Plumtree  2009/2010
EMPAL, West Bridgford, England

Match Report   - Sunday 4th March 2007       

 

Plumtree FC    5   Tollerton Vets   1 

_{(Mark Hawkins 2, Chris Kay 2, Neil Brealey 1)}

  

Another win for Plumtree FC after a tough game against Tollerton Vets.  Tollerton started brightly but were unable to break down a solid Plumtree defence.  Header after header was won by Chris Kay and Scott Craw and Plumtree were starting to look comfortable. Midway through the first half Paul Gray mistook Scott Craws head for the ball and had to leave the pitch looking not unlike John Merrick with a huge lump in the middle of his forehead.

 

Despite being down to 11 players with no subs in reserve, Plumtree took a deserved lead following sustained pressure in the Tollerton goalmouth.  A deep corner by Richard Thornhill was thumped into the top corner by Chris Kay doing a passable impression of John Terry.  Two minutes later, it was 2-0, Tom beat his man on the left wing and pulled the ball back into the centre for Neil Brealey to calmly sidefoot home.  Almost straight from kick off it was 3-0 with a second goal for Chris after good work on the right hand side by Neil.

 

It was 3-0 at half time and Plumtree were looking in control.  A mix up in defence let in Tollerton for their first goal and despite sustained pressure they were unable to score a second.  As the weather made the game more difficult, Mark Hawkins made it four following a hopeful punt down the pitch from John Acaster in goal.  The game was definitely over when Mark scored his second to make it 5-1, lobbing the ball over the keeper after a pinpoint pass from Richard Thornhill.

 

Chris Kay was the unanimous choice as Man of the Match & Neil staked his claim for the worst free kick in Plumtree history.

 

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Match Report   - Sunday 11th March 2007       

 

Plumtree FC    4   East Bridgford Vets   1 

_{(Jason Allen 3, Mark Hawkins 1)}

  

Plumtree extended their unbeaten run to 15 games following a 4-1 victory at home against a fairly average East Bridgford Vets team.  Despite having only 11 fit players and half of the team playing out of position we were always in control and should have won the game by a more comfortable margin.

 

As they say, it was a game of two halves with Plumtree creating enough chances to win 3 games never mind this one.  Jon hit the post in the first five minutes and both Mark & Jason missed chances they would usually have put away after good work by Tom, Luke and Neil.  The defence and midfield kept it tight, winning most of the tackles and headers and the half ended goalless.

 

In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Jason scored a trademark goal from 5 yrds and Plumtree started to settle. Then, against the run of play, East Bridgford equalised following a mix up in the Plumtree penalty area.  After that, it was all one way traffic with Plumtree guilty of over elaboration in front of goal, with numerous chances missed until the second goal was scored by Mark Hawkins and the game was effectively over. 

 

Later in the game Jason scored his second and then completed his hat trick by picking up a loose back pass and beating the keeper from 5 yards.

 

Overall a good team performance and on another day, it could have been a cricket score rather than a solid 4-1 victory.

 

Jason gets the man of the match award after he overcame old age, an injury and a lack of height to score yet another Plumtree hat trick.   

 

 

 

 

 

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Match Report   - Sunday 18th March 2007       

 

Noel Street Blues    1   Plumtree FC   2 

_{(Nigel Gallagher, John Acaster)}

  

Report by John Acaster

 

Plumtree's unbeaten run now extends to 16 games following a hard fought victory away at Noel Street.  The game began in atrocious conditions with a combination of gale force winds and snow.  To boost team morale John Acaster was asked to add his weight to the forward line.

 

The game started slowly with both teams struggling to come to terms with the strong winds and bouncy pitch but it was Plumtree who had the majority of the territory.  Chances were few and far between with the only clear cut chance being carved out by Mark Hawkins.  Following some good skill (and a bit of luck) where he beat three players, he was denied by the advancing keeper.

 

John Acaster had a snap shot from inside the area which resulted in a corner from which Plumtree took a deserved lead.  Jon Atkin played a short corner to Matt Court who swung in dangerous cross to the back post.  Nigel Gallacher leapt like a salmon to head the ball goalwards only to be denied by a tip onto the bar by the keeper.  Just as we were all thinking about another corner, a gust of wind kept the ball in play and kindly dropped it into the Noel Street goal.  The goal was credited to Nigel although John Acaster is claiming it as his belly was nearest the ball when it crossed the line.

 

Now I was always taught at school to be mindful straight after scoring a goal but this did not apply to Plumtree.  Within seconds of the kick off we had somehow managed to gift the Noel Street centre forward a clear run on goal and he calmly placed the ball past the advancing Mike in goal.  No names are required for the mistake, you know who you are Scott!!

 

Half time 1-1

 

The second half began with the Noel Street back four moaning about the change in weather conditions as the gale force wind that had been at Plumtree's back in the first half had suddenly died.  However this did not change the pattern of the game.  Plumtree's back line were rarely threatened except when Mike had to produce an excellent fingertip save following a dipping Noel Street shot.  Plumtree managed to carve out some chances in the second half with both Mark and Luke being denied by the opposing keeper.  With time running out it looked like a draw was on the cards.

 

That is until the Noel Street keeper was finally penalised in the 90th minute (by his Dad the ref) for carrying the ball out of the area.  John Acaster placed the ball down for the free kick and to his surprise no one came over to take it off him. Reminiscent of Beckham against Greece, Acaster curled the ball over the wall and into the back of the net to clinch victory for his beloved Plumtree.  Shocked that the ball had somehow found its way into the net by way of a couple of deflections and fumbles, and filled with joy at scoring his first goal since the age of ten, John ran off in the opposite direction of his team, shirt pulled over his head revealing the whole thing...

  

Despite viewing his contribution to the game through rose tinted spectacles (see report above), John Acaster probably just pipped Chris Kay for man of the match.

 

 

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Match Report   - Sunday 25th March 2007      

 

Plumtree FC    4   Red Lion   1 

_{(Jason Allen 2, Mike Davies, Alex Kelly)}

  

Report by Neil Brealey

 

Plumtree arrived on a mild March morning ready to try and extend their impressive 16 match unbeaten run. Following on from the scrappy 2-1 victory last week, secured only by a thunderbolt free kick by Acaster, manager Atkin decided to keep his options open by selecting a strong squad of 16 players including the returning Davies and Godfrey from recent exile.

As the squad arrived it appeared that Atkin may require all 16 players as Maggs turned up looking sheepish (or, if you like, rough as a badgers arse). Whether this was down to the alcohol or the abandonment of his beloved Irish for a posh option was open to debate.

In the dressing room the inspirational Craw decided the team needed a shake up to boost them into action. Using a tactic often neglected by professional coaches, Craw handed out a wet kit, ensuring that his team would be raring to go come kick off.

As the game got underway Craw’s plan seemed inspired as Plumtree set about Red Lion, not giving them a minute to settle on the ball. Despite sustained pressure Plumtree were unable to get the early breakthrough during a pulsating first 15 minutes. All was to change however as the ever willing Allen made a typically unselfish run off the ball. Allen had provided the space and left it to Davies to provide the magic with a surging run and powerful finish into the bottom corner.

Minutes later the magic was all Allen’s. A flowing team move created the opportunity that Allen dispatched in clinical fashion with a great lob over the advancing keeper. Manager Atkin then decided changes were needed and introduced five key players from the bench. Making the biggest impact was the impressive Maggs, who decided that showboating was required and performed his now famous breakdancing routine as he controlled the ball and confidently dispatched it for a throw in.

2-0 at half time and a very comfortable run out for the Plumtree side with Craw, Kay and Gray all providing such solid cover that Vaughan had little to do in the home team’s goal.

The second half started in positive fashion but the goals weren’t forthcoming. The ever willing right back Brealey tried to change that with a lung bursting run forward (all of five yards) but his rocket of a shot narrowly missed the target from just inside the angle of the box. So with no additional goals after 60 minutes Atkin made his last raft of changes.

Soon these changes paid off with a smart team move finished off expertly by Kelly with a cool finish. At three nil Plumtree could have been forgiven for easing off but that was clearly not in Maggs’s mind as he strode forward from just inside his own half to unleash a thunderbolt from all of 40 yards which had the keeper beaten all ends up but sadly just shaved the bar on it’s way over.

Red Lion then decided it was time to raise their game and they tried their luck with long range shooting, all comfortably dealt with by Vaughan. However some slack marking at the back post provided a lifeline as a confidently struck shot was nearly kept out by Vaughan but just crept into the far corner.

This blip merely prompted Plumtree into upping their game. Thornhill went close after a Maze up through the opposition back line and then Allen restored the three-goal cushion following good work in the Plumtree midfield.

In the final ten minutes Plumtree often went close to extending their lead and following a corner the now free scoring Kay nearly added to his tally with a volley just over the bar.

So a comfortable 4 – 1 victory for Plumtree and a generally impressive performance all round but man of the match must go to Allen for his clinical finishing, although he nearly lost out due to the frankly poor jokes prior to kick off.