Sunday 31st August saw The Mighty Plumbs playing their final pre-season friendly against a good, organised team in Solent Vets. A team who could boast an array of talent in their ranks, such as ex-Southampton striker David Puckett.
The Plumbs started the game brightly and played some attractive football with plenty of good passing and moving. The team looked hungry for success, and managed to carve out some good opportunities, although they just lacked the killer instinct and the game remained scoreless for the majority of the first half.
In the 38th minute, rather against the run of play, Solent Vets took the lead after a quick counter attack was well finished off by the striker. Plumbs heads did not go down, however, and they finished the half in the ascendancy.
Half time saw Mike Gailor being replaced by Darren Hooper, after the formers lungs were spotted quivering on the edge of the eighteen yard box.
A rousing team talk given by Plumbs 'Head Honcho' and Derek Acorah/Michael Caine lookalike, Bill 'Not a lot of people know that' Reeve, led to The Mighty Plumbs starting the second half on the front foot. They again showed promise with some good attacks, only to be thwarted by some quality defending by Solent Vets.
The home side then added to the scoreline in their favour after 50 minutes, and still against the run of play, after some defensive pinball in the Plumbs box. It was a sloppy goal to give away, and left The Plumbs with it all to do.
2 - 0 down, and seemingly on the wrong end of yet another whooping, The Mighty Plumbs rallied and produced probably their best football of the game for the next five minutes, ending up with a well deserved goal.
Jamie Percy received the ball on the left, and after cutting inside onto his right, unleashed a right foot daisy cutter shot from 20 yards of such ferocity that the scorch mark on the pitch will be visible for years to come. The ball almost bursting the back of the net as it beat the keeper all ends up at the near post.
Surely now with The Mighty Plumbs in the ascendancy and just getting a brilliant goal, there was only going to be one outcome?
Unfortunately not! Instead of taking the game to their opponents and keeping the pressure on, The Plumbs took their foot off the gas and went to sleep for the next 10 to 15 minutes, allowing Solent Vets to bag another 3 soft goals in the 59th, 63rd and 68th minute.
More substitutions took place with Graham Andrews coming on for Chris Kelly, Alex Valle for Andy Nunn and Neil Pallas for Mark Bettinson.
Now 5 - 1 down, The Plumbs awoke from their slumber and started to get involved in the game again.
Wave after wave of attacking football ensued, and if you had only just turned up to watch, you would have thought the scoreline was in Plumbs favour.
After 76 minutes The Mighty Plumb scored their second after some good attacking play. Some great passing and moving in the final third saw the ball come to Jamie Percy in the box. Showing great awareness he played in New Plumb Graham Andrews who tucked the ball past the oncoming keeper with some aplomb.
The final 15 minutes or so saw Plumbs finishing stronger than their opponents, with some cracking attacking play and a number of howitzer shots raining in on the keeper, who pulled off a particularly fine save from Plumbs Man of the Match, Jeremy Stranathan, who had been all over the pitch from the get go.
It's fair to say that, but for their 2nd keeper, The Mighty Plumbs could and would have deserved to get a few more goals. The scoreline definately didn't reflect the game accurately and Plumbs have a lot of positives to take away from this game, in particular the fitness levels, which seem to be getting there now.
Also a number of good performances, with particular mentions to: Jeremy Stranathan (MOM), Mark Hampton, Andy Nunn, Mark Smithson and Mark Bettinson, all of whom putting in a great performance and giving Bill a tough choice for MOM.
All in all a good team performance, and one to give plenty of confidence going into the first league game of the season on 6th September against Wildern Old Boys.
COYP!!
