5th August 2017 - Maine Road 3 v 2 Winsford United - The season is upon us and those wishing to drink from the cup of non-league football, who have been cruelly parched during the closed season, are all greedily gathered and prepared to sup til their stomachs distend and til their footballing brains are addled to utter buggery. Last season donated many thrills and spills to my observing peepers and I hoped that the forthcoming campaign would be equally gratifying and produce many fine clashes and goal-saturated affairs. After a morning finalising a few natural history photographs and sorting some punk related matters I arrived at the ground in good time to prepare for the forthcoming FA Cup tussle. This one was a toss-of-the-coin affair, even more so as it was the opening fixture of the 2017/18 season - here we go again, let the battle commence.
Anticipation was high, the onlookers waited for that first shrill of the whistle and the players took up their rehearsed positions. The referee checked his time-piece, the pea was vibrated and the globe of glory was rolling. It was a quick start with meagre chances at either end but after Road's No 2 played a sugar sweet pass that was only just intercepted he was allowed to attempt the same trick seconds later and this time did so with aplomb. The pass allowed a colleague to cross with pace and the first goal to arise. The claimant was Connor Hughes who slid in with eagle eyes zoned in on the flashing ball - by crikey though it was close to being an own goal! 6 minutes on the clock, the touch paper was lit, the first goal of the season was witnessed. Road came again, this time via some quality play by their No 11 (Jamie Roe) who squeezed through the defence and sharply shot only to be thwarted by a quick off the line mittman - good work all round! Winsford were wounded, they found further bite and started to snatch at the much sought after territory. Out of the blue a hopeful ball was tossed high into the box and not one person in the crowd thought anything would come of it. The keeper however was feeling charitable and after a horrible faux pas the ball slipped from his grasp and fell at the feet of Mike Koral who, with a brow free of sweat, picked his spot and slotted home from an acute angle. Well taken squire and after only 15 minutes parity was restored.
Despite the equilibrium now balanced one couldn't help feeling Winsford held more aces up their bee coloured sleeves although Road were more than holding their own. The next chance however came to the visitors when their solid No 9 shook his ass, weaved into a gap and unloaded a low firm shot that unluckily missed the far upright by only a few inches. This attempt was surely there to enthuse further effort but when the same team were working a passage in the middle of the park they were mightily aggrieved when the ball ricocheted off the referee, fell to a home bod who played in his colleague and happily saw him score the next goal. Matthew Morgan was the lucky recipient and took his chance well to give his team a quite fortunate advantage before the break. A passage of play followed with some niggling fouls and a few expletive laden back-chats to the man in black but Road were denied a chance to double their lead when a liquid move resulted in a close in shot that was stopped at point blank range by a keeper very much on form. For the last few minutes of the half Winsford played higher up the park and played with zest but Road held on and when the midway call for time came the Brantingham Boys were deserved of the lead.
Half-time came, I remained seated and had a chat with a decent bloke about the game in general and the overall quality of these two leagues that I am quite taken with. The man was a City fan but I held no grudges, the world is full of cursed people and our prayers that they will one day see the light is all we can humbly offer - ooh the silly sod. And back to the action!
Both teams displayed an early hunger in the second period, Winsford producing an early blinding cross that was disappointingly left unconnected. The home birds were busy, they had a lot to contend with and when a close in shot was saved by their No 1 and then the ball was put in the net via an eager nut, but ruled a foul, one could feel the pressure gauge rising on the team in front. This was a spunky start though and when, on the 52nd minute, the guests gushed forth with some intricate interplay and sharp manoeuvres the finishing cross and kill from Jordan Johnson was just reward for a vitality filled effort. The fizzing start continued with the Road keeper having to save low from another Yellow and Black attack and then stand back and watch a corner be met with a firm header and the ball to be sent crashing against his saving crossbar. Winsford were ablaze and were dominating matters with the MR lads trying their best to break away via a well timed through ball. Eventually the boys in blue suffocated the flames of Winsford and indulged in a flickering pressure themselves during which the visitors knackers were hardly scorched but were definitely branded with a resistant warning.
A lull came not long after and a slo-mo move came for the WU warriors with a mouth-watering cross putting the ball on a plate for the No 12 (Scott Taylor) who somehow managed to miss the target and put the ball behind - how on earth did he manage that? Free kicks were had at either end with Road's the better of the two and forcing the visiting keeper (Ross Heywood) to save once more. Defensive dawdling however could have put him right back in the shithouse but by hook or crook the ball was somehow hoofed clear. Next and Winsford had a surge with a well earned free-kick leading to a power header that was tidily saved. Road responded and if it wasn't for the toe of the away teams No 6 a golden opportunity would have been surely had. Alas this great defensive tackle fell into sombre shadows as more pissing about in the rear led to a loose clearance which was latched onto by MR's Owen Pollitt. He had time, he considered a potshot and duly let fly. The tips of the keepers fingers made contact, the ball looked to be flying over when, defying all mathematical logic, the angle of trajectory changed and the ball dropped in the net. The 90th minute killer and even though the referee let the game overrun Winsford were down and out and eventually...beaten. A sickening blow, a last gasp relief - the emotions of football rarely cover middle ground. A well contested affair this with some good stints thrown in but the eye-catching talent and Man of the Match today goes to Maine Road's No 2 (Jack Poxon) who played at his own pace, rarely put a foot wrong and picked out some peachy passes. I reckon there is a bright future here and if a bit more pace is injected then many teams will be put in some tricky situations.
FINAL THOUGHT - A new adventure of non-league football begins and already things are working out well. 5 goals here, a sun-soaked day and a match that could have gone either way up until the very least breath. The two units on show were as well balanced as Casanova's conkers and had has much spunk and spirit as found in the tingling sac. I reckon both clubs will do just fine this season with a sure-fire certainty that they will be involved in some real high scoring thrillers. This isn't bad for starters and gave all a definite value for money, especially the bloke who won the raffle and bagged the opening day's bottle of Scotch - ooh the lucky swine. Well, he may be the only one sozzled on the amber juice tonight but I am sure we shall all be tanked up on the ales of non-league football for many a month to come. Here's hoping now pass me another cup!
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