[ Football's equivalent of the X-men ]
     

 

 


The Match Report


This is the page where a report will be published of the latest team match. The first one will be of the Thursday night match on 1st September and expect regular reports as the season starts.

 



Wonders 'boldly go where no team has gone before' in taking Division One top-spot following Scrumpy domination


This week J.R.'s One Shot Wonders took on established Division One outfit Scrumpy Jacks as they attempted to take pole position in the fledgling league table. The season so far had gone favourably for the Wonders, with 3 wins and the best goal difference in the League, the only disappointment being their close 4-8 defeat to the Dairymaids. However, J.R.'s had only beaten teams of Division Two class in gaining their impressive league position, with their convincing 15 goal wins leaving One Shot somewhat disillusioned as to their real performance so far this season. With the match against the Jacks, Wonders were looking to prove that they had what it takes to mix it with the top teams in the Division, and they looked to do it with a solid 7 man line-up, including Ash Tuck who was in the squad following the collapse of international travel plans. Also, for the first time in their history, the team were wearing the same kit, although unfortunately the team now bore a striking resemblance to the cast of Star Trek. But would this new unity in appearance bring a unity in performance , resulting in a victory that would see J.R.'s leading the competition as the season rolls on into March?

The first indications were that this might just be the case as the starting five of Clint, Chambers, Scott, J.R.and Chaplain established an early monopoly on the play as the match began. Not only were the Wonders asserting themselves well against this experienced and formidable group of opponents, they were actually building up a huge advantage before Jacks could even stop to consider what they were dealing with. Early goals from Chaplain, Scott and Dean saw One Shot take a startling 6-0 advantage within the first quarter of an hour, and this impressive feat of scoring was not pure fluke. J.R.'s were positively overwhelming the opposition, and Scrumpy Jacks were simply not able to deal with the movement and pace as One Shot attacks flooded the state of the game.Wonders were also showing composure in defence as well as attack as the Jacks attempts on goal dissolved into nothing against the impressively mobile and disciplined One Shots back line. The introduction of Tuck into the game only strengthened the Wonders' superior play, and J.R.'s came into the half-time interval with a solid 7-1 lead, with the Jacks' only goal coming through a solitary penalty.

As the second half got under way, Wonders only tightened their grip on the game, with a series of stunning strikes by Chaplain, Tuck and J.R. leaving Jacks nonplussed as to how they were going to possibly salvage a result from this game. However, they did get some joy as the match progressed, with the Wonders' comfortable hold on the game leading them to relax in defence. The discipline of the One Shot back line broke down, with some sloppy marking and confusion in the centre resulting in a number of Scrumpy Jacks attempts on goal. This lead to the opposition clawing a goal back, but some impressive keeping by Clint and a number of last minute blocks prevented the opposition from truly establishing a foothold in the game. In fact, the lull in their play only encouraged the Wonders' to redouble their efforts, and some trademark, composed ball retention in the closing minutes by Team Captain Chambers saw J.R.'s close out the game with a brilliant 13-2 victory.

And, immediately following our game, the league leaders Dairymaids lost to the Seven Amigos, and Wonders rose to top position in Division One for the first time in their existence. And with the least goals conceeded, the most goals scored, and the best goal difference, Wonders have established themselves as one of the leading teams in the division this season, and a truly formidable match for any one in the league. Up the Wonders!

Final Score:     J.R.'s One Shot Wonders     13        Scrumpy Jacks      2         

 



Cup Heroics signal Wonder's epic potential


This week, J.R.'s One Shot Wonders appeared in the season ending Knockout Cup, hoping to cap their impressive league win with a strong showing against the best Division One has to offer. Since these are the teams Wonders will be facing off against next season, the night's progress would give clear indications as to how suited One Shot were to the step up in class. However, Wonder's quarter final opponents The Dairymaids didn't show up for the first match, and J.R.'s were given a by into the semis. An easy ride you might say, considering that their first round opponents similarly neglected the tie. But Wonders now had to square-off against Scrumpy Jacks, who had finished fourth in a tight Division one, and would surely give the team a true test of their abilities. The match started with J.R.'s boasting an 8-man strong squad, with an impressive starting line-up of Chambers, Tuck, Chaplain, J.R. and ever-present Clint beginning the fixture, while Boulton, Higgins and Jess anticipated their chance to impact upon the night's proceedings from the sidelines.

Match Report 1: First half One Shot bludgeoning leaves Jacks shame-faced 

J.R.'s One Shot Wonder's debut in the cup began at an excruciatingly fast tempo, the speed, power  and superior movement of the experienced Division One outfit shocking the Wonders into early scrambles in their own half, to prevent a destabilising early goal. Scrumpy Jacks were definitely pushing One Shot to the limits, with sharp shooting requiring Clint to be on his game from the start. Wonders though, with their trademark tenacity and individual talents, were not about to let themselves be dominated. Both J.R. and Team Captain Chambers were displaying a desire for the ball, and subsequently gave the Jacks little time to settle in the early stages. And with possession rising, top scorer Alan Chaplain and Tuck utilised their skill with the ball at their feet, to engineer an opening for Chaplain to put J.R.'s in the lead with an impressive strike past a bewildered goalkeeper.

While this inevitably provided Wonders with a newfound belief that they could win this match, the conventional observer would have surely thought that they couldn't keep it up. How could they, a mere outfit of youths in their Cup debut , possibly sustain this effort, against a renowned side with years of experience? Of course they would fold! But no, J.R.'s continued to assert their piercing dominance, the team's impressive movement shredding a confused Jacks defence, resulting in Higgins and Chairman Dean slotting away 3 further goals. J.R.'s One Shot Wonders were 4-0 ahead and comfortably so, with opposition attacks petering out against a powerful One Shot back line, Chaplain, Chambers and Clint easily brushing away the threat. In the end, Wonders closed the half with an outstanding 5-0 advantage, and the team's spirits were higher than ever.

But rather than resting on their laurels, J.R.'s looked to sustain the pressure with a discussion of tactics at half time. Too much respect was still being shown to the opposition, and Boulton's designated responsibility to hold the ball up and push Jacks back was being hampered by him not being in a position to receive the ball. So the half started with Wonders looking to build upon the strong foothold they had established in the match, but with both Chambers and Chaplain taking a well deserved rest, the task became more difficult than it seemed. With no recognised man sitting back, Scrumpy Jacks were soon beginning to trouble One Shot with increased incursions into the Wonder's half. Clint was being forced to pull off fine saves as the number of 2-on-1's in the defence multiplied and eventually Jacks were able to claw two goals back to make the score 5-2.

However, with the replacement of Chambers and Chaplain, and the continued pressure on the opposition defence, J.R.'s were able to stabilise and managed to draw out the game to 6-2. With a brilliantly fought victory under their belts, Wonders had cause to celebrate. But now with the prospect of a Cup Final against Division One champions Seven Amigos looming in half an hours time, J.R.'s One Shot Wonders began to contemplate the chance of winning their second piece of Silverwear in only their debut season. But to do so, they would have to complete the toughest test the team had ever been forced to take, in the season finale...............      

Final Score:      J.R.'s One Shot Wonders    6         Scrumpy Jacks     2

Match Report 2: Amigos rampage overwhelms resistant Wonders


And so, with the ultimate prize of the Knockout Cup beckoning, J.R.'s One Shot Wonders seeked to replicate the standards set in the first game, in order to stand a chance against the formidable Seven Amigos. The team put out the same starting five, in the hope of taking an early lead, that they believed they were well capable of holding......................To be continued, again

 



Wonders secure Promotion in Earth-shattering domination of Jocks


May 8th, 2006, J.R.'s One Shot Wonders arrived  at Thornbury Leisure Centre knowing they would only need 1 point to secure promotion to the illustrious 5-a-side League Division One. However, going into this crucial fixture, all was not well. Top scorer Chaplain was in Manchester supporting a lesser footballing side, defence linchpin Martin was out with injury, and Dan Boulton had unfortunately turned up....... in black daps. Honestly. Anyway, Wonders did have a strong squad as the match began with Clint, Arron, Ash, Dan and J.R. starting out-pitch, with Ash Higgins and last minute replacement Tom Goldsworthy looking on from the sidelines. The same could not be said for Jocks, who only had 5 players, and no recognised keeper.

The match began positively, with One Shot establishing positions within the opposition half early-on, allowing goalkeeper Clint to feed balls in to the feet of the Wonder's attack. This initial pressure quickly paid-off, as Team Chairman J.R. slotted two shots into the corners in quick succession, giving the team a vital lead to build upon. Play remained tight at the back as well, with few shots finding their way through a blockade of One Shot bodies, the ones that did only to be comfortably gathered by the unflustered keeper. Wonder's domination continued, as they took their goal tally up to 3, with Jocks only managing to find the back of the net once.

However, on the ten minute mark, disaster struck. Clint, diving low to deflect an oncoming strike, landed heavily on his hip and did not get up. The referee immediately stopped play, with the only option being that the injured goalkeeper leave the pitch, a task in itself made difficult by Clint's worrying difficulty walking. So, for the second time this season, Wonder's had been deprived of their first choice keeper. But this time, the team were allowed to replace him, and so stepped up J.R., who had performed decently in goal in Wonder's disappointing first few games, to face up to the Jock attack.

As One Shot were forced to deal with this troubling setback, they found themselves under pressure from an unexpected source of aggravation, diving and play-acting from the opposition. Obviously unable to deal with the problems of actually playing football, Jocks soon began to go down to seemingly innocuous challenges, and then proceed to nurse imaginary broken legs in a most appluadable dramatic fashion. And as you'd expect, Wonder's reaction was to give them something to actually hit the ground for. 'Seemingly innocuous challenges' turned into a firm use of the wall and the player's body to make a point, and Jocks soon found themselves limping rather than skipping away from a One Shot challenge.

Aside from J.R.'s now increasingly physical tactics, a fluid passage of play was developing, sparked by the understanding between the players and an increased amount of space opening up in the middle of the pitch. This resulted in Wonders carrying a 5-1 lead into the break, with stand-in keeper James performing admirably in adverse circumstances. The second half began with words of encouragement emanating from the opposition ranks, but they were not to know of a threat that would silence them even before 5 minutes had gone by, for Chaplain, fresh from a 3-hour car journey, had appeared in time for the second period. Shooting, previously a notable problem in the J.R.'s performance, would soon receive a huge boost, and the Jocks challenge would surely dissapate. However, this tale was yet to take another turn as this crucial encounter rumbled on.........     

With the 2nd half kicking off, Wonders did indeed start to enjoy the fresh attacking impetus that top scorer Chaplain brought to the game. However, the second period was altogether a different proposition for the team, as Jocks added their own set of fresh legs to the game, 2 players entering mid-way through. Not only did this give the Jocks some much needed rest, but it also provided them with a new fluidity in their play. Their passing game appared to drastically improve, and without Martin, who is normally expert at cutting out passes through the defense, One Shot were being forced deeper and deeper. Luckily though, stand-in keeper J.R. was continuing to surprise, pulling off saves more spectacular than the team had any right to expect. And as always, confidence at the back spreads through the rest of the team, as shown by Wonders stretching their advantage to a dominating 8-2, with J.R. only conceeding the solitary goal.

As the match drew to a close, Wonders too were fatigued. However, surely by an act of god, or a hastily placed telephone call, Youngy appeared to fill in the injured Clint's place in the team. And with his trademark thundering long range strikes, and a continuingly solid performance by the rest of the team, Wonders closed the game out comfortably to win 11-3. With the 3 points in the bag , Wonders finally had finally achieved their much deserved promotion to the big time, the Thornbury 5-a-side League Division One. But that was not all. With league leaders 'Made It This Far' losing 16-6 to Globo Gym, the gap at the top was now only two points. What had seemed impossible, for Wonders to win the league after a mid season stumble, was now within reach, especially since their rivals are playing Pitch invasion in their final game, one of the toughest teams in the league. If J.R.'s can win against Purified Belters in their final league match, it will all come down to the subsequent 6 o'clock kick off, to decide who will be holding the Division Two Title at the end of the season. Stay tuned.........

Final Score:        J.R.'s One Shot Wonders    11        Jocks    3           

 



Knockout Cup sees greatest ever match as Wonders decimate oposition on way to finals


The Infamous Thornbury 5-a-side League Knockout cup, where teams from both leagues face-off in 20 minutes of football frenzy, today hosted the rising stars of the global 5-a-side scene, J.R.'s One Shot Wonders. Commentators on an international level have now for months been describing J.R.'s as 'Wonderful', 'Out of this world', 'fantastically-named', and tonight Wonders did justice to those glowing descriptions. The team arrived for the game with a look of pure determination as they walked onto the pitch in full kit, wearing red face paint to match the fire in their eyes, the teams opponents 'Purified Belters' edging slowly to the door as they contemplated their fate. Only God, and the team themselves, could possibly know the amazing feats that were to be exhumed upon their hapless opposition...........   

Unfortunately, dear reader, this is all a load of rubbish. Purified Belters never turned up, and Wonders won 5-0 by default. We will go on to face Division One side 'Dairymaids' in the Knockout Cup Quarter Finals. But let me assure you, loyal fan, that I believe the above is a completely accurate prediction  of what would of happened if the match had gone ahead. It's not my fault Purified Belters weren't there to prove me right!

 



Depleted Wonders bite back in fiery encounter


J.R.'s faced off with the struggling and poorly named Marlwood Crusaders in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Severnside complex, as they looked to keep pace with leaders Made It This Far as One Shot roll on into the 2nd half of the season. The recent victory against Pitch Invasion had seen spirits rise after hard times had left them with a 2 point deficit to make-up. The squad arrived with Ash, Dan, J.R., Arron, Alan, Clint, Jim and stand-in Ian, looking to squash an opposition that made little account of themselves in their previous encounter. However with Alan fatigued from intense dedication to the beautiful game, it was up to the young founder members of the team to take the responsibility as the match kicked off with the ever reliable Clint in goal.

Despite their confidence, Wonders found it slow going in the opening minutes as neither side could find the opening goal to spark proceedings. J.R.'s were forced to contend with a side that were displaying a kind of skill unseen in their last match. With Martin out with illness, Arron, as the only one with defensive experience, took the role of sitting back and collecting the ball from the darting Crusader attack. However, this lead to a tendency for the ball to get stuck at the back, and sluggish movement meant Marlwood had the opportunity to exploit space  in the One Shot defense, forcing some fine saves from Clint.

Unfortunately for the encouraged Marlwood, Wonder's class was always going to shine through, and their trademark passing play saw Ash and James craft an opening for Tuck to slot past the unexperienced keeper. In fact, Crusaders lack of a permanent, decent keeper meant Wonders could score freely without the normal input from Chaplain, an advantage that was soon exploited when Dan rolled a ball from out wide to Chairman Dean in the centre, who only had to turn and strike with confidence to double the lead.

Marlwood were slowly coming to terms with Wonder's pacy runs through the middle, and Alan came on to add something else to the equation. The teams gently chipped away at each other, with a steady exchange of goals that saw J.R's hold their advantage to 4-2. Worryingly though, Marlwood were playing more and more in the Wonders half, and continous pressure on the One Shot back line started to cause frustration as players bacame aggravated at lack of marking. Luckily, the introduction of Ian provided new impetus to the Wonders attack, as his solid movement and fiersome striking of the ball gave Wonders the 3 goal lead they would need as the half drew to a close.

With a commanding hold on the game, One Shot looked to increase their advantage and bag the 3 points. However, the new half saw a new strategy from Marlwood, one of physical pressure. They adopted a no-holds barred approach, slamming the Wonders into the wall, chipping away at the legs, buffering their way through the centre. This resulted in the play encroaching increasingly into the One Shot half, but with the kind of tactics Marlwood were using, you can expect a team proven to be able to close out games and now experienced at holding the ball up at the back, to deal with the threat. Indeed, space became precious around Clint's goal as numerous shots were tracked and blocked with the kind of venom that defines commitment.

J.R.'s could put their weight about also, and defensive rucks were emerging as tugs of war. With One Shot reasserting their dominance, a few key passes, bypassing the inert Crusader back line, sliced open the lightweight goalkeeper's cover of the goalmouth, leaving the fiersome strike of Ian and James to drive Wonders into a domineering 7-3 lead.  The game continued  as J.R.'s seeked  to now hold-off an increasingly discontented Marlwood team, but the pace of the youthful opposition was now starting to test the fatigued One Shot squad, and two quick goals drew agitated glances form the sidelines as the score closed in to 7-5.

However, decent goalkeeping and Arron's encouraging reliability with the ball in defense saw Wonders close the game comfortably to keep pace with their top-of-the-table rivals.

Final Score:       J.R.'s One Shot Wonders   7        Marlwood Crusaders    5

 



Chambers masterclass sees Wonders soar in 2nd straight victory


J.R.'s One Shot Wonders have high hopes for the season, and after tonight's performance nobody can dispute that they might just be on to something. The match began in some panic, with James Dean stuck in traffic and fears that they might not have enough players. But these fears were short-lived, with Wonders able to call on a full compliment of 8 players at the start of the match. The starting line-up was decided with composure, energy and physical presence in mind. Ash, Arron, Jess and Martin filled the outfield with Clint coming into the goalkeeping position, and Alan, Dan and J.R. looking on from the sidelines.

The opposition began the match with a reputation for having a depth of pace and skill, and Wonder's were fully prepared for what was to come. This was easily evident in the opening stages. Jess Tuck was showing 'Pitch Invasion' what he was all about, tough tackling and a reckless disregard for the spirit of the game. One Shot were going to give as good as they got in the physical department, and not let the opposition get the upper-hand in the first few minutes. This attitude was compounded as Ash Tuck and Team Captain Chambers displayed some great passing and movement, causing a few holes in the opposition defense which the team exploited to the full, culminating in a commanding 3 - 0 lead in the first ten minutes. J.R.'s were high on confidence, and the powerful structure of the squad was showing through.

However, as the half wore on, Pitch Invasion quickly cut down their disadvantage to restore the game to 3 - 2. The early match buzz seemed to be wearing off and Wonders decided to make a substitution. They were setting in for the grind that the Thornbury 5-a-side Division 2  is known for, and both Alan and Dan were quickly on their backside. What was obvious though was that J.R.'s could handle the pressure of maintaining a lead. Solid defending, impressive shot-stopping and a consistently high work rate saw Wonders extend their lead to 5 - 2 as the half came to a close, their powerful performance characterised by the screamer Chambers scored on the stroke of half time, demonstrating the many aspects to One Shot's team.

Half time saw a positive attitude, but a caution from Arron's Dad, acting as manager, that they were running around to much, when they should be slowing down play and saving their legs, was well-received. The second half started calmly, both teams looking to refine their first half performance in an attempt to establish some dominance in the game. The two sides were chipping away at each other and the score for both sides was rising steadily. A cheap goal, however, worried Wonders with Pitch Invasion breaking from the restart to score from a difficult angle to bring the difference between both sides to one goal.

One Shot kept their composure though, demonstrating that they've got what it takes to fight back from setbacks in a tough division. With Martin off the pitch, Jess had to improvise in the covering defensive position, but took to the task well, allowing Ash, Arron and Alan to settle into their slick, free-flowing football and giving Wonders a solid lead that would see them out to the end. With the match drawing to a close, J.R.'s decided to make the opposition fight for the win. With Arron and Martin exchanging neat passing at the back, Pitch Invasion were forced to press the defenders, but were constantly shot down when the ball went back to the goalkeeper and they were forced to retreat as the ball was swiftly played to darting forward players, causing panic on the break. When the final whistle blew, it was obvious Wonder's had dominated the opposition and thoroughly deserved to take all 3 points.

What was important about this match was that it demonstrated Wonder's had the quality to take on the best in division, and it also showed the strength, depth and quality of the squad. After relying on Alan last week with his five goals to win match, all of the players showed that they had something vital to bring to the team, with the goals spread evenly and some great performances from players such as Chambers, showing any one of the team has the ability to take the game to the opposition.

Up the Wonders!


Final Score: J.R.'s One Shot Wonders   8       Pitch Invasion       6

     

 



Sponsors


 



J.R.'s future bright as first league match goes off with a modest 'bang'


The season got off to a great start for the Wonders with a well fought victory against a team not totally without their threats. The game looked in doubt when Wonders couldn't find enough players to take part at first. Ashley Tuck had come down with a case of glandular fever, Ashley Higgins was living it up in Florida and Jess Tuck was still recovering from his injury. Luckily, Team Captain Chambers got his dad to play, who brought along somebody else for good measure, meaning J.R.'s started the match with 5 on the pitch and 1 player in reserve.And Ash decided to come along anyway, for moral and spiritual support.

The match started brightly for the Wonders, with Martin sitting back to protect the goalkeeper and Arron and Alan exchanging some good play to cause some concern in the opposition defence. One Shot were somewhat surprised by 'Made it this far', with their pacy runs and solid passing posing a formidable problem to the Wonder's defence. But while they had numerous opportunities to get themselves off the mark, some wayward shooting and effective goalkeeping from J.R. Dean allowed Wonder's to focus on their attacking play.

The consistent attacking play paid off, with two goals from Chaplain putting Wonder's into a deserved lead. Chaplain's form was to prove critical as the match progressed and some fine shots into the corners of the goal, combining precision and power, were too much for the opposition goalkeeper. However, 'Made it this far' used their strength and power to batter the 'slighter' members of the Wonder's team, and this created some head way in the defence that they exploited to bring the score back to 2 -1.

One Shot pressure was making life difficult for 'Made it' and this became apparent when one of their players played the ball inside their own penalty area, resulting in a Wonders penalty. Team Captain Chambers stepped up to take it. The pressure was on, the lights were glaring, the crowd were staring, Ash Tuck was swearing but Chambers confidently slotted it to the right of the keeper, summing up the dominance of Wonders in the first half.  

The teams continued to chip away at each other, with the half ending 4 - 2 in favour of J.R.'s. Still, tough words were said at half time in an effort to boost the team's performance. Dan Boulton was told that his continous runs down the walls were making the job easy for the opposition defence and that he should come in side. He replied that he was being made to run around too much and wasn't getting a job done for the team. Overall, the team agreed that they wern't communicating well enough, with the most vocal of the players being the 'incapacitated' Ash Tuck, who had been raving on the touchline for the entirety of the first half.

The second half began, and it soon became apparent that the situation had changed. 'Made it' with a fuller squad and less fatigue were more dominant in the second half, as Wonders struggled to get to grips with their pressure on the ball. Wonder's attacks came in the form of fluid movement on the break, with players floating in the centre of the pitch before breaking against the opposition defence. This depended on getting the ball out of the defence, which was proving a problem, with the opposition closing down One Shot in possession.

Wonder's did have some luck though and they proceeded to create more opportunities as the half went on. One incident of J.R.'s fortunes was when Dan, running down the right, received the ball close to the opposition penalty area. With no option to shoot, Dan, in a moment of pure fluke, back-heeled a pass totally unsighted into a gaping hole in the centre of the pitch, where Alan Chaplain ran in to take what looked like a certain goal. However, with the ball bobbling and Chaplain unable to get his shape right, the shot was scuffed and rolled into the relieved keeper.

As the match drew to a close, Wonders made a substitution at 7 - 6 to J.R.'s and with 4 minutes left on the clock. Dan went off for Jim, and Wonder's prepared to draw out the win. It was a nervy ending though. While One Shot did their best to keep possession and frustrate the opposition, chances still came in what seemed a never-ending-tide for 'Made it this far'. Shots went wide, hit the post and cannoned into the ceiling, and J.R. Dean, out of practice and out of fitness in his recent month at College, pulled off a spectacular diving save to keep J.R.'s in front. Then, on what was now a trademark break, Chaplain fired a shot in from medium range that beat completely the stranded goalkeeper, securing a deserved 8 goals to 6 victory in favour of Wonders.

After the match, we heard what the players' had to say for themselves:

One Shot Wonder (Literally) Dan Boulton: I dedicate this win to my mother's superior omelette making skills!

Response of Made it this far: What the hell is he going on about..............

Final Score: J.R.'s One Shot Wonders    8      Made it this far    6

 



Our Match Reports are like Big Macs - Two for the price of one with a special offer


Thats right, two match reports this week instead of one. After our usual Thursday match, the lot after us needed more players and said we didn't have to pay, hence the wit of the title. Go on, you know your impressed......

Match Report 1 - Wonders give scoring masterclass in epic match

J.R.'s One Shot Wonders christened the new website with a deserved win in the first game since the team started playing under their new name. J.R.'s had the full team, with new signing Clint playing in goal. The opposition also boasted some quality, with Youngy and Johnny providing some skill to the team.

Both teams played with two substitutes, and J.R.'s got off to a good start with Dan and Jess watching from the sidelines. The fluid movement of the Two Ash's and Arron, combined with the driving presence of Chaplain in the middle, plus James Dean on the wing and some solid shot stopping from Clint, saw Wonders take an early lead.

As the game progressed, the Wonders saw themselves with a comfortable 3 goal lead and the emphasis was now on closing down the opposition in their own half. However, an impressive display of technical skill by the Thursday crew caused some concern in the One Shot defence and there was always an element of danger for the team to contend with. Then, the opposition struck a blow that shook Wonders to the foundation. Small child Ricky single-handedly rounded the Wonder's defence, only to chip stranded goalkeeper Clint into an open goal net. Muffled whispers of 'Class' echoed around the hall, but it was to prove to be the catalyst for an inspired second half performance by J.R.'s One Shot Wonders.

The team surged forward, with some pacy attacks down the wing looking to find a player in the centre. The whole team contributed, with some excellent movement and searching passes resulting in Wonders restoring their 3 goal lead. Still, the Thursday Crew threw up some resistance, with Youngy taking up the goalkeeping position to pull off a few stunning aerial saves.

The victory was sealed, however, in the final ten minutes, when a stunner from Ash Tuck left the opposition reeling. Picking up the ball in the middle of the hall, Tuck shifted the ball one way, then another, throwing the defence off balance, before a surging burst of pace followed by a powerful strike into the corner of the net finished off the golden move.

The Thursday crew tried their hardest to save the match, with a few last minute goals worrying J.R.'s, but a maintenence of their free flowing attacking football put the result upon doubt.

After the match we caught up with the two teams to see what they had to say about the match:

Wonder's goalscorer Ash Tuck: ' I wasn't shooting that well till' the final ten minutes, but I'm happy about my performance. In the end, they just couldn't keep up with us'

The Thursday Night Crew: 'And we would have won too, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids!'

Yeah, ok, no more Scooby Doo references. Sorry about that.........

Final Score: J.R.'s One Shot Wonders 11      The Thursday Night Crew  8

Note: Apparently, Alan scored 10 goals, so we actually won by a lot more. I just can't count.

Match Report 2 - A Tale of Betrayal, Fatigue and Thirst

As the second hour approached, Clint and Alan went to the bar, leaving the Wonder's with only 6 players. Then, in a shocking turn of events, Ashley Higgins switched sides to leave the team with only 5 players, while the opposition had 6! Despite J.R.'s having already played an hour, they were still forced to take on a team that outnumbered them in players and stamina. Still, with the recognisable determination and never-say-die attitude that comes with letting in 35 goals in two league games, Dan, Ash, Arron, James and Jess set out to honour the Wonder's name!

Things didn't get off to a good start, though, when Wonder's let in an early goal and were forced to consistently attack to restore the balance. Dan and James were alternating in goal, Dan going in goal because he could barely walk, and James going in goal because he wasn't really that bothered. The team's trademark pace and movement were lacking in the opening minutes, with the 'Guys on the other' team, using their fresh legs to restrict Wonders to playing in their own half. The emphasis was on defence as the team focused on trying to deal with the threat the extra man brought to the game. J.R.'s were forced to always leave an opposition player to dictate the play in an effort to stop a player slipping behind the defence and leaving the goalkeeper vulnerable. This meant the opposition were frequently on the attack and this left little opportunity for Wonder's to create any chances.

However, as the game progressed, One Shot  started to establish some real dominance at the back and this was spreading to the midfield areas also. Jess Tuck and Team Captain Chambers were always in control of the play with some slick, patient passing in the defence. This allowed newly pronounced Team 'Pimp' Ash Tuck to cause real problems in the opposition defence with some good movement and solid finishing.

Despite the undeniable dominance of Wonder's, they were still trailing by two goals, due to some occasional decent moves by the opposition. Wonder's were unlucky, however, as some rapid attacks down the wings were only stopped by determined goalkeeping. It was obvious the opposition were tiring, but this only served to keep them constantly in their own half, making them tough to break down and Wonder's frustration began to tell, as a lack of concentration saw 'Guys on the other' team score to cement a seemingly underserved victory.

After the match, we caught up with the two teams to see what they had to say about the result:

J.R.'s One Shot Wonders: 'Not a fair result. They really wern't that good, and on any other day we could have taken them. Oh yeah, Ash Higgins, watch your back'

'Traitorous' Ashley Higgins: 'Awww, come on, what do you mean traitor? I was just helping them out. Hey, wait, wait a minute, what are you doing with that goalpost?! (Interview cut short because Higgins is running away)

Final Score: J.R.'s One Shot Wonders  6        Guys who let us play  9

 

    

  Home  

  Profiles  

  Vital Statistics  

  The Rumour Mill  

  Have your say!  

  Team mascot  

  The Match Report  

 

Create a free website at Webs.com 

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.