Veterans Vs Alsop (H)

Game 5 - Waterloo GSOB Veterans 3 Vs 0 Alsop

Team

Chris McGunnigle
Paul Sweeney
Gordon Pilkington
Simon Mummery
Andy McKenzie
Dave Scanlon
Ged Kinsella
Keith Richardson
John Jessup (1)
Colin Watkinson (2)
Steve Rudd

Joe Lundon
Steve Connolly
Mark Williams
Geoff McKeating

Flabio put out an adventurous 4-3-3 formation, with McKenzie joining Scanlon and Kinsella in Midfield and Jessup, Richardson and Watkinson leading the line. The back 4 brick wall this week was Sweeney, Mayne, Pilkington and Mummery. Returning to goal was the safe hands of McGunnigle.
This weeks fresh legs were Lundon, Poet Laureate McKeating, Rainman and the Boss.

Alsop were owed one after a cheeky win against us at home last season in the wind and rain of Buckley Hill, they somehow managed to get Billy The Kid to award a late second half penalty and took the spoils. This Saturday however the sun shone wonderfully and so they came in their snot green shirts ready for another battle and were at the ground fit and willing even with the Derby running concurrently – damn them. 

Waterloo kicked off on pitch # 1 with the hill and the sun behind them. With the grass cut to the same length of Wokos beard it was easier for the home team to pass than when playing on pitch # 2 a fortnight earlier against Port Sunlight. Stalemate ensued for the first half hour, albeit Waterloo were the only side showing the best chances to score with Kinsella, Sweeney and Richardson all hitting the Altcar firing range. Alsop never looked like getting passed the magnificent 5. Sgt Pilko arranging the back 4 beautifully, at the same time managing to crack jokes about everyone on the field (apart from gunny) and Gunny gobbling (well punching and kicking) up everything that came into his box. With Mayne able assisting the Sgt and McKenzie dropping in from midfield when necessary, this gave Sweeney and Mummery licence to bomb forward – Mummery decided against this, but Sweeney took full advantage. It was in fact from one of these bombing missions that the first goal came. Jessup held the ball up well 30 yards out and passed the ball down the right to Sweeney who cross low and hard across the goal – it was Scanlon the first to react but he literally sh*t himself when Watkinson screamed DUMMY, this caused Scan to wobble sufficiently to fool everyone and the dummy shouter had the easiest of goals in front of him. 1-0.

It was within 10 minutes of the first that the second came. Again Jessup was involved releasing the ball through to in-form goal king Watkinson who managed to dispatch the ball passed the Alsop stand in keeper with little issue. 2-0.

Half time came and Flabio was not all pleased with the 2 – 0 lead and insisted that he wished to see an improvement, especially from Kinsella and Scanlon who it seemed gave the ball away regularly. Quicker without rushing was the other message levied.

The second half turned into somewhat of a stalemate, maybe with the heat of the day, maybe ‘cos we are old, or maybe because we found each other out – but regardless the mighty whites managed to scrape another goal midway. Jessup, who had moved into midfield replacing McKenzie, took the ball off Richardson (who was about to be substituted as he was knackered) and managed to fend off their right back, who kicked him 3 times, and in anger unleashed a 25 yard shot that managed to go over the head of Ken Dodds favourite Diddy Man in goal for the 2nd half for Alsop. 3-0.

McKeating came on for the 2nd half and completed the normal terrorisation of the oppositions back four, Rainman came on for Mummery and gave a merry jig up and down the left and Williams came on and thankfully gave the ball away on every occasion…. Lundon was saved for the International game next Saturday.

P5  W2  D1  L2  F10  A12  PTS7

Top Scorers
Jessup - 2
Kinsella - 1
Lundon - 1
McKeating - 1
Cregeen - 1
Richardson - 2
Watkinson - 2