Report

The squad was looking a little thin for today’s game against bottom of the league Evercreech, other than Rusty who seems to be putting on weight by the hour. No Chard, no G.Filer, no Bedford, no Higgins, and Boucher was on a plane in Palma trying to make it back in time for the second half. Probably wise that Stevie was driving and not him otherwise we were looking at another crash for the happy couple.
Watsy took an incredibly entertaining warm up which consisted of him telling us how s@*t our opponents were, and a casual walk before an enjoyable ‘keep the ball in the circle game’ which lead to people kicking each other. The game started. And then it was half time. No highlights at all. Evercreech were C**P and we were sinking to their level by being equally as bad. Nick wasn’t really getting the ball in his centre mid role, Fran was frustrated as he couldn’t no his normal 24 laps of the pitch because he had to stick at centre back, Charlie was putting in arguably his worst performance of the season to date, and generally we weren’t very good. Upsetting news was that young Daniel was injured in the 1st half. Because of his lack of height he has to jump about 5 foot in the air to challenge for a header, so when he gets this wrong and he lands on his back, it’s going to hurt. Les came on at right mid to replace him. Rustys mouth was installing confidence in the team, barking orders from between the sticks. Pickford and Deco were both impressing in their attacking roles. The current drug culture that is in evidence at the club is doing wonders to the performances of some of our younger players.
The second half started and straight from kick off we looked a different team. Boucher turned up, blacker than a black pawn from a game of chess and came on for the ineffectual Charles to take up his position at centre back, leaving Fran to go centre mid, Pickford swapping with Nick who was now is his more familiar role out on the left, leaving Deco and Lee upfront. So Boucher came on, and soon after his man got the wrong side of him, ran through and scored! Cheers Bouch. Rusty could do nothing, to be fair Bouch could do nothing, Creech took an undeserved 1-0 lead. This was really the only time in the second 45 that our opponents got into our half.
Before and after the goal it was all Chew. An Oggy pile driver rattled the bar, a moment of pure quality from Les provided what looked like a sitter for Lee but he missed it, a Dawson long ball was flicked over the keeper and into the net by Lee but the goal was wrongfully ruled out for offside. Oggy now was virtually playing as a right winger and supporting the strikers well. Stan was putting in his best shift of the season. Up till now he had been a little like Michael Vaughan’s captaincy for England, obviously a class player but the pressure of looking after others was effecting his game, well today Stan made 133no putting in a cracking performance at centre back. But all the play was coming down the left. Dawson was roared on by the Dandos contingent on the side line, and when he went for glory he cut inside and got tackled, but when he played sensibly he gave it to Nick and everytime he got the ball he skinned every player on the field. I don’t know why the kid ever passes.
Chews deserved breakthrough came with 10 minutes to go. The now much happier Fran turned in the middle and should have played an easy ball to me in acres at left back. Instead he played an incredible 40 yard ball in behind their right back which Nick ran on to and smashed the ball into the top corner from the tightest of angles to score yet another belting goal. Chew don’t score many, but when we do they are normally special. Chew had chances to win it, the superb Deco and Stan linked up with a series of one twos, Stan had a hard but makeable pass to flick it back through to Deco to leave him one on one but he just over hit and the keeper gathered. Yet another corner came in and yet another opportunity for Dawson, with Boucher winning the initial header Dawson challenged the keeper but only went in half-heartedly and the ball was cleared for another corner.
Sadly the Chew boys couldn’t grab that deserved winner and had to settle for a share of the spoils with the Creech who picked up their 1st points of the season. A poor 1st half, a superb second one left us with chances to win the game. We need to start scoring goals. But the commitment levels of the team at the moment are superb and that is partly what is getting us through. Boucher arranging his holiday to give him an outside chance of making the game typifies what Chew Magna is about. Role on Belrose next week.