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Rose & Thistle FC 7 v 1 The Lamb (Friendly)
With the first friendly out of the way a few cobwebs were brushed off. Despite training throughout the summer players still need proper match fitness before the season starts. So on rolled the next game, against our old rivals The Lamb. A mixed season against them last year saw us win 2-1 and lose 2-0 against them, always a tough game and today we expected the same.
Manager Davison had the same ol’ problem as last year, well apart from his weight, lots of players not available or were but just hadn’t turned up! For those that fall in to the latter you will struggle to get into the side this year.
Formation set out as against Watchetts 442 but without the Waygood brothers in the centre. The team this week Conetta, Bunce, Gray, Harris, Marshall, Lindley, Miller, S Waygood, Milburn, Scales, Allery Subs..Winnard, Davison, Leach. Buncey still at right back and looking ever more comforatble, Marshall filling in at left back. With Holman out injured and Marsden away Gray and Harris filled the middle of the defence. With Mike Waygood not showing up Pat Miller was drafted into the centre.
1st Half - For a change, I jest, we got off very slowly. The Lamb looked sharper and hungrier than us. And so it came to be that after 5 mins we were 1-0 down. The Manager was looking quite worried as this standard of play we’ll be the whipping boys of Div 2! Thank goodness some normality was resumed as Thistle started to get their game together. Milburn playing well on the left proving that there is life after Gadsen when he’s not there, Buncey getting confident with every passing minute and Gray and Harris being civil to each other! The equalizer came half way through the first half good build up from Miller found a deft cross for waygood to head home the ball. he was upset with so many goals being shinned in last year that now he vows to only ever score with his head! 1-1. Miller was now plying his trade on the right following a switch with him and Awesome, again a combination which worked well. Scales, up front and starting, worked hard and delivered a nice cross right onto Milburn’s head, he glanced it past the keeper and it nestled into the net 2-1 up and deserved at that stage. Allery was showing just what were were missing up front last year, a good strong centre forward who can hold up the ball, turn and shoot. He was unlucky with a couple of strikes, one of which thundered off the bar. A good performance to finish off the half as the whistle went.
2nd Half - No Subs at half time. The manager impressed with the fitness considering the heat.
Second half underway and Thistle in no mood for letting this slip. Any early goal help settle the team, Milburn finding s new lease of life on the left drove over a low ball following a great throw in from Marshall and on the end of it was Scales to bury the ball, 3-1. The 4th was finally added and it was by MOM Dan Allery. His hard work finally paying off after running from the edge of the box and drilled it home 4-1. Thistle’s composure was somewhat disrupted with Capt Waygood getting booked for a tackle, funny that the Lambs defender who ran 20 yards to square up to Waygood got away with nothing. Still another goal was added and this was a peach. A scales corner found Awesomes head, this came out to Shinner who volleyed the ball into the top corner. I can’t really say it was luck, just a very good finish. Leachy had come on to replace Marshall, leachy at centre back for a try out with Gray coming to the left.
Still Thistle kept coming looking for more but The Lamb weren’t keeping quiet, Conetta being called into action a couple of times this half and pulling of some fine saves, buncey battling well on the right and leachy settling quite nicely in the centre. Howevere it was soon 6-1 after Allery’s run came to halt in the box, penalty! A bun fight started as to who should have it, Manager Davison pointed to Miller who sweetly struck it home... not to the amusement of Milburn, Allery or Scales. The 7th came after some more good work by Milburn who passed it through to Miller to finish 7-1.
The game was marred somewhat by the double sending off, something you don’t really want to see in any match let alone a friendly. Gray taking out the The Lambs goalscorer as he started to outpace Gray, freekick. Then the handbags came out with Gray squaring up.. the ref had no choice off they both went.
So with the final score 7-1 a good performance apart from the first 15 mins, we have to go from the off.
M.O.M - Allery and Milburn. Both played very well in their positions and it bodes well for the season. A mention for Buncey as well, a good game at right back. .
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