lads this season, taking the lead in a game instead of falling behind. For the next 15 minutes however the plan did not materialise. Orwell started to look more threatening without looking threatening but then threateningly they were awarded a threatening free-kick on the edge of the City Life area in a threatening position.

What followed can only be described as Mikel Arteta-esque. The wall was set up perfectly. The ball was central to the goal about 25 yards out. Up came the midfielder who struck it perfectly and sweetly. It went soaring past the wall with Matt saying “that’s in” and into the top corner of the goal. No goal had been scored like it against City Life, at least since the away defeat against Haslingfield last season. So the score was 1-1 with 20 minutes to play.

This was the moment City Life had been waiting for. We had now conceded the obligatory goal. This was the signal to start playing, this was the signal to demolish the opposition. They had now been given a sniff of the game. Now was the time to show them we were playing, toying with them. A few minutes after the spectacular came the sublime. A sublime ball through by Mike to Martin wide out on the right was chased down with the commitment of a Cheetah chasing its prey after a few days without food. Martin got to the ball just before it went out for a goal kick and stood up a cross to the far post. Flying in at the back post came Dave, yes Dave, to score a headed goal, sending the ball back from where it had come from as all good pundits would say. A headed goal from Dave was a rare enough sight but what followed later was even more amazing.

After the second City Life goal had been scored it was time to ring the changes. Wayne, after a self confessed shocker (which for the rest of the season shall be known, thanks to Ian, as ‘having a Wayne’) came off for Colm and an unlucky Luke made way for the dummy spitter himself, Ian. The move paid dividends as the score quickly became 3-1. Martin was once again the scorer, his 13^th of the season so far. The goal was shrouded in controversy with Lewis, he of the alice band, showing all of his feminine side with a ballet dancing style throw in which the ref once again missed. Anyway the ball got ricocheted around the box and Martin cooly finished with his left foot from around the penalty spot. The game at that point had just about finished as a contest but City Life were not ready to let their prey go. The flesh may have disappeared from the beast but there were still bones to chew at and spit out and the lads set out to do that.

Mike made way for Shane and although only on for 10 minutes he had a hand in one of the remaining goals. By this time the City Life football was unstoppable, like a double decker bus going down a hill with no brakes. Colm scored arguably the best team goal of the game with Matt setting Dave off down the left. The winger feeling the wind rushing through his hair pinned his ears back and raced for the by-line. Once there he cut an intelligent ball back to Colm who had shown obvious benefit from his shooting practice pre-match to fire a well miss-hit shot into the bottom corner of the net. 4-1.

All that was left from the game was for the most remarkable feat of all. The game had been crying out for something. It was missing something. It wouldn’t have been a City Life performance without one or the other. Unfortunately Rich was not present for his speculative effort but, remember, Dave was on the pitch. This could only mean one thing. With time ebbing away Dave picked the ball up in his own area. Like a right footed Ryan Giggs he ran with the ball with energising pace. Skipping a couple of challenges on the halfway line before that dreaded moment for everyone. Dave was now one-on-one. Yes, all of last season’s misses flashed through the minds of everyone. Everyone took up their positions for the resulting goal kick. Still Dave cut his way through the oppositions feet, the ball tidied to his feet. He steadied himself, shot..................... (you could tell his parents were there!) HE SCORED!! And a fine finish it was. 5-1. City Life had again put their opponents to the sword in the final quarter of the game. All the bleeping, running, resting, running, sprinting and more bleeping had paid dividends once again.