29th September 2018 - Lower Breck 2 v 3 Avro FC - A new ground today and a chance to have a good jaunt out and do some shrooming prior to the game. We called at Croxteth Hall and Country Park, cultivated a list (111 species at the time of writing) and pootled at our own gentle pace. The weather was playing ball and it wasn't a bad morn at all. Time soon tickled by and we made the short journey to The Anfield Sports and Community Centre where we had a slurp and a snack in the quiet cafe before picking our viewing positions and chatting with a few fine 'erberts. As the teams warmed up I contemplated the greatest things to come out of Liverpool and came up with the following top 5 list:- Phil Thompson's Record breaking nose, Jimmy Tarbuck's incredibly unfunny comedy act, Ken Dodd's gold plated abacus, the bridge that spanned the breadth of Cilla Black's arse and the factory that made a fortune out of Stan Boardman wigs back in the 70's. I avoided going down the gutter route after my sense of humour had been questioned of late so I refuse to mention the Rectal Railway Tunnel made by Frank Hornby, the lewd penis tattoos of Bill Tidy and the size of Arthur Askey's nob after the night he spent with none other than Dixie 'Dufflebag' Dean. One has to show a sense of decency don't ya know! So, from reminiscences to reality and the players went for the pre-match chat and reappeared raring to go. This is my fungalised punked overview - all I can do is what I do, enjoy, there ain't no stopping any time soon (ooh err).
Laced up and lunging the Avro brigade created the first chance within seconds of the kick-off. No 8 (Joe Bevan) played to No 9 (Michael Norton) who gained a touch but pushed the ball wide - it could have been a dream start! Avro continued to advance and whipped in their crosses without hesitation, with a hat-trick of balls coming from the angle the last of which saw Norton gather and twat and force the keeper to smother low to the deck. After a home break the visiting pack bounced back with a stunning laser-like cross falling to the feet of the irrepressible Norton. The man with hunger in his eyes needed no second chances and struck the ball on the volley with fervent desire. It was a sweet strike but alas had too much elevation, a shame indeed. Soon after just reward for a frisky start was had as the guest No 10 (Michael Stockdale) took command of a free-kick, struck low and with middling pace that caught the keeper unsighted and found the bottom corner. The lead earned was totally deserved and I expected the time to be ripe for the trailing team to get to grips with these unforeseen matters. Alas it was Avro who nearly double-dipped into the lucky bag of fortune when a break saw Norton flash in a sizzling cross that was inches away from being tapped home - Lower Breck were definitely on the ropes.
The match progressed, No 3 (Tom Kinsella) for The Breck was catching the eye with some quality surges and probing passes. The opposition though were in control and when a corner came and a simple goal was had by the alert Bevan at the near post nearby fans of the home team wondered if this one was going to end up embarrassing. A quiet period, The Breckites began to hold their own (not surprising with the increasing nip in the air) when suddenly their No 7 (Brodie Kearns) shot from the traps like a pilchard on a motorbike (don't ask, I cannot explain) and passed a pearler to the available No 9 (Peter Donnelley) who came in from the angle, eyed the target and slotted home with clinical authority. It was a lifeline cast against the crashing waves, a small salvation that could lead to greater rewards. The next goal now became all the more important but the game was duly hindered by some exaggerated verbals that were getting out of hand and causing due frustration for the onlookers. Something had been said, tempers flared, the referee did well to stop things from turning ugly. Hormones and idiocy - what a combo hey! As the half eventually got going the guests were primarily untroubled and their No 7 (Louis Potts) was unfortunate not to grab his sides third when his nimble feet found space and struck a ball that needed a top drawer save to deny. A corner was the result, in it swung and mayhem in the box followed. A melee of swinging legs, Stockdale was in the right place and wham my man, 1 - 3 to the Avro Army. The whistle came soon after, the scoreline was reflective of events so far, there was work to be done for the local lads.
Half-time and a brew was had and a stretch of the carcass. The sky was blue, the day sweet, an autumnal chill was keeping us alert - I needed that cuppa though!
The second half started with Lower Breck working hard but running out of options high up the pitch. Avro on the other hand were in no rush and looked to dominate matters in the centre of the park. The opening episode was, in bare bollocked truth, ruddy terrible, a period with too many stops and starts, little liquidity and an overspill of whistle blows. Eventually Kinsella launched one for the Breck out of sheer frustration and it could only find fresh air but, it was a shot at least, what more could we ask for? A penalty shout for Avro came after a period of quick movement but it seemed overly ambitious and whilst the hopeful's were still griping the home keeper hoofed down field, No 10 (Jamie Henders) took it down mightily well and let fly with untamed excitement - the end result was abysmal. Soon after though a Breck cross came and was touched wide, was there a change of fortune kissing the rear end of this now scrappy game? Avro made a double substitute but a shot came at their netman soon after and a stunning save was required. The ball was retrieved, a cross whipped in and slapped home by Henders who cut the deficit to one goal and put the result on a knife edge.
We were now well into the last minutes, Norton for Avro could have buried the game if he would have kept his composure and slammed home from only 5 yards out. He had time but the execution was rushed, was this an error that could turn out costly? A LB free-kick came, the box was crammed like the underpants of Big Balled Bob the gay love machine from Rochdale. In the sphere was sent, out it came and a foul brought a repeat scenario. Again quality lacked and a corner was just about earned. This time the delivery was spot on, Henders crept in at the back post and had time to place his header. Unified touchline breath was inhaled, a gasp came as the globe left bonse - the groan that followed wasn't of ecstasy but of grave disappointment - the target was unbelievably missed. This was the last chance of the match and after a shabby Avro free-kick the game was called to a halt. In fairness the 3 points had gone the right way, we two onlookers went homeward, it had been a good trip out and today's Man of the Match goes to the Avro No 10 (Michael Stockdale) whom I thought was a perpetual menace throughout and posed as many problems off the ball than he did on it - therein an art-form is found and it is one that sometimes goes unrecognised - but not today! Well done fella!
FINAL THOUGHT - I really enjoyed the day today, the pre-match victuals in the cafe, the general friendly folk whom we shared a few words with and the whole set up that makes these trips worthwhile. The teams on show are a hard kettle of fish to sum up even though they are in the upper reaches of the league. Lower Breck play a strange system and look at times to be in disarray and at others to be bang on the mark. Today things came unstuck mainly down to the fact that up front limitations were had in the amount options on offer. Losing by one goal seems to signify a close match but on another day Avro could have buried several more and really left their mark on a team out of sync. I think a shuffle here and a shuffle there will help and there is enough quality in the pack to keep the team honest and vying for honours - it must be done quickly though as the games come thick and fast. Avro have some obvious strength and play a controlled game at their own pace. What I like most is the fact when they are going forward there is little delay in getting the ball into the box to the ever hungry forward line. This, on certain occasions, will produce some big wins and this lot are going to be in a very tense shake-up come the last few weeks of the campaign. The only niggle I have is that they must not get distracted and lose their focus - today they were nearly denied the full victory and that is something they must look at and ask why! Overall though 2 fine teams, and this is a ground that we will certainly be back at- another fungi/footy combo and snacks in the cafe to boot - tis all grand stuff!
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