Nailsea 1 v 1 EM95

March 17th, 2024 Nailsea

TEAM: Sir Lee, Teague, Bri, Craig, Neil, Yinka, Stu, Manny, Rick, Morgs, Sheri SUBS: Alex, Berridge, Colonel

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RESPECT RETURNS FOR THE 95ers

On a bright Sunday Morning the Mighty Mondays arrived in Nailsea knowing that defeat would put an end to their Championship hopes and leave them facing a trophy-less season.

The 95ers were still licking their wounds from the cup exit earlier in the season with their worst display in a few years. 

Nailsea seemed fully loaded with a full bench and the Mondays had a silent determination about them pre match.The team looked confident in blue until the kit clash meant they had to wear tight red tee-shirts, which a majority of players struggled to squeeze into.

Yinka, captain for the day won the toss and chose to play against a slight wind.

Monday got off to a pretty untidy start when they allowed their left winger to latch onto a rather hopeful ball knocked down the left flank, which uncharacteristically wrong footed the retreating Neil and permitted them to finish for an easy first goal of the game. 0-1.

As Morgs told his billions of TikTok fans… “We had plenty of possession, various chances coming fast and furious, and overall felt that we were the better side playing the better football.”

Monday reacted well and took the play to Nailsea with many notable tidy half chances. Yinka had a stone wall penalty not given (Chew ref would  have given it all day long) as Yinka told his adoring fans after the game… “The ball ran lose on the right and I managed to run across in front of the central defender and control the ball in the box, then bang, strong shoulder, arm, leg…who knows what barge/push that sent me flying to the ground…penalty surely, but no, ref not interested, just the goalie looking at me with a smile saying ‘now that was a penalty’” 

Yinka was making great incisive runs down the left channel, skinning his man repeatedly, and the Monday were unlucky not to convert when Morgs let a clumsy first touch deny an easy cut back being put away for the equaliser.

Craig had sussed out the Nailsea pace man and from hence forth was like shit to a stick, he might still be in his pocket today?

The half time oranges were truncated with a proper team talk for once, with the defence calling for more energy from the attackers and the attackers asking for better quality of ball, and the midfield insisting that the wide channels were open and that we needed to play football from the back (ala Pep), to control the game and take advantage of the big pitch.

The second half started brightly for the 95ers, with Manny’s words ringing in the ears of the team, the ball started to be played to feet from the back allowing them to exploit the gaps being left by a tiring Nailsea team.

Subs Rick and Berridge came on, the latter returning from a long injury lay-off only to last a couple of minutes before something pinged ending his comeback hopes.

Monday continued bossing the game but without any 100% nailed on chances. With possession figures going through the roof, Alex and Yinka were finding space down both flanks.

Some of the football at times (in between a few crap moments) was like watching a geriatric Harlem Globe Trotters as the 95ers pinged it about with neat one two’s.

Then the moment came which Stu described as the best team goal ever from the Monday and like Holland at their best in the Van Basten/Gullit era. Twenty two total team passes later Sheri headed it neatly in after a cross from Manny 1-1.

Monday pressed for the 3 points but Nailsea were still a threat on the break.

Yinka went on one of his class runs down the left and was in the box, having had no joy with his crosses first half he decided to shoot missing the post by a yard, it was not meant to be.

Neil hit the post from a Sheri lay off, Morgs got blocked out from a Sheri lay off as Nailsea threw their bodies at everything.

With time running out Yinka had another opportunity, with the ball at his feet the defender made a rash tackle kicking at his calf, a definite foul, possibly a penalty as he was just in the box, a cut just above his ankle to confirm contact and…..play on…..another massive let off for the Nailsea boys.

Overall, a great competitive game played hard but without nonsense. Special mentions to Craig (who had an outstanding game at the back, marshalling the defence and keeping a very good Nailsea Striker quiet) and the Midfield duo of Manny and Stu (for controlling the Midfield and being the fulcrum that was needed to keep the ball moving).

Whilst it was difficult to argue that the Mondays weren’t the better side over the whole 90 mins, hats off to Nailsea for sticking to their task and playing the game in a good hard, but fair and competitive way.

After the game Sheri told his press conference… “I think we edged the game but had failed to 'eat our dinner’ but our style of play and quality at times meant we got their respect back from the opposition after our last poor effort.”

This was confirmed when the Nailsea boss commented after the game… “It was a tight game that both teams might have nicked although Monday dominated much of the possession. They are a quality footballing team”

MOM - Yinka