The Accies continued their good start to the season with a convincing victory at local rivals the Sheffield Bankers. A brace from Chiz and a first goal for Curls settled the affair in an eventual score line that flattered the home team.
The Accies were in amongst the Bankers from the off with a central midfield 3 of Ben, Curls and Big Si dominating their men in the tackle, in the air and on the ground. Ben and Curls combined to release Tommy and he took a great touch before firing into the side netting from a tight angle. Kav picked out Curls from a corner and his header flew narrowly wide as the Accies mounted the pressure.
The goal was coming and it arrived courtesy of a great flowing move. Kav retained possession on the right and worked the ball inside to Curls, who found Ben who played a first time ball into Big Si. Si picked out Stan’s run behind into the left channel and he got to the by-line and pulled a great ball back for the arriving Curls who smashed it first time into the roof of the net. The home team were rattled but a fortuitous break from a throw-in resulted in a cross shot that was only narrowly wide and served to remind the Accies of the danger of relaxing. The defence were well drilled in a central 3 of Bats, Reedy (without hat) and Simon Turner (with bandana) who were easily dealing with hopeful balls over the top and had the hiding forwards of the home team well and truly in their pockets.
Chiz and Tommy were working hard up front and doing plenty of running into the channels and this paved the way for a second goal. Ben found Kav on the right and he played it into Tommy’s feet who held off his man and returned it to Kav in the corner. He cut inside his man and crossed with his left and found Chiz completely unmarked who controlled and turned in one move to drill it into the net from close range. It was all Accies now. Ben, Tommy and Chiz harried the defence into a mistake and Ben pinched it, bore down on goal, could have done roughly anything he wanted to score but ‘squared’ it to Tommy ten yards in front of him and the chance went begging. The end of the half couldn’t come soon enough for the Bankers.
Half time Bankers 0 – 2 Accies
More of the same in the second half with the Accies setting the tempo from the off. Both Tommy and Ben had shots from distance and the midfield continued to dominate their opponents. Stan was working hard and owning the entire left side of the pitch and the Bankers were descending into squabbling teenagers. Then came the goal of the game.
Stan worked it up the channel to Chiz, who played it inside to Curls, who played a simple pass to Big Si. Si found Ben who knocked a driven ball into Tommy whose first time lay-off completely bamboozled the defence as it was laid straight into Chiz’s path on the left corner of the box and he curled a sumptuous first time effort into the far top corner leaving the keeper rooted. “That was worth the entrance fee!” explained Bully from the sides.
The Accies used the rolling subs to good effect with Ryan, Kav, Si, Glendenning and Reedy all interchanging and the game was being seen out in relative comfort. The Bankers first corner of the game though came in and an unlucky Toots palmed the ball onto the centre forwards head who knew nothing about it as it pinged back in off the keeper’s shoulder and into the net. In fairness an own goal was the only way the Bankers had looked like scoring and this proved to be true as in the closing seconds Ryan substituted football for rugby and hauled down their man in the box. Toots to the rescue though with a superb double save from the resulting spot kick prompting Wacker on the side-lines for the home team to have an aneurism whilst miskicking a stroppy swipe at the ball (much to everyone’s amusement). The score would have utterly flattered the home team if they’d pinched that, as it was it remained 3-1 which didn’t really tell the story of total dominance on the day.
Bankers 1 - 3 Accies
