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Game, set and Match!
By Lawrence Mentesh
After dropping 2 points last week Bonus Weeks needed to do
better today against Hermanos Jerez, a Team who beat them
6-1 first time around although that score certainly did
flatter them. However, although the sun was shining it
wasn’t looking too rosy for Bonus Weeks who, like the first
Game, were missing several players with Adam Wilson and Adam
Tauber both suspended, Rich Billam back in England, Mark
Dooley still injured and Lawrence Mentesh otherwise disposed
in a tennis tournament in Calpe.
With both of their main strikers missing, Bonus Weeks opted
for a 4-5-1 formation, hoping to win the battle in midfield
and maybe snatch a goal or two when the chances appeared.
For the most part this tactic worked well and Bonus Weeks
enjoyed most of the possession in both halves but again they
just couldn’t turn this into goals.
Hermanos Jerez, on the other hand, are always a very
organised Team who know how to take their chances and they
made sure of the first goal after 20 minutes when Dave Mold
was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball from a shot at
goal. The resulting free kick was clinically taken by Jerez,
the strike being tipped onto the crossbar by the fingertips
of keeper Carlos Parkin but unfortunately rather than come
back out again the ball went down and in over the line.
Jerez doubled their lead not long after following a mix up
in the Bonus Weeks defence which presented the ball to the
opposition who duly took advantage of their gift to stroke
home goal number 2.
Against the run of play Bonus Weeks found themselves in
familiar territory with something of a mountain to climb but
their plight was made even worse in the second half when an
alleged high foot in the area led to an in-direct free-kick
being awarded only 12 yards out from the goal line. Bonus
Weeks covered the full length of the goal with bodies but it
wasn’t enough to keep the free-kick out as it had enough
power and height to evade everybody, including the keeper.
Now 3-0 with less than 30 minutes to play it looked all over
for Bonus Weeks but with about 10 minutes to go debut
signing Cameron Parker found himself being tugged down in
the Jerez area which gave the referee no choice but to award
the penalty and the chance to redeem some pride for all the
Bonus Weeks effort. With regular penalty taker Ross Musk off
the field of play and feeling a bit worse for wear after his
birthday celebrations the night before it was left up to Gaz
Walling to step up to take the kick. Unfortunately, despite
Gaz striking the ball decently enough the Jerez keeper
guessed the right way, managing to get down quickly to his
left to block the shot away to safety.
So, there was to be no happy ending to another frustrating
Match for Bonus Weeks but they will have to look to
themselves to work out a way to turn all their excellent
possession into something more substantial than just minutes
with the ball. What they clearly need is a Wayne Rooney
knocking about in Benidorm to come forward and give them a
hand in finishing off all the opportunities that they create!
Who knows, with 9 Games still to go such a character may yet
still turn up!
On a happier note, Lawrence Mentesh and his wife Barbara did
end up winning the mixed doubles tournament after a
thrilling 3 set battle with the unbeaten favourites,
eventually claiming the last 2 sets 6-3 6-4 after they had
suffered a 6-1 drubbing in the first set. Tennis eh, funny
old game!
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Trainer/
Coach