SHAMBLES 3 : GREEN MACHINE 4

With The Shambles still on a high following their opening day victory against Horse it was to be an interesting game against former Shambles' favourite Tim "Bandit" - "Saveloy or Kebab" seems so long ago !

Shambles got the game underway and things looked tight from the start with both teams trying to settle down into it.Clint launched a ball down the centre to Simon who could only cut his shot back across the face of the Green area to the far corner which Will could quite not just get to.
Neither team could get a decent string of passes together as it looked like pinball football with the ball bouncing around off one player then the next. A great interception by Will who then tried to feed Simon out wide to the right but the ball was put out by a chasing Green defender.
Neither team at this point could manage to get a shot on target with efforts at both ends screaming up or wide. A miss positioned free kick by the Shambles was pounced upon by a GM defender who passed down to Bandit, who cut it square only to see his unmarked team mate blast it wide! A let off for the Shambles.
GM had a short spell of pressure but still couldnt find the target , raining 1,2 then 3 shots in quick succession wide of the goal each time.
With GM pushing so far forward , Clint spotted Simon on his own in the GM half and launched a great throw down the centre which Simon simply latched onto and steered it effortlessly into the GM goal!

Shambles 1 : Green Machine 0

however , Shambles joy was to be short lived as within 4 seconds of the restart GM were level, a one-two, followed by a toe-poked outside of the foot(if you can do that toe-poking??) shot into the Shambles' net!

Shambles 1 : Green Machine 1

The game restarted with both teams seeming to raise their game and step up a gear. Challenges were a might quicker but  i have to note on each occasion , followed by a handshake, great sportsmanship showed!
A great worked free kick by GM with Bandit finding a fellow GM attacker with cut the ball back in the opposite direction to somehow once again squeeze past Clint.

Shambles 1 : Green Machine 2

A slight panic in the Shambles' defence almost gifting GM a 3rd but thankfully was sent over the bar!
A free kick by Will deep in his own half found Postie's first touch beat his defender only to see the ball roll just into the GM box before he could catch it! unlucky Postie!
Will then picked up the ball himself on the right and , turning his defender perfectly , fired a great shot across into the bottom left hand corner.Av it!!

Shambles 2 : Green Machine 2

G-man , looking like his was cheif air traffic controller almost let Bandit through but recovered quickly to block his shot. A great team move follwed with Worst finding Simon centre pitch , who skipped past his opposite number, played out left to Postie, who hit first time back across field to an unmarked Striker(!) G-man who could just see his shot beat the outstretched keeper but roll agonisingly the wrong side of the post!
Shambles were passing with confidence and with Postie pouncing on a loose ball , passes to Simon out right , cuts back to Worst in the centre,first touch out left to Postie who sends the return ball into Worst's path in front of goal only to shoot outstretched on his right foot straight to the keeper. Wonderfull football to watch!

Half time 

Second half under way and Bandit shoots from the kick off straight into the bottom corner, luckily not the goal but the far corner of the pitch! Shambles seemed the more settled side, defending well and cutting out any potential attack from GM.
Will attempted to shoot from an unmarked centre spot but saw his shot always rising and lifted over the bar.A counter attack from GM needing another great save from Clint to deny a goal.
With the game slowing down and both teams looking a little tired, Worst picks up a rolled out pass from Clint and sends Simon away down the right. The ball looks initially hit too far but the GM defender makes a hash of it and Simon jumps on the chance and buries the loose ball.Hanbags out from Bandit's brother Dan, who boots the ball out of the pitch and through the gap in the curtains! ( That seemed a bit desperate, Dan!)

Shambles 3 : Green Machine 2

GM pushed forward and a great tackle by Andy sends Postie charging forward, who unfortunatly cannot get thr return ball back to Andy waiting patiently on the penalty spot!
GM counter and the hapless attacker can only see his effort bounce back off the post, another let off for the Shambles!
Shambles rallied and were defending well  but a free kick from the top corner was met by Bandit who running on to it, nipped it past Clint to equalise. Good poached goal and a nice goal celebration for the camera! (ok , i did warn Bandit that if he scored a celebration for the camera was actually the law )

Shambles 3 : Green Machine 3

It looked like that was to be it but GM were still pushing and , with Clint's ball to Postie cut out , GM shot wide but the loose ball was not quite dealt with enough by Andy who unluckily had a GM attacker right on his back who nipped in and somehow dinked it over a diving Clint to bounce agonisingly into the Shambles Goal.

Shambles 3 : Green Machine 4

Sadly with only about 10 seconds left on the clock Shambles couldnt do much about the score and that is how it ended.A defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

On the whole some great passing around by the shambles and desrved a draw at least!
As other results went in our favour, somehow, even though we lost we went UP the table to 4th???

Well done to Bandit for a poached win!