Match Reporter Ron takes up the story...
Here we were again, the same venue two weeks running, could the yellows recapture the previous weeks glorious “joie de vivre” in their play, or would things crumble in the fiery crucible of a more competitive fixture? How would the team cope without the galvanising presence of their glorious leader, Ron “the special one” McConville, away on a secret scouting mission, or were rumours true that he was being head hunted for the Barca job next season? Would the inexperienced management team cope? Would it rain? So many questions, so many unknown quantities, so much drivel, so get on with the report!
The professionalism of the yellow shone through in their ability to say focused despite the delay in kick off, due to a preceding match starting late. Though sadly the extended warm up was not entirely accident free, resulting in an injury to Joseph Bartlett, which meant he sat out the first half. The starting line up was Feodor in goals, a back three of Joe R. Connor, and Aidan (in for the injured Joseph B at the last minute), and a front three of Valdi, Dawood, and Owen. With Mathew on the bench ready to make a telling intervention.
The first sharp blast of the whistle sent the yellows instantly into attack, and they were on their way to producing a first half of blisteringly pace, and fluent passing football. Clermiston were under the cosh and struggling to cope. Some thrilling wing play by Owen resulted in him winning a free kick on the left hand edge of the penalty box. The goal machine picked himself up, dusted himself down and promptly bent a Beckhamesque free kick into the top corner of the goal. 1-0 the yellows!
Not content to let things rest their a few minutes later Owen burst through onto a defence splitting pass, and taking the ball in his stride sent a rasping low drive past the helpless keeper into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. What power, what control! 2-0 to the yellows!
The yellows grew in confidence and produced some lovely flowing passing moves. Some fine link up play between Valdi and Owen left Dawood racing in on the opposing keeper, and keeping his calm he thumped the ball into the top corner in an emphatic finish. 3-0 to the yellows.
Mathew came on for Dawood and slotted in beautifully. He soon found himself released through the middle, and taking time to look up to see the keeper, he sent a thunderous drive into the top right hand corner. The half time whistle blew and the yellows were cruising at 4-0. We had started in cold and gloom but now the sun was shining, as if to confirm everything was right with the world.
Sadly the second half did not quite live up to the first from the Sciennes point of view. Joseph B did return to the defence despite carrying an injury, and acquitted himself well. The team started well and laid siege to the Clermiston goal but over confidence and over elaboration took their toll. Clermiston broke away and scored a good goal, resulting is some jitters amongst the yellow team. This was not helped by the temporary management having lost the plot with substitutions, trying to get everyone involved. At one point counting the players on the pitch to make sure he had the right number on. Does Pep Gaurdiola have to do this, or does he have someone to do it for him? However the Sciennes team began to reassert themselves and resumed their territorial dominance. Aidan and Connor being solid and committed in defence, with some fine balls prompting attacking play. The team kept the ball well and created a number of fine chances, with Connor being particularly unlucky on two occasions, and Owen being tackled at the past minute when it had seemed that a hat trick was a certainty.
Clermiston however rallied again. In a fierce spell of attacking play Feodor made a particularly brave save, resulting in a facial injury, but the ball unfortunately broke out a Clermiston player who was able to send it past the stricken keeper. Feodor was forced to come off briefly with Aidan taking over in goals. The yellow continued to enjoy the bulk of the play for the remaining few minutes but were unable to add to their total, though their control of the game did see them safely over the finishing line. A fine 4-2 win, and a first half performance that will linger long in the memory.
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