Collins 3-0 Storesnay

Match report by Terry:

Even before kick off the game had that end-of-season feel about it…. Glorious weather and far too many smiles and jokes among the players warming up for it to be anything other than a kick about in the sunshine. The manager obviously thought so too, deciding to make one or two fairly radical “tactical” changes to the starting 11, including playing himself up front as a loan striker. Without the in-form Caj to call upon, it was obviously a desperate measure in a desperate moment….

Magog started between the posts, a new look back four found El Doctor slotting in beside James in the centre, with Dan and Mike in the full back roles. Cedric wide right, Humberto wide left, Micky Stubbs and La Maquina in the centre, Richard up front, with Walter just behind in “the hole”.

The first 15-20 minutes were far from entertaining, with El Collins struggling to play with any great fluency as the players settled in to the new formation, although Cedric continued to look good in his new role and looked our one real threat for much of the first half. The game was at best scrappy and very little for the fans in the stand to get excited about. However, slowly but surely things began to fall into place, we stopped hitting long, hopeful balls, began playing more controlled football and started using the wings. Humberto began to impose himself on the left, and Micky and Victor totally dominated the centre of the pitch. Things were looking good.

And so it proved when our domination of the ball was translated into a goal for Walther.

The second goal came courtesy of some good build up play, and was neatly turned home by Humberto.

2-0 to the verdiblancos at the break, and time for a reality check for our new star centre forward, who promptly found himself replaced Brendan. Not as easy at it looks playing up front for The Collins I suppose. Mike came off to be replaced by Terry at left back.

The second half began as the first had finished with El Collins looking to get the ball down and play football whenever we could. The sun was starting to take its toll with the game slowing down and space becoming more readily available. The football improved and rarely did the defence have too much to deal with, although Magog did produce a couple of good blocks, in between shouting “Terry tiene dos” about fifty times at the top of his voice!!

Richard came back on to the field in place of the exhausted Walter, and one or two half chances went begging as we looked to turn our possession into further golas. However, just as the game seemed to be petering out, Humberto sprung to life out on the left following some good pressuring of the opposition, and following a Lio Messi-esque mazy run into the penalty area, with a trail of sweating Storesnay players breathlessly panting in his wake, he managed to keep a cool head to back heel the ball to Brendan, who coolly slotted past the keeper before Richard could get to it to blaze it over the bar from 8 yards…. 3-0 to The Collins had a better and truer look about it, and was a fair reflection of how we’d been able to control most of the game.

Next up the touring side from North London, and one last league game before we pack our little red Speedos and head off to the coast for the summer. Let’s try to finish the season on a high, and build up towards next season which will hopefully bring bigger and better things

Vamos Collins!!!