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Make up the numbers
By Lawrence Mentesh
It was a late 8pm kick-off for Bonus Weeks against Sidreria
Escondida, a mid-table Team who narrowly scraped a 3-2 win
against Bonus Weeks in the first fixture. Again it was a
chance for Bonus Weeks to start to prove that they are not
just in this League to make up the numbers and nothing less
than 3 points would do tonight.
Missing this week were David Mold and Lawrence Mentesh who
were both away, Jeff Ball who was working, Rich Billam who
came down with man flu ( very serious! ) and Alan Spurgeon
who had an important engagement elsewhere. The squad was
further depleted by several others who didn’t make it on the
night so Bonus Weeks started the match with only 3 subs.
They still had some good quality in the line-up so they were
confident of getting something out of the game but
unfortunately that hope took a bit of a knock after only 10
minutes when a slide rule pass from Escondida set their man
free to escape the last defender before sliding the ball
into the net past the onrushing Carlos Parkin.
A very early body blow for Bonus Weeks but that was the only
goal in a pretty tight first half so the game was set to
swing on a sixpence in the second half. Alan Belshaw had to
leave for work so he was replaced by Ryan Moorhead on the
right wing. This gave Bonus Weeks a little bit of added
impetus and they made this count just 5 minutes in when a
corner from Adam Wilson was headed in by Mark Dooley to
level the match at 1-1.
However, despite a real chance to turn the game around, it
was Bonus Weeks themselves who set about pushing the
self-destruct button to hand the game to Escondida on a
plate. The collapse began on 55 minutes when powerhouse
Nathan Conteh put in one too many heavy tackles and was
dismissed for his second yellow card. He was followed soon
after by the double dumping of Adam Wilson and Adam Tauber,
Adam Wilson receiving a straight red for verbal and
gesticular dissent after he had been booked for a challenge
and Adam Tauber receiving his second yellow during the same
incident as he mockingly clapped the referee for sending off
his loose-tongued comrade.
Down to just 8 men with still nearly 30 minutes left to play,
it was looking pretty grim for Bonus Weeks and it was no
surprise when Escondida capitalised on the extra space and
time with 4 more goals coming in rapid succession. The first
was a low cross which was turned high into the net by the
centre forward, the second was a deft finish from just
outside the edge of the box, the third was a 3 on 1
situation which ended with the last defender being rinsed
and the ball being slid into the back of the net and the
fourth was a result of lost possession 30 yards from goal
whereupon the cheeky striker immediately lobbed the ball
over the head of the stranded keeper who was way off his
line as he attempted to be both a goalkeeper and a defender
at the same time!
With only about 10 minutes left Paul Wells almost stole some
glory for himself when his effort came back off the crossbar
but the glory in the end went to fellow substitute Ryan
Moorhead who obviously decided enough was enough and after
having picked up the ball miles from goal he jinked his way
past 3 defenders before unleashing a great strike high into
the top of the net to make it 5-2. It was a great goal and
Ryan’s first for the Team, let’s hope that he has a few more
of those in his locker before the end of the Season!
Of course, it was too little too late, and the result stayed
at 5-2 to Esondida and another 3 points thrown away. The 8
players who were left came off the pitch absolutely
knackered and it was a real shame that they had nothing to
show for all their hard work.
Despite a very pinickity referee who had less compassion
than Attilah the Hun and more cards up his sleeve than Paul
Daniels it was the players themselves who have to take
responsibility for their actions and who have to shoulder
much of the blame. The day must come very soon when all the
moaning and whining must stop and Bonus Weeks leave the
field of play with all their players intact.
Until they do, they will continue to drop points and will
continue to make a rod for their own backs, but as most of
the Team do manage to keep on the right side of the referees
I’m sure that salvation is only just around the corner and
with 8 games still to go there may yet be a happier ending
to a promising Season that is in danger of petering out into
nothing.
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Trainer/
Coach