Category: Legends

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Match Report – Legends v Castle Cary

Debutant bags brace to ensure honours even.

Brian wouldn’t go quietly. Despite dumping a lake of rain overnight, the pitches at Kingweston retained their billard table baize like qualities, presenting a wonderful vista for the legends arriving for the 11 am kick off. The clouds scudded overhead as Brian blew himself out, determined to have an influence on the day’s play.

As kick off approached, our numbers had crept up to 10 (from 12 who had promised to play) and so, cap in hand, the opposition were approached to lend us a player – ideally a keeper – which they kindly did. But then the eagle eyed in the squad spotted another legend jogging down from the pavilion, swelling our numbers to 11. We decided to keep our (borrowed) keeper and have the luxury of a sub, allowing new dad Jack J start the game on the sideline, on the phone to the mid-wife. By half time, two balls had been blasted over the hedge and lost to the road beyond, the visitors had suffered two (age related) injuries and asked for their keeper back … Such are the challenges of veterans football.

But what of the game itself? A cagey encounter began with the visitors establishing an early dominance, which was rewarded mid through the half with the opening goal. The lead did not last long: having resolved his paternal problems, Jarvis took to the field allowing new boy Stuart Robertson to play further up the pitch and he calmly stroked home after some deft footwork. However, using the wind to their advantage, the visitors launched a long ball that bounced over everyone to land at their striker’s feet, who finished well to give them a half time lead.

With the wind at our backs, the second half saw us begin to assert our dominance and a goal from Nick Neale brought the scores level. Alan Richardson struck the woodwork from within his own half with an effort that reminded this writer of a young David Beckham’s goal from his own half v Wimbledon. Sam Landrigan, another new signing, proved his worth in the middle of the park, showing his stamina as those around him faded.

The chances were coming, whilst Cary always looked threatening on the break. And the Stuart Robertson struck again to give us the lead.

Seeking an equaliser, the visitors threw more players forward and a pinpoint cross whipped in from the right was met, 6 yards out, at the far post by the head of the Cary danger man who directed the ball over keeper Peabody’s outstretched and flailing hand and into the top corner of the goal.

Before the final whistle blew, both sides had chances to grab all three points, but the referee called time on a great game with the score at 3-3, probably a fair result. Unbeaten as we enter November, our next game is a home encounter against an Oakhill side who went down four nil against today’s opponents. That game takes place on November 12th

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A Walton Brace Bags the Booty

Pic of the week 8/10/17

First half strikes from Bradshaw and Whatling secure a two goal victory that sees the Legends begin their campaign with a win.

A beautiful, clear, warm October morning saw the season kick off with an away fixture at Wells City. Glistening with morning dew, the pitch was a green oasis, although was the pile of feathers  littering our half of the pitch somehow a metaphor for our playing skills – a once beautiful, free flying creature, now, sadly, consigned to history?

The game began with both sides probing, but neither establishing a telling dominance. Midway through the first half Bradshaw latched on to a perfect through pass. Collecting the ball well outside the area, he still had much to do but, shrugging off the attentions of a Wells defender, he opened his legs and glided into the box, deftly placing the ball beyond the reach of the oncoming keeper and into the back of the net. One – nil.

Wounded, Wells responded swiftly, seeking an equaliser. The pacy Wells no. 11 was a constant threat, but a mobile, organised and disciplined back four nullified his threat and continued to frustrate the home team’s attacks all morning. On the few occasions the opposition did threaten the Millfield goal Shane Potts was big, brave and unbeatable between the sticks.

A corner, swung in from the left, and the wily, wiry, Whatling leapt higher than those around him to glance the ball into the net. Two – nil.

As legs tired in the second half, so space began to open up, allowing new boy Andrew Cassin-Davies – the oldest man on the pitch – to show the daintiest of footwork as he began to dance and dazzle his way around the middle of the park. Fellow debutant Phil Betts confirmed his Legend status, collecting the ball wide on the right and driving hard into the opposition half, ghosting through the Wells defence he found himself one on one v the keeper. He unleashed a powerful low drive, beyond the flailing arm of the Wells number one, only to see – or more accurately hear – the ball cannon into the upright with a thud loud enough to waken any resident of Wells still abed on this Sunday morning.

Neither side troubled the scorers in the second half and the ref blew the whistle on an historic, and well deserved victory: Wells City 0 Millfield Legends 2, three points in the bag.