Pure battle to take outstanding 3 points on the road from Colwick... A quick note on the first league game 2 weeks ago where as we got humiliated 11-3 by one of the lesser teams in the league, there was no detailed write up. Just to say Thorpey scored 2 great goals and Ben opened his account for Pure with a header. 3-2 down at half time, we thought we were going on to win it but had something of a capitulation and were embarrassed in the end. However we did get a strong first quote of the day for the season from Shane as Des was wondering where our match ball was, he asked what colours the ball, white? On to this week, following a bye in the cup last week, our second league game would take us away to Colwick to face The Vale-quite a fancied team in the league and this was there season curtain raiser so they seemed up for it. Our preparation wasnt ideal on the morning, Des having 10 men and waiting on Richy P to turn up, who was late but said he wouldnt be...(more on that later...) A half fit Greg arrived to watch with the still suspended Callum and duly kitted up to play in Richs absence with a very much dodgy calf. Des started in goal behind a back 3 of Daz, Gums and Greg. Scholesy anchored midfield behind Woz and Swinny with Luke and Nathan wing backs. Ben made his first league start up front with Thorpey. Rich was named as sub for when he bothered to turn up! We made an uncharacteristically strong start, taking the game to the home side. Gums marshalled the defence superbly, speaking well and holding a strong line. The boys up front were causing headaches for the back four from the off running their socks off. It was in midfield where we were dominating to such an effect that our taking the lead was inevitable. All 5 midfielders were playing with confidence and none more so than Woz as he picked up the ball a good 30 yards out and sent a rifle of a right foot shot through the despairing keepers grasp and in off the bar for a stunning opener 10 minutes in. The goal our start had warranted. We didnt have it all our own way, Vale were a good side and gave us plenty of tests but we defended excellently and kept our own pressure on them. At around 20 minutes, Thorpey would strike a second blow to the home side. Picking up the ball on the left touch line just inside the Vale half, he made one of his unstoppable runs bursting past 3 Vale players and still quite wide left fired an incredible left foot drive past the keeper into the bottom right corner for 0-2. Lukes 3rd league goal of the season already. Vale came back and had pace wide and up front. They werent going to let us run away with it. We had to keep our concentration. On the half hour, they did strike back with an annoyingly soft goal. Their left back had been getting forward well with Nathan tracking him well but on this occasion he managed to disposess him and get a back post cross in where the smallest striker in Vales side met it with a soft doenward header that crept in off the post agonisingly. Nothing Des could do but a bit our first bit of poor defending all round had cost us. But we kept at it, Vale picked up some momentum from their goal but we got to half time 1-2 with a shared possession and chances falling to both sides, our clearest coming from another Thorpey burst into the box but a scrambled save from the keeper prevented a further lead. Half time came and went with a positive spin...Wed played one of the best halves of confident football Pure have played in a while with all 11 genuinely having a strong game. We went out feeling good and knew we would be tested defensively but were ready for it. Rich had turned up 15 minutes into the game by the way, following a stop off for a Mcdonalds!!! took his time getting ready then had a face on as he was still on the bench...unbelievable... Greg even got are you coming off yet? at the interval... Anyway...the second half was a fiery encounter with great battles all over the pitch. Chances came to both sides again, our best a clear one on one for Ben following him slipping through an offside trap but he couldnt bend his shot round the keeper. Des was having a great game and stood up to every test from Vale. The ref was being called into more and more action and gave Woz a dubious yellow card for a first bad foul. A punishment not replicated for Vales central midfielder when he tried but failed to rip Thorpeys leg off! We battled so well in the second half, the midfield were superb. Swinny Woz and Scholesy were in a real dogfight but handling themselves more than adequately. Probably slightly against the run of play we would deliver a hammer blow of a 3rd goal. Picking the ball up around 30 yards out on the hour, Luke bent a gorgeous shot originally aiming 5 yards wide that curled round into the inside of the right hand post bouncing off the diving keepers back and dropping into the net for a beauty of a third goal. Technically an O.G. but a much deserved credit went to Luke for a cracking strike. Greg gave way to Richy P on 65 minutes, a straight swap on the left of the back 3, at least he stopped moaning for a while...we had a lot of defending still to do. Vale threw everything at us and sensed their pressure might force goals. Their second would come with 15 minutes to go from the penalty spot. Gums challenged their captain who had got his cross/shot away and was deemed to be late and illegal...I felt it was soft and a bit of a gift from the ref. They scored the penalty and pushed for an equaliser. It heated up a bit more and Vale pushed everyone up, even the keeper at the end but we held out with a duprrb defensive display, epitomised by Dess last gasp save from the last shot on 90 minutes. He got down to his left to preserve our win with a great piece of goalkeeping. An absolutely fantastic win away to a strong side, all 12 players were superb and any hangover from our first game is surely banished. From front to back we outplayed Vale and came away with a much deserved 3 points. Moment of the match: has to be Wozs 30 yard strike off the bar and in... Quote of the day: Thorpey, youre up front with Ben...whos Ben? Pure man of the match: honestly a struggle to choose...midfield were amazing, Des had a great game but we probably would have not won the game without Gums and his outstanding performance at central defence so he gets it.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 18:50:31 +0000
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