28th September 2016 - Cheadle Town 1 v 4 Widnes FC - I had spent a day shrooming again and clocked up 92 species by the time I arrived at the game tonight. Not a bad effort considering it was a struggle but I was paying the price by overworking my Achilles Tendon and having a fair amount of grief. Luckily I had another dose of non-league footy to take my mind of things and with a caressing zephyr blowing across the ground and an obvious autumnal feel in the air I awaited an encounter which saw two teams still trying to get their gnashers into the season proper and build something akin to impetus. Saying that, Widnes are doing well this year and with the 2 Lomax lads up front things look set to get a whole lot better!
And the ball is rolling...
No sooner had the globe been kicked than Cheadle had pilfered the ball and won a corner from which a cross was latched onto and the bar was struck. Phew. Widnes immediately responded which saw a run, cross and final volley duly saved and keep the embryonic game level - double ruddy phew! Widnes gave the early impression of being organised and built from the back whilst Cheadle were as industrious as ever and occasionally testing the opposition's keeper. The home teams No 9 was putting in a good stint and keeping the rear guard of Widnes honest and got his due reward when a good pass was latched onto and hammered home with aplomb. The oppositions number 9 was equally menacing and linked up with his fellow team mates that made for some very eye-catching manoeuvres. It was frantic end to end stuff with half chances coming thick and fast, in fact a bit like the bowel movements of an elephant on fig juice - ooh err! The equaliser looked imminent and arrived when another neat pinging movement saw the Cheadle boys stand off and go to ground a little too easily and allow Jack Graham to slap the ball homeward. Cheadle should have instantaneously gone back in front after an awful goalkeeping clearance was picked up by that man No 9 again and struck goalward with the netman somehow redeeming himself with a low save. Lucky bugger! Hectic action came and it was noteworthy that the main flaw with both sides was their inability to relax. More problems were made than what were necessary due to a reluctance to get the ball, take stock, assess the situation and pick ones pass. The half continued in the same vein - huff, puff error, huff, puff, error ad infinitum. Still, exciting for the neutral tha' knows!
Half time, bag of crisps and a chill and watching the leaves start to fall. Many looked at their phones, I am stubborn bugger and am resisting that techno-twattology!
Back to the game and the Cheadle Greens came out as did their rivals the Widnes Yellows - almost like a flock of Yellowhammers going at it claw to claw with a gathering of Greenfinches - let us hope feathers fly - oh I do digress!
The start to the second period was scrappy, Widnes slightly imposed their physical advantage, turned the screw and put the home team on the back peg. There seemed to be a lot of industry from both sides and an equal abundance of wasted breath with untold mistakes creeping in. Widnes should have taken the lead after their frontman attempted to lob the keeper from close range but it was a poor effort and was plucked out of the air with ease. Cheadle wormed back in and beavered away like flies with a fever but when Chris Lomax of Widnes rattled in a goal it seemed to alter the overall dynamics and give the away 'erberts a big up in confidence. It was a goal out of nothing and forced Cheadle to scurry harder which duly led to Mr Lomax popping up again and hitting the net for the second time and making a two-goal cushion seem insurmountable. Cheadle searched for the plot, seemed all at sea and when a 4th goal added salt to an open wound that was that and it was obvious to all that were in attendance that there would be no way back for a home team completely out of sync. Widnes were more aware, had more adhesion and offered more movement and as Cheadle tried to force a way back in to the match it was Widnes who finished with the upper hand and deservedly took all three points back home. A woeful performance by the home team and far too hurried and hectic for their own good. As said, the match was a bustling affair and for me the only chap who offered any glimpse of calmness was my pick for Man of the Match, one (Oladimeji Odesanya), a cool customer who would not be flustered and who has a name that would score mighty heavily in a game of Scrabble - bonus.
FINAL THOUGHT - An entertaining match that highlighted the high fitness levels of these players and their inner passion to get stuck in. The most striking aspect though is that both teams need to calm down and play a game that is more thoughtful and considered. I once knew a man who buzzed about at great speed and did everything in a rush - one day he became such a blur that all that he did was deemed indecipherable and pointless - oh and his nob dropped off - think on ye players, think on and...calm down!
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