With barely a week to get over the New Year's Eve hangovers, the Mighty 2s faces the prospect of a double header of rearranged fixtures.
Saturday 6th January
Bristol & West 2 [5-2] Clifton Robinsons 4
Report by Joe John
The first opponent came in the form of an always strong Clifton Robbies, who turned down the opportunity of playing us in December for fears of a small patch of ice an otherwise typically pristine Mangotsfield surface 🤥. Allocated a later slot after a B&W derby and our 1s, there was no threat of a frosty reception this time around. The 2s were fired up and ready to bring the heat to start the new year.
A slightly amended line-up: Tom "Care Bear" Faerber was doing a job for the 1s this week so we welcomed Lus back into the 2s. It didn't take long for Dan to find the chink of an opportunity as he fired a low reverse into the net to put West 1-0 up.
But the lead didn't last long. Josh De-Skip mis-controlled a pass to see the opposition striker run clean through on goal for an equaliser (as long as you don't do that tomorrow Josh...).
But there was time before the halftime whistle to get our noses back in front. A through ball was passed to Dan at top-D. Sometimes it feels like time stands still in the D and everything slows down. Sometimes it's just Dan Lusmore on the ball deciding whether to pass 😜. But eventually the pass came and stretching on the reverse, Joe tipped it over the line.
2-1 up at half-time and playing well, coach Mouse had a few words of encouragement to send us back into the fray. But it was Clifton who drew first blood in the 2nd dispatching a well-worked 2v1 opportunity. 2-2.
This was the spark the boys needed - the intensity increased on and off the ball and we suffocated Robbies of any chance to go into the lead. Lus replied with a drag-flick of is own and a second reverse, before poaching a shot from Leo to bag 4 for the day.
at 5-2 up, there was just enough time for yours truly to get on the end of an Orange counter attack, take a first touch to set up a reverse shot ... you know what ... the rest is just details! The story is, we won the game. Job done. Onto tomorrow.
Goals: Lus (x4), JJ
Cards: Lus, Josh, JJ
MOM: Lus
DOD: JJ
Over to you Rob...
Sunday 7th January
Keynsham 1 [3-3] Bristol & West 2
Report by Rob Hazelwood
This Sunday, for the second game of 2024's opening double-header weekend, the 2s made the short trip along the ring road to Keynsham, where they would face the newly promoted team. After a great result against Robbies the day before Bristol & West were in great spirits and couldn't wait to get the game underway.
The jubilation continued when, a few minutes in, West won a short corner. Up stepped Dan Lusmore who sent a drag flick into the top-right corner, leaving the keeper rooted to the spot, 1-0.
Sadly the good times couldn't last and Keynsham quickly equalised, but West rallied and were able to grab another before the break, Josh Cooper jabbing in a loose ball at the back post.
The second half began poorly as a long arial from the opposition was miscontrolled by skipper Josh De Witt, directly into the path of a Keynsham forward who didn't need to be asked twice to stick the ball in the net.
With legs beginning to ache and the game in the balance tempers soon began to flare with cards following. A yellow was handed to an opposition player who took offense to a robust challenge from eventual Man of the Match Gary Iles, and our own Charlie Grant saw green after reacting to a Beckham-esque kick out which was unfortunately missed by the umpires.
Keynsham soon nicked a third goal, leaving West heading into the final 10 minutes facing the prospect of defeat and a return to pre-Christmas form. However, there was still a twist in the tale as Dan Lusmore, finding himself with the ball in the D once more, hammered it home, scoring his 6th goal in 2 days.
A final push in the last 5 minutes from West came close to taking all 3 points, with the best chance falling to Ollie Johnson, who’s deflected effort went millimeters wide.
The final whistle brought the game to a close at 3-3, with West earning 4 points from a possible 6 over the weekend, not a bad start to 2024.
Goals: Lus (x2), Cooper
Cards: Charlie
MOM: Gaz
DOD: Rob
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