Match Report

League 21^st October 2007-10-21

Final Result – FC Brimington 11 (Away) vs. Freemasons 1 (Home)

Venue – Forge Lane Sports Ground, Forge Lane, Oughtibridge, Sheffield

Manager’s View

The game was away at the Freemasons ground. The weather was chilly with a light breeze but sunny. The pitch condition was soft, and the contour of the ground was best described as having a slight slope one end.

Team formation today 4-3-3

The starting line for today's match was as follows:  

Match Day Reporters – Melissa Mattock, Laurie Mattock

Photographers – James Gebbie, Amy Lawrence

First Half

The game kicked off at 11.00 am. Having lost the toss FC Brimington kicked down field during the first half.

FCB soon got into the quick tempo worked on in recent weeks, playing precise passing football which soon carved out a chance 4 minutes into the game with a pass from centre midfielder, Matt Collier. Collier found a free Nathan Gordon on the right, who stepped passed the left back and crossed into the box. There was too much on the cross and it overshot to Michael Gartlan who was waiting on the edge of the 18 yd box. Gartlan delivered back across which Christie met on the half volley using the outside edge of his right foot some 12yds out. The ball flew into the net.

1-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

This was the start we wanted. The team galvanized and the tempo was upped, putting pressure on the Freemasons’ back line. We soon carved out the next opportunity after 10 minutes with some neat play in midfield by Florent Fadiga and Collier which led to a corner on the right. Collier delivered the cross into the box which Sam Taylor met and headed at the goal but the keeper saved only to parry to the waiting Christie who side footed in.

2-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

Christie is regaining form and composure in front of the net and now looks a confident striker.

Another attack after 15 minutes saw Christie receiving the ball some 20yds out. He played Gordon in who was running to his right. Gordon took the ball into the box and shot, but it was deflected to the left. Gartlan was alert and struck the ball back at the goal but Gordon was aware and met the shot, came across and side footed it in to make sure.

3-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

The game at this stage was being dominated by FCB with chances being created at every attack. Thomas at the right back was marauding into the Freemasons’ half and linking up well with Gordon on the right of attack.

After 20 minutes, there was another attack from the left again with Collier linking up with Gartlan. Collier received the ball some 30 yds out and delivered it into the box. Thomas headed the ball across to Christie on his left who drove it home.

4-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

24 minutes in, Gordon was injured in a challenge and physio attention was needed.

A minute later the game restarted and soon after the Freemasons’ first real attempt from distance was cleared. Still alive some 20 yds out, they crossed but Gordon was covering and cleared up the field.

After 27 minutes, Gordon gathered the ball from a goal kick and ran centrally at Freemasons’ defence. He drew the centre halves out and shot from 20yds, but Freemasons’ keeper parried the shot to Christie who got to the loose ball before the keeper and scored but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper (in the video of the game it’s evident that it was a good goal with no foul apparent on the keeper).

33 minutes in, Gartlan picked up the ball on the right centre of the field. He ran past two Freemasons defenders and then saw Fadiga free on the right. Fadiga delivered a precise cross into the box which travelled over to Collier who nodded it down to Christie who turned and shot. This was Christie’s 4^th of the game .

5-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

After 39 minutes, some struggle from Collier won FCB the ball in the centre circle which was played a 1-2 with Fadiga. Then Collier saw Towers free on the left and played to him, Towers then drew a defender towards him and gave the ball back to Collier who played it to Gartlan on the edge of the box. Gartlan turned the defender and ran into the box discharging his shot some 13yds out. The keeper saved it only to give it back to Gartlan who struck again and scored.

6-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

Numerous other chances by Taylor and Collier, who both shot over the bar, were not taken and the score remained 6-0 after 5 minutes stoppage time.

Second Half

Second half resumes at 11.55 am.

Fadiga got a shot on goal after 49 minutes but was wide of the mark. After 50 minutes, a cross by Gartlan was met by Fadiga who headed it on target but the keeper saved.

Taylor has a shot some 17yds out after 53 minutes but misses. After 59 minutes FCB made their first substitution where Chris Kealey came on for Fadiga and assumed the same role.

62 minutes in, and Christie had another attempt on goal when he shot just inside the 18 yd box which was saved but Gordon followed in and scored, Gordon’s 2^nd of the game.

7-0 FC Brimington – Freemasons

Gartlan delivered a cross from the left after 63 minutes which found Gordon unmarked at the back post, who headed for goal but it hit Freemasons’ player on the line and went out.

After 64 minutes, a goal kick from the Freemasons’ led to the ball finding its way through after a clearance by Thomas to a Freemasons’ player who beat the offside trap and went through on goal. Simon Newton, with hardly anything to do all game came off his line, but the striker was wise and rounded him only for the trailing arm to catch the striker’s leg. With the momentum, a spot kick is rewarded to Freemasons.

Newton does not have to save the penalty as the striker hit it wide with the score still 7-0.

After 66 minutes, Kealey ran into the box and shot at the goal. The ball took a deflection on the way and wrong foots the keeper into the goal.

8- 0 FC Brimngton – Freemasons

Straight from the restart, the Freemasons’ struck the ball from the centre spot, some 50yds out. Newton, blinded by the sun which came out in force, did not see the ball dipping quickly and misjudged the flight of the shot goal.

8-1 FC Brimington – Freemasons

Gartlan, the captain, was substituted for debutant Andrew Crossland after 67 minutes. Gartlan has had a superb game being involved in most goals today with him coming back from injury over the last two weeks. We are working him back to fitness.

The 70^th minutes brought on arguably the best goal of the game. Collier played Kealey some 40yds out. Kealey ran at the heart of the Freemasons’ team then struck the ball 26yds out and it bulleted it into the net.

9-1 FC Brimington – Freemasons

After the 71^st minute, Crossland’s first effort on goal was wide. 4 minutes later Christie’s header was saved by the Freemasons’ keeper and 3 minutes after that Christie had an identical header saved by the keeper again.

After 78 minutes, a Freemasons’ shot goes wide. On the 86^th minute, Crossland’s second attempt was saved. FCB won a corner which Collier took and Crossland with his academy experience came across the face of the goal as the ball was driven in low, and hooked it in to score. A great goal by Crossland whose experience will be valuable as the season goes on.

10-1 FC Brimington – Freemasons

After 89 minutes, Gordon sealed an impressive performance by receiving the ball from Kealey on the edge of the box. He skipped past two defenders then turned sharply, losing the 3^rd attempt to tackle him and drove the shot home some 10yds out to get his hat trick.

11-1 FC Brimington – Freemasons

Summary

A good display all round but there are still a lot of improvements to be made. A good debut by Crossland, who when is match fit, will be awesome for FCB. Thanks to Bridgewater , Gardner, Tom Simpson, and Ben Leversidge who are all injured but turned up to support us and thanks to Phil and Isabel for the a là carte food provided to the players.

Cliff Thomas