What a wild game against Montgomery
FC. We started the game with 9 players
and tried to hold them off until
more Toca players could show up.
The tough cold wind was behind us
but they managed to put several
shots on goal. It looked like we
would give up at least one goal
but there was a goal-line save by
Augguie. It is a miracle we survived
the first 15 minutes but it looked
like our 4-4 formation worked pretty
well! Slowly players started showing
up and we were able to substitute
and get into halftime with the score
0-0.
The second half was a completely
different game. By the start of
the whistle we had 4 subs but the
wind was even worse and was now
in our face. The midfield was particularly
rough and Negro was pushing his
weight around pretty well. There
were periods where we held the ball,
but more often the game looked like
football-on-the-beach with the ball
flying anywhere.
10 minutes into the second half
they scored a pretty ugly goal.
It seemed more likely that they
would have scored in the first half
when we were only 9 players but
in it went into the side of the
net. I cannot remember being behind
this season so our challenge was
set. We responded well and scored
a nice goal on a penalty. The play
began with the ball in the middle
where it went to the left and then
5 touches later back to the right
and into the penalty box for an
obvious foul. Boom! Gustavo slams
a well hit penalty to tie the game
1-1. I believe this is the first
penalty that we have scored in the
last 11 tries (it was a bad summer
for penalty shots).
The ugly game continued in tough
conditions. Below 40 degrees with
a furious wind in our face. A gift
of a goal came 10 minutes later
when their goalie failed to clear
the ball and Matthias made him pay
for the error. It seemed amazing
that we were now up 2-1 after such
a poor start. The lead did not last
long however. They scored the most
ridiculous goal I have seen to date
in this league when the ball was
hit out of my arms by a forward
with his arm and then the player
pushed me into the goal where I
landed on the line but not over
the line. The referee (who could
not see the play because he was
closer
to midfield and was separated by
a wall of players) called a goal.
The linesman who did see what happened
was never consulted and deferred
to the referee.
This was an obvious "make-up"
call for the error on our second
goal.
The referee was more considerate
of the gift goal that we had received
and was going to call the game 2-2
to amend this error. In reality
it was probably the correct score.
So after no goals in the first half
there were 4 in the second. The
conditions were terrible but we
can only blame ourselves for starting
a game with only 9 players.
Overall: No need to comment on
the defense which continues to play
with consistency. The midfield did
a great job of fighting in the middle
and punishing the opponent on the
50:50 balls. The forwards did a
great job of finishing on a night
when we did not have many chances.
This is going to be another season
of the "Reluctant Champion".
MVP: those that came on time
LVP: those that did not come
Scooty.
see below !!!
