Cold winds blow wildly
West's warriors march forward
A Welsh dragon slayed
Bristol & West (2s) 5-1 Penarth
Following the apocalyptic conditions of last week, it seemed like the 2s might enjoy some respite as sunshine greeted the players at the Ridings. This was short lived however, as stormy conditions provided the backdrop to another scrappy victory against a persistent Penarth side.
Without the wave of inspiration provided by last week’s rugby result to ride on, the team were solely reliant on a questionable compilation of the squad’s music selections for motivation in an eager pre-match changing room.
A number of early spurned opportunities set the tone for a frustrating afternoon in the opponent’s D, but the free-scoring 2s weren't to be denied for long. a penetrating pass found Josh Tester who expertly dispatched a power-drive from the top of the Penarth circle for a 1-0 lead. The second followed shortly after, as Dan Lusmore rounded the keeper with a deft touch to slot the ball home for 2-0.
Game 6 brought with it the return of a prodigal son in the form of Phil Brown who was kindly lent to the 1s to help them negotiate their first few games. Following a textbook baseline run from Josh Tester, Phil “The Assassin” Brown ghosted into the D and took aim for a double tap: 1 shot to the goalkeepers foot, a second to the back of the net. 3-0.
Before the half time whistle, Penarth's direct approach paid off. An aerial beat the press, a long ball cut through the midfield and a possible mix up at the back gifted Penarth a lifeline as the teams went into the break at 3-1.
Sensing some half-time frustration, Si “Captain Fantastic” Barrett quickly reminded his troops that we were winning and succinctly identified the areas we needed to improve. The result was a far more convincing second half performance, which on another day might have led to a bigger scoreline.
On this wet afternoon however, there were to be only two further breakthroughs. A potentially controversial finish from Dan Lusmore (which may or may not have found a foot in the process) and another through-ball finding Tester who finished from the right.
As the game drew to a close, 5-1 was possibly a fair reflection on the match. A sixth goal (a back-post deflection into an empty net for example) would have been perhaps a little unfair on a hard working Penarth side who are surely set up for a strong season.
Any disappointment with the scoreline at the final whistle only points to the high expectations that come with a successful start to the season. With 6 wins from 6, Bristol & West 2s continue their perfect start as we venture over the bridge for our first challenge in the principality next weekend.
Man of the Match: Pakchum "Patch" Tse
Written by D.O.D.: Joe "JJ" John