With heavy snowfall locally I hadn't expected to find any football on today. A quick check on Twitter when I woke up indicated that Salisbury supporters were working on clearing the pitch to try and get the game on. I checked again around 2pm and found confirmation that this was one of the few games around the country that had survived the weather.
After bundling up to keep warm I wandered round to the Ray Mac. Outside the nearest turnstiles were huge piles of snow. When I got into the ground the pitch looked near immaculate as the teams warmed up. The parking was free but limited to the main area which wasn't an issue with a small crowd of 464.
The first half was a near repeat of the Truro game with Salisbury taking an early lead and dominating the game, only to concede a late goal. Jamie White scored the first after 5 minutes, intercepting a back pass, rounding the keeper as he rushed out of his area before passing the ball into an empty net. In the 11th minute Frear took on several Staines defenders as he ran in from the left wing. His mazy dribble beat them all and he placed a low shot away from the keeper and into the right side of the goal.
McPhee added a third after 19 minutes with a unchallenged clinical finish from the edge of the six yard box. Scott in the Salisbury goal didn't have much to do in the half although his point blank save just after the first goal was crucial in keeping Salisbury's momentum. Staines had a long free kick that looked to be an attempt at a cross but looped over Scott's hand and bounced out off the top of the bar after 26 minutes. They pulled one goal back in injury time. A quick clearance from defence followed by an accurate through ball allowed Wheeler to beat the defence. He ran through to the penalty area and hit a great shot high into the net.
Salisbury made a couple of changes in the second half and never really managed to get going much to the frustration of the supporters. Staines upped their game and had two chances from crosses that just needed a touch to guide them past Scott. A couple of shots went narrowly wide as the pressure was all at the far end which wasn't open due to the snowfall. White had one clear chance near the end of the game when he went through with the ball but the Staines keeper made a good save to keep the score down.
The result keeps the pressure on Welling in second place, 9 points behind with a backlog of 3 games in hand and a superior goal difference.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Game 17: Salisbury City 4.3 Truro City (Conf South) 15.01.13
A bitterly cold evening wasn't going to put me off from wandering round to the Ray Mac for the visit of Truro City. I was joined by Andy and talk soon turned to the evening two years ago when we watched Truro demolish Salisbury on their way to the Southern Premier title.
Since that promotion Truro have gone through some financial issues with their backer pulling out and it was good to hear that their new owners were local businessmen who were planning to get the club on an even keel again. The side has seen numerous players come and go this season with the uncertainty of administration but they were able to put out two experienced league players for this game in Barry Hayles and Luke McCormack. In addition, ex Whites favourite Matt Wright was named on the subs bench. While earlier results in the season hadn't gone their way, a recent game at second place Welling United finished with a narrow 4.3 defeat in injury time so neither of us were taking this top v bottom clash as a foregone conclusion.
The first few minutes saw plenty of slipping as both sets of players struggled with the frosty pitch. Salisbury took an early lead when a freekick was cleared outside of the box. A Salisbury player ran towards the ball and mindful of an onrushing defender hit the ball to his left. The ball found McPhee on the edge of the area and he chested the ball down before hitting a low shot past the keeper.
Jamie White had a couple of chances to extend the lead but his touch was just too heavy. Truro didn't manage a shot on goal until the 24th minute and two minutes later Salisbury made it 2.0 from a freekick. Andy had missed the first goal thanks to a trip to the gents and wasn't sure that my prediction of cross into the box, header, goal was likely but that's the way it turned out. A high ball was floated into the box for McPhee to score again with his head.
Salisbury were controlling the game and looked to be 3.0 up in the last minute of the half. White put the ball into the back of the net but the assistant had put his flag up, presumably for offside when he received the ball although it was clear from our position that the ball had come off a Truro leg first. The referee wasn't sure so went to the assistant and appeared to give the goal when he signalled towards the halfway line. However it turned out that he had disallowed the goal and awarded a freekick. The game turned on this moment as deep into injury time Scott swung at the ball when clearing a back pass and hit it low into Hayles's legs. The veteran striker calmly allowed the ball to bounce before chipping it over the keeper and in.
Things got worse for Salisbury as Truro levelled the game from a breakaway in the first minute of the second half. Moore cut inside a defender on the far edge of the area before placing a low shot past the keeper at the near post. Salisbury continued to press forward and their efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute, Lewis volleying in from outside the area after a Truro header attempted to clear a deep ball from danger. This lifted the mood of the locals but it didn't last long. Two minutes later Truro equalised again when Salisbury couldn't get the ball clear. A run and pullback from the left side set up Watt to smash a shot high into the top corner.
As the clock ticked down it looked like another 6 goal thriller between these sides at the Ray Mac. Truro won a corner but a poor cross ended up in Mark Scott's hands. He ran forward and launched a throw towards an unmarked Lewis who took the ball down the left wing before passing infield to Clarke. He played a superb ball into the box with just enough pace to beat the defence. White ghosted past the covering defender, took the ball and hit a shot past the keeper into the far corner. The crowd celebrated as if the goal had won the title while crestfallen Truro players slumped to their knees. A dramatic end to a great game of football.
Since that promotion Truro have gone through some financial issues with their backer pulling out and it was good to hear that their new owners were local businessmen who were planning to get the club on an even keel again. The side has seen numerous players come and go this season with the uncertainty of administration but they were able to put out two experienced league players for this game in Barry Hayles and Luke McCormack. In addition, ex Whites favourite Matt Wright was named on the subs bench. While earlier results in the season hadn't gone their way, a recent game at second place Welling United finished with a narrow 4.3 defeat in injury time so neither of us were taking this top v bottom clash as a foregone conclusion.
The first few minutes saw plenty of slipping as both sets of players struggled with the frosty pitch. Salisbury took an early lead when a freekick was cleared outside of the box. A Salisbury player ran towards the ball and mindful of an onrushing defender hit the ball to his left. The ball found McPhee on the edge of the area and he chested the ball down before hitting a low shot past the keeper.
Jamie White had a couple of chances to extend the lead but his touch was just too heavy. Truro didn't manage a shot on goal until the 24th minute and two minutes later Salisbury made it 2.0 from a freekick. Andy had missed the first goal thanks to a trip to the gents and wasn't sure that my prediction of cross into the box, header, goal was likely but that's the way it turned out. A high ball was floated into the box for McPhee to score again with his head.
Salisbury were controlling the game and looked to be 3.0 up in the last minute of the half. White put the ball into the back of the net but the assistant had put his flag up, presumably for offside when he received the ball although it was clear from our position that the ball had come off a Truro leg first. The referee wasn't sure so went to the assistant and appeared to give the goal when he signalled towards the halfway line. However it turned out that he had disallowed the goal and awarded a freekick. The game turned on this moment as deep into injury time Scott swung at the ball when clearing a back pass and hit it low into Hayles's legs. The veteran striker calmly allowed the ball to bounce before chipping it over the keeper and in.
Things got worse for Salisbury as Truro levelled the game from a breakaway in the first minute of the second half. Moore cut inside a defender on the far edge of the area before placing a low shot past the keeper at the near post. Salisbury continued to press forward and their efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute, Lewis volleying in from outside the area after a Truro header attempted to clear a deep ball from danger. This lifted the mood of the locals but it didn't last long. Two minutes later Truro equalised again when Salisbury couldn't get the ball clear. A run and pullback from the left side set up Watt to smash a shot high into the top corner.
As the clock ticked down it looked like another 6 goal thriller between these sides at the Ray Mac. Truro won a corner but a poor cross ended up in Mark Scott's hands. He ran forward and launched a throw towards an unmarked Lewis who took the ball down the left wing before passing infield to Clarke. He played a superb ball into the box with just enough pace to beat the defence. White ghosted past the covering defender, took the ball and hit a shot past the keeper into the far corner. The crowd celebrated as if the goal had won the title while crestfallen Truro players slumped to their knees. A dramatic end to a great game of football.
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Game 16: Salisbury City 1.0 Sutton United (Conf South) 05.01.13
After the excitement of the Eastleigh game I decided to revisit the Ray Mac when my planned ticks in the Western League were postponed due to waterlogged pitches. It looked as if this would pay off when Salisbury almost scored from the kickoff, White's shot on 14 seconds beating the keeper but ending up just wide.
The rest of the half was fairly non descript. White had a good chance when picking up a cross from the left but his first time shot flew over the bar when it looked easier to score. Sutton missed a golden opportunity on the half hour when an unmarked header flew over the bar from close range. They came even closer to scoring ten minutes later when Riviere hit the post with a chipped shot although it looked like a covering defender would have been able to protect the goal had it been on target.
The second half saw the Salisbury supporters unhappy with the referee as he missed a penalty shout when White was brought down on the edge of the area and kept his cards in his pocket as the tackles got progressively later and more cynical. The game was settled by an own goal in the 57th minute following a well worked corner routine. Instead of playing the ball into the area it was passed to the edge of the area for McPhee to run onto. He drilled his shot towards goal and it deflected off a defender to fly over the keeper and in.
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Game 14: Wareham Rangers 2.4 Merley Cobham Sports (Dorset Premier) 17.11.12
I wasn't sure if this game would be on given the rain in the area but decided to take a gamble and drive down just in case. I arrived at the Sports Centre and found a big car park where I had a spot of lunch after checking first that the players were warming up for the game.
The pitch was accessed through the Sports Centre and I had a friendly welcome from a couple of ladies collecting the admission fee in exchange for a programme. They were expecting a couple of ground hoppers who had called ahead to reserve their programme and we had a quick chat about the team.
After photographing the small stand I wandered round past the dugouts and found a spot opposite the stand to watch the game. The sky was overcast when the game kicked off five minutes late and I hoped the next couple of hours would be dry. Merley have been struggling in the league this season and looked to be off to a bad start when Wareham tapped the ball in after the keeper spilt the ball but the referee disallowed it for offside.
Wareham took the lead in the 21st minute. The ball was kept in play on the farside and when the cross came in it looked as if a defender would slide into clear it. However the ball hit the post and rolled favourably for a Wareham player to tap in from close range. A minute later and it was almost two, another deep cross was met at the far post with a shot that bounced up off the bar and then into the keeper's arms.
Despite the Wareham pressure, Merley scored a good equaliser in the 38th minute, a long ball beat the offside trap and a Merley player beat the onrushing Wareham keeper to it. He lifted the ball over the keeper and in. There were some Merley subs warming up near me and one was called into action shortly after the equaliser - not to replace a player, just to swap shorts with one of the onfield players who had managed to rip his down one side.
Wareham had a decent shout for a penalty just before halftime but the referee ignored the protests of the home team. They retook the lead in the 48th minute from a corner that was headed down and booted in before the keeper could react. Six minutes later and it was almost 3.1 when a player cut in and attempted a shot, only to slice it and see the ball spin to a team mate whose shot was well saved.
The match turned on a late tackle as from the resulting freekick Merley pinched another equaliser. It was quickly taken and found a player running into the box unmarked. He smashed the ball past a stationary goalkeeper before the defence could react to the delight of his teammates. This set up a fascinating final ten minutes as Merley kept their discipline and shape and eventually took the lead in the 82nd minute, a great curving shot from the edge of the area squeezing in.
Wareham took the ball down the other end and were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. It was wasted as the shot hit the wall and they lost possession. Suddenly Merley broke down the left and a great pass set out a player to tip the ball past the keeper before slotting the ball in from the narrowest of angles. This didn't stop Wareham from trying again to get a third goal and they came close on two occasions - the first effort was kept out by a great diving save, the second saw shot hit the bar before being deflected over by a defender on the line.
A surprise win for the visitors and a champagne moment as I completed the Dorset Premier League for this season at least.
The pitch was accessed through the Sports Centre and I had a friendly welcome from a couple of ladies collecting the admission fee in exchange for a programme. They were expecting a couple of ground hoppers who had called ahead to reserve their programme and we had a quick chat about the team.
After photographing the small stand I wandered round past the dugouts and found a spot opposite the stand to watch the game. The sky was overcast when the game kicked off five minutes late and I hoped the next couple of hours would be dry. Merley have been struggling in the league this season and looked to be off to a bad start when Wareham tapped the ball in after the keeper spilt the ball but the referee disallowed it for offside.
Wareham took the lead in the 21st minute. The ball was kept in play on the farside and when the cross came in it looked as if a defender would slide into clear it. However the ball hit the post and rolled favourably for a Wareham player to tap in from close range. A minute later and it was almost two, another deep cross was met at the far post with a shot that bounced up off the bar and then into the keeper's arms.
Despite the Wareham pressure, Merley scored a good equaliser in the 38th minute, a long ball beat the offside trap and a Merley player beat the onrushing Wareham keeper to it. He lifted the ball over the keeper and in. There were some Merley subs warming up near me and one was called into action shortly after the equaliser - not to replace a player, just to swap shorts with one of the onfield players who had managed to rip his down one side.
Wareham had a decent shout for a penalty just before halftime but the referee ignored the protests of the home team. They retook the lead in the 48th minute from a corner that was headed down and booted in before the keeper could react. Six minutes later and it was almost 3.1 when a player cut in and attempted a shot, only to slice it and see the ball spin to a team mate whose shot was well saved.
The match turned on a late tackle as from the resulting freekick Merley pinched another equaliser. It was quickly taken and found a player running into the box unmarked. He smashed the ball past a stationary goalkeeper before the defence could react to the delight of his teammates. This set up a fascinating final ten minutes as Merley kept their discipline and shape and eventually took the lead in the 82nd minute, a great curving shot from the edge of the area squeezing in.
Wareham took the ball down the other end and were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. It was wasted as the shot hit the wall and they lost possession. Suddenly Merley broke down the left and a great pass set out a player to tip the ball past the keeper before slotting the ball in from the narrowest of angles. This didn't stop Wareham from trying again to get a third goal and they came close on two occasions - the first effort was kept out by a great diving save, the second saw shot hit the bar before being deflected over by a defender on the line.
A surprise win for the visitors and a champagne moment as I completed the Dorset Premier League for this season at least.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Saturday, November 03, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Game 6: Laverstock & Ford 1.3 Team Solent (Wessex 1) 15.09.12
With industrial action leading to a planned excursion to Carlisle being cancelled, it was an unexpected opportunity for a local game today. I haven't been to Laverstock for a while and since my last visit the club have been relegated,changed their manager and replaced their playing squad.
I arrived at the ground just before kickoff and picked up a programme that was included with admission. It had less content than previous offerings but was still a reasonable effort.
The game kicked off in bright sunshine and Laverstock took an early lead after five minutes. A dribble through the middle was unchecked, allowing the midfielder enough time to line up a low shot from outside the area that flew past the keeper.
Team Solent equalised after 36 minutes when Laverstock failed to clear their lines. An attempted clearance was deflected back into the area by a visiting player and he had time to place a low shot under the keeper and in. Just before the end of the half it was 2.1 to the visitors from a similar incident. Laverstock made another mistake with a clearance and a firm shot beat the keeper from close range.
The second half was light on clear chances and it wasn't until the 84th minute that Team Solent extended their lead with a breakaway goal. Laverstock had pressed forward for a cornerbut lost the ball. A good direct pass allowed one of the Team Solent players to race into the Laverstock half unchallenged. He took the ball into the area and placed a shot wide of the keeper and covering defender - a well taken goal. There was almost time for a fourth goal when the Laverstock keeper spilt a corner. One of his teammates cleared the ball off the goal line before Team Solent could react.
I arrived at the ground just before kickoff and picked up a programme that was included with admission. It had less content than previous offerings but was still a reasonable effort.
The game kicked off in bright sunshine and Laverstock took an early lead after five minutes. A dribble through the middle was unchecked, allowing the midfielder enough time to line up a low shot from outside the area that flew past the keeper.
Team Solent equalised after 36 minutes when Laverstock failed to clear their lines. An attempted clearance was deflected back into the area by a visiting player and he had time to place a low shot under the keeper and in. Just before the end of the half it was 2.1 to the visitors from a similar incident. Laverstock made another mistake with a clearance and a firm shot beat the keeper from close range.
The second half was light on clear chances and it wasn't until the 84th minute that Team Solent extended their lead with a breakaway goal. Laverstock had pressed forward for a cornerbut lost the ball. A good direct pass allowed one of the Team Solent players to race into the Laverstock half unchallenged. He took the ball into the area and placed a shot wide of the keeper and covering defender - a well taken goal. There was almost time for a fourth goal when the Laverstock keeper spilt a corner. One of his teammates cleared the ball off the goal line before Team Solent could react.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Game 5: Parley Sports 2.2 Wareham Rangers (Dorset Prem) 08.09.12
After a sunny morning in Swanage I drove in the opposite direction to the bulk of the traffic away from the coast and towards Bournemouth Airport. Skirting around the edge of runway, I soon found myself parking up at Parley Sports.
I wandered around the clubhouse and found someone selling programmes and admission for a donation. The pitch was behind the clubhouse and someone had parked their moped next to the pitch by an opening in the handrail. I wondered if it was the referee planning a quick escape but just before halftime one of the spectators moved it next to the clubhouse.
This was the first time that I've seen Wareham Rangers play as they were promoted into the league last season. In their first two games they had a win and a loss and they soon found themselves a goal down. In the 6th minute a Parley player dribbled the ball round three defenders before smashing a shot into the top corner. Wareham thought that they scored an equaliser in the 30th minute but it was disallowed for offside. Parley's defence was breached shortly before halftime so the last man took it upon himself to bring the Wareham player down. A straight red card resulted but Wareham were unable to take immediate advantage as the freekick from outside the area flashed just past the post.
Parley's keeper wasn't particularly tall but his reactions made up for his lack of stature at the start of the second half. A Wareham corner found an unmarked player in the centre who headed towards goal, only to be denied by the Parley keeper pushing the ball up and away with a strong hand. He got flattened by a team mate a few minutes later but before Wareham reacted the referee blew up to stop the game. There was a covering defender and the game eventually restarted with a dropball.
Parley came close to extended their lead on the hour. One of their players broke away with the ball and dragged it round the keeper. His touch was heavy and this forced him wide, allowing a defender to get to him and get a tackle in tackle before he could shoot.
Wareham were getting frustrated with the referee's decisions as they felt he was favouring the home side. Three yellow cards appeared in quick succession for verbals when the referee chose not to play the advantage.
It looked like 10 man Parley would hold on for a win until the 86th minute.A Wareham player sneaked the ball from the last defender and took a shot. His effort was deflected out by the keeper but fell to the onrunning Wareham player who whacked it in.
The lead lasted less than a minute. Parley took the ball through the middle as Wareham switched off. No defender moved in time to cover and Parley's low shot beat the keeper at the right post. The supporters and players by the clubhouse celebrated as if they had done enough to win the match.
We were into the last moments of injury time when a Wareham player was brought down in the area. The referee pointed to the spot and the penalty was converted to give the visitors a point. An exciting finish to the game!
I wandered around the clubhouse and found someone selling programmes and admission for a donation. The pitch was behind the clubhouse and someone had parked their moped next to the pitch by an opening in the handrail. I wondered if it was the referee planning a quick escape but just before halftime one of the spectators moved it next to the clubhouse.
This was the first time that I've seen Wareham Rangers play as they were promoted into the league last season. In their first two games they had a win and a loss and they soon found themselves a goal down. In the 6th minute a Parley player dribbled the ball round three defenders before smashing a shot into the top corner. Wareham thought that they scored an equaliser in the 30th minute but it was disallowed for offside. Parley's defence was breached shortly before halftime so the last man took it upon himself to bring the Wareham player down. A straight red card resulted but Wareham were unable to take immediate advantage as the freekick from outside the area flashed just past the post.
Parley's keeper wasn't particularly tall but his reactions made up for his lack of stature at the start of the second half. A Wareham corner found an unmarked player in the centre who headed towards goal, only to be denied by the Parley keeper pushing the ball up and away with a strong hand. He got flattened by a team mate a few minutes later but before Wareham reacted the referee blew up to stop the game. There was a covering defender and the game eventually restarted with a dropball.
Parley came close to extended their lead on the hour. One of their players broke away with the ball and dragged it round the keeper. His touch was heavy and this forced him wide, allowing a defender to get to him and get a tackle in tackle before he could shoot.
Wareham were getting frustrated with the referee's decisions as they felt he was favouring the home side. Three yellow cards appeared in quick succession for verbals when the referee chose not to play the advantage.
It looked like 10 man Parley would hold on for a win until the 86th minute.A Wareham player sneaked the ball from the last defender and took a shot. His effort was deflected out by the keeper but fell to the onrunning Wareham player who whacked it in.
The lead lasted less than a minute. Parley took the ball through the middle as Wareham switched off. No defender moved in time to cover and Parley's low shot beat the keeper at the right post. The supporters and players by the clubhouse celebrated as if they had done enough to win the match.
We were into the last moments of injury time when a Wareham player was brought down in the area. The referee pointed to the spot and the penalty was converted to give the visitors a point. An exciting finish to the game!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Game 3: Axminster Town 0.0 Exmouth Town (SW Peninsula Div 1E) 18.08.12
I made a special effort to get to this game after reading that Axminster's Sector Lane ground would only be used for their first four games of the season. This was the first of those four games, a season opener against Exmouth Town.
I caught the train down to Axminster and walked through the centre and part way up a hill, finding the ground on the left hand side just before a pub on the right. After paying to get in I wandered round to the elevated bank behind the dugouts to read the programme. The plan for the club is to groundshare for the rest of the season and at the start of next season until the new ground is completed.
It was strange to think that this would be the final opening day kick off as the referee blew the whistle. Sadly the game was not one to match the occasion. Exmouth had a goal disallowed after 10 minutes as the referee wasn't happy with a 50/50 challenge between the keeper and an Exmouth player that set up the 'goal'.
It took Axminster most of the half to get going, a shot on the half hour clawed wide by the Exmouth keeper was their first clear chance on goal. In the last 15 minutes a few runs led to corners but there was no cutting edge.
The second half was a bit more exciting to watch as the game stretched out and players started to tire. In the 57th minute Axminster hit a long chip over the Exmouth keeper but it fell just wide. Both teams had players booked for dissent and the referee's efforts to keep control didn't allow the game to flow. The game finished with a couple of long range shots from both teams that didn't trouble either keeper.
After the game finished I walked swiftly back to the station to catch the hourly service back up the line. I just made it in time and had a pleasant chat to another nonleague enthusiast who had been at the game and had an encyclopedic knowledge of the grounds in the area. He pointed out the work to date on the new pitches which are going to be next to the railway line.
I caught the train down to Axminster and walked through the centre and part way up a hill, finding the ground on the left hand side just before a pub on the right. After paying to get in I wandered round to the elevated bank behind the dugouts to read the programme. The plan for the club is to groundshare for the rest of the season and at the start of next season until the new ground is completed.
It was strange to think that this would be the final opening day kick off as the referee blew the whistle. Sadly the game was not one to match the occasion. Exmouth had a goal disallowed after 10 minutes as the referee wasn't happy with a 50/50 challenge between the keeper and an Exmouth player that set up the 'goal'.
It took Axminster most of the half to get going, a shot on the half hour clawed wide by the Exmouth keeper was their first clear chance on goal. In the last 15 minutes a few runs led to corners but there was no cutting edge.
The second half was a bit more exciting to watch as the game stretched out and players started to tire. In the 57th minute Axminster hit a long chip over the Exmouth keeper but it fell just wide. Both teams had players booked for dissent and the referee's efforts to keep control didn't allow the game to flow. The game finished with a couple of long range shots from both teams that didn't trouble either keeper.
After the game finished I walked swiftly back to the station to catch the hourly service back up the line. I just made it in time and had a pleasant chat to another nonleague enthusiast who had been at the game and had an encyclopedic knowledge of the grounds in the area. He pointed out the work to date on the new pitches which are going to be next to the railway line.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Game 2: Brazil 1.2 Mexico (Olympic Mens Final) 11.08.12
I put in a request for tickets to the Olympic Men's Final on the off chance of being successful in the ballot and was lucky enough to get a pair for Amy and I to attend the match.
It's always been an ambition to see Brazil in a competitive final so I was delighted that they made it through. Mexico beat Senegal in extra time and Japan in the semifinal but were seen as the underdogs, even though they had beaten Brazil in Dallas a couple of months earlier.
We made our way along a colourful Wembley Way with the sounds of a Brazilian samba band in the background. There were a lot of hopeful fans looking for tickets but no sellers in sight. It was fantastic to see the Olympic rings on the stadium above the Bobby Moore statue and we took some photos before heading into the ground early to take in the atmosphere.
When we walked out to our seats I was delighted to see that we were on the front row of the section and next to an aisle - a perfect view of the ground. We were lucky, one couple came in to find that one of their seats didn't exist! The customer service team whisked them off to find some replacement seats for them.
There was a lot of press about Brazil not having won this final before and the pressure was building for the young team with celebrities like Pele flying in for the game.
The Teamline ups were:
Brazil: Gabriel, Rafael,Thiago Silva,Juan Jesus, Sandro, Marcelo, Romulo,Leandro Damiao, Oscar, Neymar, Alex Sandro
Subs: Lucas, Hulk, Uvini, Danilo, Ganso, Pato, Nato
Mexico: Corona, Jiminez, Salcido, Mier, Chavez, Herrera, Fabian, Peralta, Aquino, Reyes, Enriquez
Subs: Cortes, Dos Santos, Jiminez, Vidrio, Ponce, Araujo, Rodriguez
As we approached 3 o clock the stadium filled up and soon the teams were on the pitch for the anthems. A huge scrum of photographers in desert coloured jackets scurried around the pitch for a photo opportunity. The teams then seperated and the Brazil team headed towards our end to prepare for kickoff.
Referee Mark Clattenburg blew the whistle but any latecomers would have missed the first shock of the day. Mexico kicked off and passed he ball back to the keeper to launch down the left side. A Mexican player missed the header as the ball bounced over his head and a Brazilian defender picked up the ball before turning to face the touchline. He could have kicked the ball out of play but cut back to slide a shortpass to a team mate, under pressure from a Mexican player. Mexico were quick to challenge and toepoked the ball through to Peralta. He took the ball on the corner of the area in space, took one touch and then fired a low shot. It had enough pace to beat the keeper's dive and enough accuracy to curve into the back of the net after 27 seconds. A stunner of a goal and the quickest that I could recall seeing. It was later confirmed as the quickest goal in Olympic Final history.
Brazil didn't settle after giving the ball away for the goal as Mexico worked hard as a unit to keep possession and frustrate the favourites. The crowd started the first of several Mexican waves to cheer them on. Brazil headed well over the bar from a freekick in the 12th minute and Oscar hit a shot directly at the keeper from short range 8 minutes later.
Despite the samba instruments dotted around the ground, the team had no rhythm. On the half hour Brazil made an early change, Hulk coming on for Alex Sandro. Mexico still looked comfortable as Brazil gave them
too much space, their attacking play leading to one shot fly over and another shot just wide. They had one moment of concern when Hulk let fly with a powerful dipping shot that the keeper managed to keep out before parrying the ball for a corner. This seemed to give Brazil some confidence with a nice pass into the box allowing Leandro to tee up a shot from Marcello into the side netting. Just before halftime Neymar tried a shot from distance but found the side netting as well.
I was expecting Brazil to continue this good period into the second half and Hulk almost delivered a penalty in the first attack, brought down just outside the area. His freekick beat the wall but not the covering defender. On the next attack Neymar hit a rising shot over the bar. Neymar and Hulk created a couple more chances in this five minute spell, more than Brazil had managed in the first half.
The game was delayed for a few minutes after Neymar was beaten to the ball by the Mexican keeper and suffered a blow to the head. He was soon back on his feet and hit another shot over the bar after the ball bounced around the area.
For all the Brazilian possession and improved play in the second half, the final ball or shot wasn't enough to really trouble the Mexican defence. In the 63rd minute Mexico almost added a second at the far end. A defensive clearance was charged down and the Mexican player took it round the keeper. The keeper did enough to push the ball against the striker and up into the air, allowing him to rush back with a couple of defenders. The Mexican player had to improvise to get a shot away and hit a wonderful overhead kick that crashed off the crossbar.
Brazil continued to attack and left space for Mexico to exploit. In the 68th minute a run down the right and a great pass found an unmarked Perelta in the area. His shot from close in beat the keeper but he was adjudged to be offside so the goal didn't stand. Two minutes later and another great chance to extend the lead came from a corner. The Brazilian keeper flapped at the ball and missed it, leaving Fabian with an empty net and a free header that he put onto the roof of the net.
The second goal finally came after a controversial freekick was awarded to Mexico in the 74th minute. It appeared that the Mexican player jumping for the ball had pushed Marcello out of the way but the freekick was given to Mexico. The Brazilian coach was furious with good reason. Ponce put the ball into the area and an unmarked Peralta headed the ball in from the penalty spot to the keeper's left.
The shock result was on the cards but Brazil weren't going to give up the game. Corona in the Mexican goal had to act as a sweeper to beat Neymar to one ball and several corners had to be dealt with. In the 90th minute a long crossfield clearance fell for Hulk who outpaced the covering defender and hit a low shot through the keeper's legs to pull a goal back.
Brazil pushed forward to try and put the game into extra time. Hulk took the ball from a pass before putting a cross onto Oscar's head. From 5 yards out and without a defender nearby, he managed to put too much weight on the header and it went over. Oscar slumped to his knees as he knew he could have got Brazil out of jail with that chance. The keeper took the goalkick and as the ball flew into the air the referee blew the whistle to confirm Mexico as the Olympic champions.
We stayed to watch the teams pick up their medals - one of the longest medal ceremonies with the 3 squads picking up a medal each along with the officials. The stadium was half empty as we left to walk up Wembley Way, revelling in a deserved victory for the underdogs.
It's always been an ambition to see Brazil in a competitive final so I was delighted that they made it through. Mexico beat Senegal in extra time and Japan in the semifinal but were seen as the underdogs, even though they had beaten Brazil in Dallas a couple of months earlier.
We made our way along a colourful Wembley Way with the sounds of a Brazilian samba band in the background. There were a lot of hopeful fans looking for tickets but no sellers in sight. It was fantastic to see the Olympic rings on the stadium above the Bobby Moore statue and we took some photos before heading into the ground early to take in the atmosphere.
When we walked out to our seats I was delighted to see that we were on the front row of the section and next to an aisle - a perfect view of the ground. We were lucky, one couple came in to find that one of their seats didn't exist! The customer service team whisked them off to find some replacement seats for them.
There was a lot of press about Brazil not having won this final before and the pressure was building for the young team with celebrities like Pele flying in for the game.
The Teamline ups were:
Brazil: Gabriel, Rafael,Thiago Silva,Juan Jesus, Sandro, Marcelo, Romulo,Leandro Damiao, Oscar, Neymar, Alex Sandro
Subs: Lucas, Hulk, Uvini, Danilo, Ganso, Pato, Nato
Mexico: Corona, Jiminez, Salcido, Mier, Chavez, Herrera, Fabian, Peralta, Aquino, Reyes, Enriquez
Subs: Cortes, Dos Santos, Jiminez, Vidrio, Ponce, Araujo, Rodriguez
As we approached 3 o clock the stadium filled up and soon the teams were on the pitch for the anthems. A huge scrum of photographers in desert coloured jackets scurried around the pitch for a photo opportunity. The teams then seperated and the Brazil team headed towards our end to prepare for kickoff.
Referee Mark Clattenburg blew the whistle but any latecomers would have missed the first shock of the day. Mexico kicked off and passed he ball back to the keeper to launch down the left side. A Mexican player missed the header as the ball bounced over his head and a Brazilian defender picked up the ball before turning to face the touchline. He could have kicked the ball out of play but cut back to slide a shortpass to a team mate, under pressure from a Mexican player. Mexico were quick to challenge and toepoked the ball through to Peralta. He took the ball on the corner of the area in space, took one touch and then fired a low shot. It had enough pace to beat the keeper's dive and enough accuracy to curve into the back of the net after 27 seconds. A stunner of a goal and the quickest that I could recall seeing. It was later confirmed as the quickest goal in Olympic Final history.
Brazil didn't settle after giving the ball away for the goal as Mexico worked hard as a unit to keep possession and frustrate the favourites. The crowd started the first of several Mexican waves to cheer them on. Brazil headed well over the bar from a freekick in the 12th minute and Oscar hit a shot directly at the keeper from short range 8 minutes later.
Despite the samba instruments dotted around the ground, the team had no rhythm. On the half hour Brazil made an early change, Hulk coming on for Alex Sandro. Mexico still looked comfortable as Brazil gave them
too much space, their attacking play leading to one shot fly over and another shot just wide. They had one moment of concern when Hulk let fly with a powerful dipping shot that the keeper managed to keep out before parrying the ball for a corner. This seemed to give Brazil some confidence with a nice pass into the box allowing Leandro to tee up a shot from Marcello into the side netting. Just before halftime Neymar tried a shot from distance but found the side netting as well.
I was expecting Brazil to continue this good period into the second half and Hulk almost delivered a penalty in the first attack, brought down just outside the area. His freekick beat the wall but not the covering defender. On the next attack Neymar hit a rising shot over the bar. Neymar and Hulk created a couple more chances in this five minute spell, more than Brazil had managed in the first half.
The game was delayed for a few minutes after Neymar was beaten to the ball by the Mexican keeper and suffered a blow to the head. He was soon back on his feet and hit another shot over the bar after the ball bounced around the area.
For all the Brazilian possession and improved play in the second half, the final ball or shot wasn't enough to really trouble the Mexican defence. In the 63rd minute Mexico almost added a second at the far end. A defensive clearance was charged down and the Mexican player took it round the keeper. The keeper did enough to push the ball against the striker and up into the air, allowing him to rush back with a couple of defenders. The Mexican player had to improvise to get a shot away and hit a wonderful overhead kick that crashed off the crossbar.
Brazil continued to attack and left space for Mexico to exploit. In the 68th minute a run down the right and a great pass found an unmarked Perelta in the area. His shot from close in beat the keeper but he was adjudged to be offside so the goal didn't stand. Two minutes later and another great chance to extend the lead came from a corner. The Brazilian keeper flapped at the ball and missed it, leaving Fabian with an empty net and a free header that he put onto the roof of the net.
The second goal finally came after a controversial freekick was awarded to Mexico in the 74th minute. It appeared that the Mexican player jumping for the ball had pushed Marcello out of the way but the freekick was given to Mexico. The Brazilian coach was furious with good reason. Ponce put the ball into the area and an unmarked Peralta headed the ball in from the penalty spot to the keeper's left.
The shock result was on the cards but Brazil weren't going to give up the game. Corona in the Mexican goal had to act as a sweeper to beat Neymar to one ball and several corners had to be dealt with. In the 90th minute a long crossfield clearance fell for Hulk who outpaced the covering defender and hit a low shot through the keeper's legs to pull a goal back.
Brazil pushed forward to try and put the game into extra time. Hulk took the ball from a pass before putting a cross onto Oscar's head. From 5 yards out and without a defender nearby, he managed to put too much weight on the header and it went over. Oscar slumped to his knees as he knew he could have got Brazil out of jail with that chance. The keeper took the goalkick and as the ball flew into the air the referee blew the whistle to confirm Mexico as the Olympic champions.
We stayed to watch the teams pick up their medals - one of the longest medal ceremonies with the 3 squads picking up a medal each along with the officials. The stadium was half empty as we left to walk up Wembley Way, revelling in a deserved victory for the underdogs.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Monday, May 07, 2012
2011-2012 Season Summary
Games seen: 30
Goals scored: 108
Highest Scoring Game: 9 Andover New Street 3.6 Bridport
Lowest Scoring Game:0 Downton 0.0 Amesbury Town, Chickerell United 0.0 Weymouth Reserves, Salisbury City 0.0 Weston super Mare
Goal Average: 3.6
Grounds Visited: 20
New Grounds Visited: 13
Goals scored: 108
Highest Scoring Game: 9 Andover New Street 3.6 Bridport
Lowest Scoring Game:0 Downton 0.0 Amesbury Town, Chickerell United 0.0 Weymouth Reserves, Salisbury City 0.0 Weston super Mare
Goal Average: 3.6
Grounds Visited: 20
New Grounds Visited: 13
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