Chew Magna 3 v 3 EM95

4th Sept, 2022 Pensford

TEAM: Sir, Rick, Bri, Alex, Rich, Ben, Duds, Whiskey, Waj, Stu, Tahir SUBS: Yarrow, Drane, Colonel

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With a starting line up of seven (thanks largely to an ever-growing injury list) Monday managed to rustle up a team thanks to a couple of ‘loan’ players from Sister club Red Star (‘I’ll-play-for-anyone-Tahir and his brother Waj,) new recruit Rich Brown who seemed to know half the team from previous encounters and Nailsea OB Whiskey.

The sun shone as we arrived at the pitch which had a slope that required crampons and oxygen to ascend. Chew won the toss and decided to kick downhill, we soon found out why.

The 95ers played some decent football up the slope but largely resulted in a few long range efforts, mainly for Duds.

Chew broke twice in quick succession scoring almost identical goals. Ball over to the left to fairly pacey striker who cut into the box to tee up his strike partner.

It needed a very decent save or two from Sir Lee on similar attacks and then the Monday defence got themselves sorted. Guest player Whisky succumbed to a calf stain after 20 mins and was replaced by Yarrow who lucked out last minute and made it into the squad after a late family re-shuffle.

Half time 2-0 down and overheard their subs saying they needed at least a couple more.

With the slope in their favour for the second half, the 95ers started to press more but couldn't quite find a final ball until Charlton chased what looked like a lost cause, the keeper flapped at it, back off Charlton and over the keeper to make it 2-1.

To increase the pressure they brought on fresh legs in Colonel and Draner (who could not resist despite injury woes.)

The Monday heads were up. Duds sent a through ball for a sciatic ridden Drane to chase. He got passed the left back to see and hear Charlton charging from a long way back. A decently weighted pass saw Charlton take one touch and then a composed finish from just inside the box. 2-2.

Not long after the Chew keeper hit a goal kick a bit short, Drane intercepted with a head down to Tahir, who chested it and laid it off to Yarrow who hit a trade mark annual screamer…top right hand corner from 30 yds. 3-2. As centre back Alex Orozco told reporters after the game… “I was lucky enough to be just behind him to see the ball curve and slot at the top-right corner. A real peach and a sense of justice to turn the score from 2 - 0 down.”

Chasing the game, Chew changed shape and went 3 5 2 with an almost instant result with their striker putting it just wide. Next attack went through the middle with their centre midfielder bull-dozing his way into the box, Orozco stood strong, with years of experience under his beer belly the Chew player made contact and hit the deck. Penalty given. 3-3. In the dying minutes a Chew effort looked like it was in all day long until a big gust of wind and bounce off the mighty slope blew it wide…divine intervention? All in all, probably a fair result and a played in a true Corinthian spirit.

In his post-match interview Alex also added… “The ref was a bit weird, especially when I asked him to wear a yellow top as I passed the ball to him twice because the colour clash (I'm colour blind), but he laughed it off.” Alex had the last laugh though as he found out in the pub after the match that Monday had drawn the game…he thought they’d lost. Mexicans eh…