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01/02/04 Blu FC 2 - 3 Wirral Nomads
Team: Bob; Mark Hamlett, Mark Saunders, Grant, Gary; Sean, Barry, Tim, Matt; Dave Lucas
BASED on the facts, if Nomads had lost this game there would have been few complaints. Forced to begin the match with just eight men, the team battled heavy conditions and a Blu side desperately seeking points. If this was not enough, Nomads were managerless and missing six first choice players. But like a government dossier on Iraq, the facts were clearly untrue. The eight Nomads, boosted to ten by two late arrivals, gave a committed, hard-working performance from start to finish to come away with a well deserved victory - a win that could have been even more convincing. Along with the goals, Mark Saunders twice missed from close range, Sean went close from outside the penalty area, Tim's 18-yard overhead kick brought a save out of the keeper and Matt and Dave saw shots go narrowly wide. Starting the game with an experimental 3-3-1 formation, Nomads struggled to create openings - the player shortage predictably leading the use of long ball tactics. But despite early Blu pressure, once boosted to nine men, Nomads took the lead through Dave Lucas. Ghosting through the Blu defence, Dave ran half the pitch and calmly slotted past the keeper to make the score 1-0. No sooner had player number 10 arrived than Nomads doubled their advantage. A quickly taken throw-in from Barry found Tim in space, and his through ball allowed Matt to shoot low into the net. A well taken goal from a tight angle brought Blu back into the match just before half-time, and an equaliser not long into the second period gave the home side the momentum. Yet Nomads battled on, and a fine run from Sean saw his shot from the edge of the area well saved, but the rebound converted by Matt for his eleventh goal of the season. With legs tiring, the final 25 minutes seemed set for a Blu onslaught, but with Bob remaining relatively untested thanks to solid defending from the two Marks, Grant and Gary, Nomads completed their first double of the season.
Scorers chart (league and cup only): |