Clevedon Vets 4 v 10 Easton Monday

8th October, 2023 Clevedon United football club, Clevedon

TEAM: Gabriel, Jason Llama, James Philpott, Craig, Manny, Jamie, James Pills, Stu K, Arron, Morgs, Guy SUBS: Yinka

---

Easton Monday came into this game one the back of a good draw and an even better win so were in good form and also wanting revenge for the 1-1 draw against Clevedon that cost Monday the 22/23 league title. Needless to say, Monday were up for it. Despite this feeling, a little apprehension was in the air given that many first team players were missing from the squad, and we were also playing on a worse pitch than the flat pitch that suits the Monday style of play!

That apprehension cleared within about 60 seconds. Stu K whipped in a lovely cross that Jason L stretched for at the back post and nodded it back across goal to Arron who had an relatively easy header home unchallenged. 0-1

Monday seemed to switch off straight away, being pegged back immediately as Clevedon sliced through the Monday defence at pace to slot home with a neat finish. 1-1

Monday went ahead nearly straight away again with some great pressure on the Clevendon defence from numerous Monday players, for the ball to be bobbled into the box and Arron got away from his marker and slotted home with the ball getting past the diving keeper. 1-2

Back level immediately again with a move from Clevedon much like the first. Same finish. Same player. 2-2. Monday were dumbstruck as to how they could have allowed this to happen again!

Then Clevedon went 3-2 up with a neat move once again. Clevedon's front 3 were playing nicely together and they linked up numerous times before 'Tommy' got one of the quickest hat tricks in Corinthian league living memory! 3-2.

Monday were not disheartened though and quickly drew level again. Neat work from Jamie and Stu to win the ball back on the middle of the park (a theme that would ring true throughout the rest of the half) for Jamie to set Guy on his way down the left. After his usual neat footwork to evade the onrushing challenges, he crossed into the box and there was James Pills with a great half volley finish. 3-3.

Then Monday started to find their groove and started to pull away. Clevedon seemed to have given up a little and as Monday pressed, Clevedon didn't track back and they didn't have much to offer except from their front three.

The next 6 goals (all in the first half still) are a bit of a blur because they happened so fast. In amongst the next 5 goals was a first half 'consolation goal' from Clevedon!

Guy had 2 great goals. One was from him closing down the defender and nicking the ball off him. He then ran straight through on goal and slotted past the keeper. His other goal was from a mazy run that started outside the box. He left 3 defenders hanging before smashing it bottom corner with his left. Great goal and this one made the Clevedon midfield angry with their defence. Jamie also got in on the act. He put his miss from 2 weeks prior to one side and continued his run from a move that he started. It was James Pills running down the left this time to slot across the box to Jamie for the simplest of tap ins. Pillsy also got 2 more to complete his first half hat-trick. One was a like-for-like goal to Guy's slotted finish. He stole the ball off the defender and ran through on goal to sell the keeper a dummy and finished in the then, open goal. His best of the game came when he found the ball at his feet just outside the box and with his left foot, he curled it round the keeper and in off the post. A very satisfying finish. 4-8.

Half time

The feeling at half time was a little weird. Monday kept checking the score with each other as it didn't seem real. Not only had we scored half of the amount of goals in one half, that we had scored in all of last season, but we had also conceded more than half than we had conceded all of last season. Very strange and it felt a little like kids football!

The 2nd half started in much the same fasion as the first, except without the goals. Clevedon were seeing a tiny bit more possession, but not much, and it was all Monday. I think Clevedon had either given up, or gave up, straight after James Philpott, stepping in from the O50s squad hammered a header home from a neat Pillsy corner. Great corner and great finish. 4-9

The next 20 minutes were all Monday but without any goals. There were numerous chances but the heat of the October day and the sapping and heavy grass pitch were taking their toll. All the front 6 had further chances to score but there were great saves from the Clevedon keeper, poor finishes from Monday players, and generally missed opportunities

Yinka came into defence with Manny giving way due to a hammy issue. He slotted in nicely down the left to help Guy out.

As if Monday weren't out of site enough, they soon made it double figures with about 5 to go. Arron had acres down the right (as their left back had completely given up at this stage), and with the little energy he had left, he crossed it into Jamie for his brace, only for the ball to rebound off him, back onto the defender, who finished it off for us. 4-10

In the dying minutes, Yinka took their man down and a pen was given. Al, on the sidelines, watched on as his brother Gabriel, over from Mexico on holiday - saved the penalty which very much pleased the onlooking supporters.

The game finished in good spirits and Clevedon knew that they had been outclassed from start to finish. A few of the lads even stayed for food in the clubhouse after. A great game played in good corinthean spirit.

MOM - Craig Twyman. Excellent runs and great energy throughout. The only player really not to start flagging