Match Report

Match : 2nd XI v Ballynahinch
Date : 2001-09-22
Venue : H
Score : 3-7
Scorers : Young(2), Irwin

By 2nd XI Captain

On Tuesday night there was 17 (Soupy was even on the bench), on Wednesday there was 15 (no reason for panic). On Friday there was 13 and on Saturday 11.30am there was 12. But on Saturday at the time when it mattered most there was 10.

Missed messages, broken promises and aching hearts all resulted in the 2nd eleven taking on the might of Ballynahinch with one arm tied behind their back.

In a mad dash from the countryside came the guts of the team to give the six cavaliers a glimmer of hope, then in the distance a flash of green & white in the car park, hurdling cars, pushing toddlers to one side, evading joyriders in Iceland car park he came with the speed of a hunting hyena it was the one and only Tom Watson, the colossus on which this team would be built.

Soupy was now confident that the eagerness and vitality of EAHC could even the scales in our favour and so the game began with 11 against ten and with only one umpire. All credit to B/hinch for agreeing to this arrangement.

The game began with EAHC being pinned in our own half for long periods and after twenty minutes of sustained pressure a short corner for B/hinch produced the game's first goal. Giant Haystacks, who had came out of retirement to play center forward flicked the ball from the top of the circle, skilfully spinning and bouncing the ball so it hopped over Leitch's stick just as it seemed his pace had got him in a position to clear from the line.

Just as Bob Bishop phoned Matt Busby and said those fateful words "I think I have found you a ?." On Saturday we witnessed the debut of Philip from BRA, who claimed only to be able to play center forward but slotted into right midfield and had what must be one of the most impressive debuts I have seen in a green & white shirt, working tirelessly, skilfully and unselfishly for a full 70 minutes. Long may these performances continue. He must be good because Paul Reid even passed to him on more than one occassion.

It was he who was instrumental in the immediate response to the oppositions goal, excellent link up play down the right a solid cross and there was Aaron(Van nistelroy) Young to slip it into the net past the despairing dive from the keeper. Self belief was ringing around Ballysillan and the 2nds took the game to B/Hinch, laying on the pressure for long periods. But then we went and got a short corner. This was quickly hashed and B/hinch scored quickly on the break. Again the 2nds reacted strongly and went and got another short corneer. It couldn't happen again, IT DID, a short corner wasted and a quick goal on the break. This was amazingly repeated before half time and the 2nds went in 4-1 down.

Soupy was very calm at half time and offered gentle encouragement to the team, merely instructing them to not win any more short corners.

Aaron got another goal and Philip got his reward for a hard days work but alas B/hinch scored 3 more goals in the second half to run out comfortable winners.

Cookie made numerous excellent saves to keep the score down and Mark McDonald stifled their right winger for much of the game Watson & Leitch used their experience to control the game whenever possible, Soupy ran away from Giant Haystacks at every opportunity and left him lonesome to score his hat trick. Paul Grant showed once again why his transfer value rises quicker than the price of Rambos pizzas. Paul Reid somehow has learnt how to pass and Aaron & Eddie Baird were quite simply brilliant up front. Young maybe should be Man Of the Match with two goals but I feel for true effort and never giving up Philip is this weeks Main Man.

The 10 men who gave everything on Saturday have reason to be proud, the effort and passion must come before the results arrive. If the effort and passion is in the same amounts every week as it was last Saturday the results will surely follow and the winning days are not too far away.

G Cooke
T Watson
P Leitch
M McDonald
S Campbell
P Grant
P Reid
P Irwin
A Young
E Baird

Phil Irwin