U.S 2 v 3 Stokes Valley Delaney pk #2 01.08.09 2.30pm

Five minutes of poor play by the Stallions late in the 2nd half saw Stokes Valley edge out a fiery and spiteful game 3-2 in the final div 7 game of the regular season.

1st half

We kicked off but they had U.S camped in our own half for the early periods of the game, we defended really well while they were struggling to get their act together, the pressure was all on them, they needed a win to claim the div 7 title so we wanted to make it as hard as possible for them, we began to find our feet moving the ball relatively well around the park and after absorbing the pressure we were the first to get points on the board.

1st goal

We were awarded a corner (that's about all we'd get awarded by the ref all day)
Rauru took it from the left hand side of goal, I was standing in front of the keeper on the line blocking his view as was one of the Stokes Valley defenders, Rauru curls the ball in and I leap up to try to nod the ball into the goal it goes just over my head and Rauru's ball curls beautifully into the back of the right hand corner the keeper never saw it, a tremendous goal and put the Stallions up to a shock 1-0 lead after 10mins

That meant more pressure for Valley and the were letting it get to them,they were getting forward really well but our full backs notably Graham who was having a Stallion like performance and butch combined with the wide midfielder's of Joe and Spencer were doing really well at forcing them out wide and into silly mistakes.

2nd goal

We got another corner same side taken again by Rauru, same set up I was on the keeper, as Rauru sends the ball in the keeper shoves me out of his way I'm pushed to just outside the 6 yard box the ball from memory was parried out and my dipping head nodded the ball back between a couple of Valley players and the goalie into the net giving U.S a 2-0 lead 15mins gone

We made a few changes after that goal with rolling subs it allowed Robin to come into the game for his first start of the season and Tangi to make his first appearance since the Elite game some weeks earlier.

Their 1st
Valley were desperate to get back into the game and after some pressure on U.S they were awarded a couple of corners, one the ball was delivered into our box and cleared out well although not so well as it was picked up by a valley player out on the right hand side of goal and from about 25 yards rifled a ball at lightening speed just over my head and through the hands of a dispairng Ben Brooks to get the valley back in the game with a great goal and plenty of time to go 2-1 30mins

The rest of the half as did most of it really would carry on with both sides trying to play neat football ,although they really do have some whinging mo fo's that #16 skins and gloves wearing nob end, man I had great fun dishing back the verbal abuse on that moaning git and his mate #9
they turned up thinking they'd won the game already, cocks.
I'm not taking an angry man either, I was just giving it back both barrels, that shut him up almost every time, then he tried it on with a few more of U.S Panda was probably the last person you'd want to take on.

Anyway halftime 2-1, we were still in this.

2nd Half

They kicked off and we spent the first 15 -20 minutes on the front foot, we got forward well we were defending strong plus we put pressure on them and they were putting a bit of pressure on themselves,we were awarded a couple of corners and were unlucky not to nick a goal here and there but we just couldn't break them down.

We began to drop away a bit the last 25 minutes and a silly errors or options caused U.S to gift the game back to Stokes Valley

Their 2nd

They had made a foray down our left flank, Gus was playing left back and I missed the crucial moment, but, he tried to take the Valley player on 5 yards off the goal line 5 yards in from touch the Valley player gets the ball puts it into the box and it goes past a diving Ben Brooks to an unmarked played who stuffs it into the net 2-2 70mins

really poor goal to give to say the least but heads up were still in this game

Their 3rd

See it happened so quickly, again we were put under some pressure, Panda had the ball at the top of our 18 yard box and was forced back to try to get the ball away but he couldn't get a clean hoof on it the ball pin balled around a bit then a Valley player latched onto it and sent them into the lead 3-2 75 minutes gone

The Stallions beginning to fall apart at the back.

The game would carry on and began to get more feisty and verbal as the valley side tried to hold on while we tried to get an equaliser their #16 was at it again with his mouth so more verbals were had between him, me and Jason who waded into the argument late on in the game.

With 10 or so minutes still to go and U.S now piling on the pressure to get an equaliser, we pushed forward and won a corner, Jason went up from defence to try to help out and was so unlucky, the ball ended up at his feet and his shot had a bit too much on it going well over the bar.

Retreating back Jason and their #16 had a few words which looked to be quite pleasant until the Valley player got upset at having Jason through his shoulder around him and rub his head with his hand (you know the father and son type head rub) the Valley player tried to take a swing along with another player as I held the two of them back the rest of the teams came together and to diffuse the situation and make it impossible for U.S to draw the game the Valley ref blew the final whistle with some 5-10 minutes still remaining.
We were shafted from that perspective but I knew we were going to have a tough day of it, they would do anything to win that game at any cost.

Stokes Valley winning 3-2 and claiming the div 7 title at the same time

See you in the cup.

Stallions : Ben Brooks,Mike,Jason,Corey,Graham,Spencer,Ben Hodges,Gus,Joe,Tristin,Rauru
Subs: Robin,Tangi,Panda

Goals : Rauru 10mins,Corey 15mins
Valley 30mins,70mins,75mins