I’ve Got A Semi

SALADS 7 - 0 DAR UNITED

This week’s cup game saw a thumping win for the Salads, scoring seven without reply against league mysteries DAR United to set up a thrilling battle against PROFA in two week’s time. Despite the away side’s determination to get the game called off, we clinched an important victory in the first of a three game series to keep our silverware hopes alive and well.

After a miserable, freezing cold February, the change in scenery couldn’t be more welcome, as we were greeted by blue skies and a gentle heat from the sun. Each season throws up a different obstacle, but spring games are hard to beat once the ground has had a chance to rest from harsh winter conditions.

DAR’s captain must have also been feeling the sunshine, cheerily threatening “we are gonna beat you boys so bad” as we passed each other in the changing rooms.

This unicorn team had some reason for optimism. Word travels. Despite playing very few games, they had posed a threat to several top sides at our level, including undefeated side Newton City. At the same time, they’d lost three games, including one for fielding an ineligible player.

So, with the captain’s words fresh in the memory, we got into our prep. It wouldn’t be until two minutes to kickoff that he re-emerged with only eight teammates in tow.

As we got into the huddle and final words of encouragement were given, the message was clear: don’t underestimate them, and don’t give them any reason to underestimate us.

Marcus wasted no time in looking to prove a point, going for goal straight after the kickoff, only to see his shot brush the post. Not long after, Jeff bullied the defender off the ball, and crossed to Marcus, whose point blank header forced a superb save from the goalie.

The match progressed strangely. It couldn’t have been encouraging for the lads on the touchline to hear the gaffer say, “are you boys seeing something I’m not”? The truth was, we showed a little bit of complacency out of the gates, despite our effectiveness at either end.

That isn’t to say we were playing badly, or that the midfield weren’t performing. Josh was neat and tidy on the ball; Tim was his usual industrious self. But we needed a bit of a spark. It really didn’t help that the opposition linesman’s arm was their best defender on the pitch.

I will say this for DAR though: they play nice football. Despite having to grow into the game literally, their bench filtering into the match throughout the opening 20 minutes, their possession play was at a good standard. We quickly understood why they troubled teams at the top.

Despite this, it would be fair to say that Oli’s morning was a quiet one. A headed effort from a corner was the only real threat to his clean sheet all day as the defence did well to quash DAR in our defensive third. Adam forced his opposite number to give up after just 25 minutes, winning every battle he faced with ease for a stellar performance. Alan had possibly his best game in the black and blue, winning every header and dominating 50/50s on the ground.

At the other end, the goalie was using up more of his nine lives. A mad scramble from a corner ball forced another excellent reaction save. This was quickly followed by yet another effort from Marcus, whose shot was blocked off the line by the keeper.

Rory then pounced on a loose ball, and squared it back. Watching his sixth shot on target stay out of the net, all good enough to go in, it was hard not to feel for Marcus.

Luckily for us, a gift arrived shortly afterwards. Playing out from the back, DAR’s defender put a haphazard pass directly into Rory’s path. Taking it down the right hand side, shimmying past the centre back, he tucked the ball in the back of the net from a tight angle. 1-0.

Despite looking like they were about to lose their heads, the opposition stayed resilient and tried to get back on the ball. For a while, it was unclear where the direction of the game was headed. That was until the right back made a critical mistake: he tried to stand Jeff up.

Going toe to toe with a former sprinter is rarely a good idea. Jeff tore down the left and laid off Marcus. Shifting his momentum onto his right, he pushed the ball in front of him and smacked it into the top right corner from just outside the box. 2-0. Richly deserved, with a finish to match.

Less than a minute later, 2-0 became 3-0. Heads down, DAR lost possession cheaply. A supercharged Marcus won the ball back, turned to return the favour to Jeff, and he wasted no time cutting in to score.

The break arrived and DAR’s protests to abandon ship continued. On our side, it was business as usual. For Jeff, business as usual means goals, one way or the other. Making his trademark run down the left, his cross hit a divot and the keeper fell foul of the turf in front of him. Dan, typically imposing all game, made a late run and made it 4.

We rotated, and the game lost its discipline on both sides of the ball. The remaining highlights included Joel grabbing a fifth, running half the length of the pitch before cutting in and slotted into the near post, past two players for a brilliant solo goal.

Former manager and Salad staple Jack saw a return to action in his favoured position at the no. 9 role, and was looking like he may have added to the scoreline when a fair but robust challenge with the keeper left him on the floor. It was an unjust end to a glittering career in the black and blue.

Rory won, and subsequently converted, a penalty. I actually don’t remember what happened with the last goal, but I know Rory was the one who scored it.

In the end the game sort of stumbled to a halt. We’re pretty sure the ref ended the game a bit early, for all our sakes. I had a laugh with their captain. It’s all good. They were definitely one of the nicer teams we’ve played and I look forward to the first of two rematches.

That makes it 8 in 9. Our semi final game comes in a fortnight, against tough opponents PROFA. If you want to be at the top, these are the teams you gotta beat.

We’re up for it.

MOTM 💫 = Rory scored his 50th goal in just his 57th appearance, and continued to bag a hat trick for good measure. He is elite. Alan and Dan were also very solid contenders for their standout performances.

DOTD 👀 = I am sort of scraping the barrel here, but Alan’s toe-poke clearance at the start of the second half wasn’t his best effort. Their captain deserves a mention too. The dog that walked onto the pitch straight after the sixth. The player that asked for the game to be abandoned because of it. Their linesman who was slow out of the gates and walked the entire width of the pitch - whilst the game was in play.