FC Village 1-1 Bronze Social
12/05/07 - League

The Village's season ended in disappointment as they let in a very late equaliser and then missed a last minute penalty in a game they should have won by a canter. The Village were hoping to field a near full strength side for this last game of the season but as with most matches this season they just got the twelve that did turn out. The usual suspects were there in Jay, Dava, Nic, Leigh, Lee, Booey, Martin, Mike and Muzza but there was no sign of Sweeney, Colin or Les. Then when both Gav and Ritchie failed to show it was lucky that Maggot got out of his sick bed to help them out. Despite these let downs the team were told to go out and give their all for the final 90 minutes and this is exactly what they did. Before the Bronze could get going the Village took the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated the proceedings and could easily have been three up in no time. The first chance fell to Martin when he cut in from the wing and saw the keeper beat his shot away at the foot of the post. Then Jason curled in a great shot which the Bronze keeper kept out with a great save. Next up was Martin again as this time he was put clean through and saw his shot beat the keeper but hit the post. It was all The Village as both Maggot and Mike saw efforts go just wide as their neat football caused the visitors all sorts of problems and when the keeper dropped Maggot’s driven free kick the incoming Martin saw the rebound hit his knee and go agonisingly wide. How they failed to score was bemusing everyone and when they did eventually score midway through the second half the ref was heard to say ‘that should be 5-0 now not 1-0”. Still they kept up the pressure right to the interval as they forced several corners but they just couldn’t find a way past the Bronze keeper. Half time arrived with the game still goalless and after the turn around it was Bronze who started the better of the two sides and they hit the bar twice in quick succession. Once the Village had weathered this minor surge by the visitors they started to get back on top again it looked as though it was going to be one of those days. Then Steve did well down the left and crossed to Jason some 20 yards out and he fired home a great shot to put them deservedly ahead. Minutes later it was nearly 2-0 as Nick came powering in to meet a corner only to see his volley cleared off the line and over the bar by a defender. Still the Village pushed forward but with eight minutes left the Bronze got a lucky break as from yet another corner from the Village a shot hit one of their defenders and flew straight to a visiting forward. He had plenty of time and space to run down the left and put in a cross which was met at the far post by the player who had been caught offside all day and he fired in a sweet volley for the equaliser. With victory having been cruelly snatched from them the Village then gave one final push for the winner and when Mike was put through in to the box he was just about to shoot but was pulled down. Penalty shouted the Village players and the ref duly pointed to the spot. Having missed their last three spot kicks Booey once more took charge of converting but amazingly he planted the ball wide of the post. A couple of minutes later the ref blew the whistle for the final time this season and it was all over.