After a significant delay, an extensive warm up and a delivery of shirts for the opposition from Stan’s wife that no doubt resulted in him sleeping in the shed; the game finally kicked off at quarter to 4. The Early Grey lads probably wished they hadn’t bothered turning up as the Accies ran rampant pretty much from the start.
Both Bri and Dan Kav got plenty of the ball out wide and a couple of early crosses came in that the not very confident looking keeper managed to fumble away or just about gather. Bondy and Jacko looked comfortable at the back and Tony was also seeing plenty of the ball, knocking it simply into Jamie’s feet or up the line to Dan Kav. On ten minutes Stan played a ball into Jamie who turned his man and powered into the box, his cross shot was blocked by the keeper but fell kindly to Dan who had made a run to the far post to earn the simplest of tap-ins to open the scoring. Grey looked rattled and one or two stiff challenges started coming in as they chased Accies shadows, Matt G being on the receiving end of most of them and their centre halfs trying and failing to make Jamie’s life uncomfortable. A great move led to the second goal. Tony and Dan exchanged a couple of passes, with Tony then finding Jamie’s feet up the right channel, he laid it off to Dan who ran forward with it before playing a one-two with Jamie that put him through on goal; Dan then UNSELFISHLY pulled it back for Swifty to make it 2-0.
With virtually the next attack Bri and Stan had worked the left channel with the ball finding Swifty who ran across the edge of the box before slipping the ball to Dan; he tried a one-two with Jamie but the ball came straight back to him and he ran into the box, shimmied past the keeper and slotted it in for his second and the Accies third goal. Five minutes later Stan played a ball into Jamie who turned his man yet again and this time the shot had too much power for the keeper as it was drilled into the bottom corner. 4-0 now and the Accies were cruising. Grey were not having a good time but did catch the Accies on a counter and won a penalty as Seamus dived into a challenge in the box; their midfielder making no mistake from the spot. But the Grey luck was compounded as their useful centre midfielder had to swap with the goalkeeper having pulled his thigh in the challenge from Shay and effectively ending the contest as he could barely move.
Half time 4-1
The second half started brightly again and it felt like it was only a matter of time before the Accies would add to the scoring. Dan but a good ball in for Swifty but it just wouldn’t come down for him; Bri also but a decent ball across that narrowly eluded everyone. Then Bondy knocked a ball over the top that beat the offside trap and Swifty had all the time in the world to run on and smash the ball into the corner. The excellent Matt G harried the opposition into a mistake and knocked it inside for Dan who’s first time pass split the defence and sent Jamie racing clear; but he almost hit it too well and it flew narrowly wide of the top corner. Shay made a terrific run down the inside channel and received the ball from Dan then cut it back across the face of goal but it just missed everyone. The Academicals were creating chances at will. Bri put an excellent cross in for Jamie who’s bullet header flew into the top corner after excellent work by Stan and Shay on the left initially, great goal for 6-1. Then Swifty ran clear but a bit wide on the left and opted to shoot from a tight angle when he had a screaming Dan Kav FREE IN THE MIDDLE…. The shot dribbling hopelessly wide…. ;-)
Hodgy, Daz and Bully came on for Dan, Shay and Jacko and made an instant impact. Hodgy played a ball across the box and Swifty completed his hat-trick at the far post. Then it was role reversal as Swifty played a ball across to Hodgy to tap in at the far post on the other side. Tony and Matt combined down the right to release Hodgy and another good cross found Daz but the defenders just managed to crowd it out. Fair play to Grey as they kept going.
Out of nothing Daz picked up a loose ball just inside his own half and went on a mazy run that beat 4 or 5 players before turning his final man in the box whilst shaping to shoot then slotting it past the defenceless keeper to score the goal of the game; like watching Ronaldo for a brief moment. VERY brief. ;-)
Grey scored a consolation as the Accies momentarily got caught forward and their tired looking forward did really well to keep his composure, turn back inside and slide it past Godders. It didn’t take the shine of a solid effort all round and a good victory.
Full time 9-2[Report by Dan Kav]
