Blues Turn Blue

It was cold. Really cold. Bitterly, finger freezing, cheek chaffing cold. Poor Henry M turned an entirely new shade of blue and was only saved by immersing himself in Phil's curry splattered coat. Luckily, a few dads had their old internal engines running on overdrive thanks to the previous night's feast.

To Eynsham then, and a chance to try and get some just rewards from the New Year. We set up positively with Adam playing the lone striker role and Rory and Toby forming a stronger bond at the back. Anyway, the action was full on from the start with Cumnor zipping passes across the perma-frost pitch. All the shooting practice paid off as Adam forced a fancy save from the keeper. Soon though, Fyn and Adam combined with a little bit of wizardry for Adam to hit the opener. 1.0.

With Will the winged wonder weaving up and down the pitch and Ben bossing the midfield, Cumnor were playing with all their accustomed verve. Suddenly, the ball broke to Ben and he hit a stunning 30 yard crossfield pass, right against the grain, into the path of Will. Taking it in his stride, he skipped past the defender and slid a beaut in with his right foot. 2-0. Everyone was stunned by the finish and the vision of Ben who saw an unseeable pass.

In then second- half, Rory and Toby remained rock solid at the back and Muller, fighting off penguins and polar bears, was ever alert. Pre-match, we worked on our corners and halfway through the half, we had a chance to try and make it real. Adam hit the danger spot where a waiting Will timed a perfect header into the roof of the net. 3-0.

With the game all but win Cumnor rand the changes with James E and Ollie joining the fray. In fact Ollie almost scored with his first touch. There were other chances too (Will hit the post) but a 3-0 win accomplished in style, warmed the hearts (and other parts) of the Cumnor faithful.

In match two, Cumnor started with Ed in goal, Adam and James S in defence, with a midfield quartet of Matt, Laurie, Ollie and Joe with James E up front. Like most games this season, the second match was a helter-skelter, thrills and spills encounter. Cumnor were aggressive, quick, strong and determined to get some good luck for a change. It didn't come our way but not from lack of trying.

Ed made a series of fine stops, Adam added a different dynamic at the back with James S ably supporting, the fab four midflield quartet made surrender impossible and James 'Turns On A Sixpence' E was balletic and poised. Okay, we went 1-0 down but we scored another terrific goal. The ball broke to James E who looked up and dinked a little ball into Mat. Showing real ice in his veins (and on his legs) Matt took the ball on and found the corner. 1-1. Well done, Matt... for working so hard on your finishing in training.

In the second-half Will came on for Adam and led the offensive. Ed swapped with Ollie and added a certain bullishness to our open play. But unfortunately, Eynsham grabbed a late winner. Undone again. Harsh. 2-1.

Player of the Week: praise to Will, Adam and Fyn in game one and Matt, James E and Joe in game two but for his tackling, his running, his leadership and above all, his precision passing and decision making: Ben.

Unducky!

Two matches full of spills, thrills and rotten luck. But what performances, what a morning, what a way to kiss our chances of retaining the League trophy goodbye.

In match one, Cumnor raced from the blocks and played some lovely one touch football in truly dire conditions. And so did Ducklington, matching Cumnor in ambition and execution. The boys were on fire and the chances were coming. However, it took a piece of individual glory from the twisty turny Fyn to dance through the defence and poke home a startling opener. Game on, glory beckoned... even Will's unfortunate own goal on the stroke of half-time didn't deflect the good mood.

In the second-half, playing with a strong breeze we genuinely felt our time had come. Despite some heroic work from Rory, Ben, Will, Adam, Fyn, Toby and Pricey in goal we couldn't break through. Then, with seconds left, Ducklington broke free and slid a last minute heartbreaking winner in. Oh, foul and fiendish football gods, how can you treat us this way?!? Again.

In match two, the muscle brothers: Joe, Muller, Laurie and Steinsberg took to the field... charging and clashing and bashing and bothering. Matt was snakey out wide, twisting on the wind and James S calmeness itself in the centre of the storm. Freed from the shackles of the yellow shirt (bravely worn instead by a wounded Will) Ollie showed glimpses of midfield maestro Xavi Alonso. But the win, could Cumnor claim a win? No. Despite the many chances (including a 3 minute goal line scramble led by Joe) a mad jack Muller lunge (we think it was Muller, the evidence points to Muller, but we could be wrong) gave Ducklington a penalty and the chance to snatch a 1 - 0 win.

Again, the match was a rollercoaster ride, in fact... the ref was having so much fun he played 45 minutes in the second-half(!) but we still couldn't pull level.

Beaten, not broken. Down, not out. Kind words from the Ducklington manager who paid glowing tribute to our spirit and our football. And we salute Ducklington too... they know, both games this season could have gone either way. For now, the spoils are theirs. Next time, who knows?

Player of the Week: done and dusted by the end of match one - El Fynio for a goal conjured from thin air.

New Year Nailbiter

It takes a brave boy to go in goal and Cumnor saw two impressively brave performances by keepers' Henry and Ollie in the first match(es) of the New Year against Deddington.

Deddington are an interesting bunch; they are strong and physical, play effective and exciting football, have the loveliest management team in the League... and always beat us. So, the Cumnor coaches said to our boys: 'relax, lads... you're the underdogs.' Our attempts at reverse psychology soon backfired as Deddington took a match one 2-0 lead by half-time. Henry was out of position for the first goal and made a mistake but he was unlucky for the second. However, what a test of character, what a giant to come back in the second half and make three spectacular saves.

The boys went into the second-half knowing they had to put Christmas lethargy behind them and battle. And battle they did... like wounded warriors slowly turning Deddington on the rack. Will ran his lungs out down the flank, Ben grew in the captain's shirt, Fyn started telling his teammates about the amazing space he was finding, Rory rocked up and rattled a few big boys, Toby was the terrier we know and Adam, well Adam grabbed both goals. First, leaping onto Will's awesome whipped in cross to head in and then, forcing half a chance across the line. Just.

True, we had a chance to win it but the 2-2 draw against our bogey team felt like a mighty win.

Sometimes football just isn't fair and match two saw one of the season's great injustices: how could Ollie pull off so many incredible saves and still finish on the losing side? Maybe the penalty area is cursed? Perhaps a Kingston shirt was buried under the spot over Christmas damning Cumnor to dastardly ill luck?

Put it another way, there was no way we deserved to lose 4-1, especially after two goals came from some Priceless parries. In defence, Joe and Laurie were lions unleashed. Across midfield, Binky sparkled and shone, Matt thundered up and down the line (and hit a rocket free kick), James E was the classiest player in both matches, Ed the most imposing in the tackle and on the burst and as for Henry S, he took his goal brilliantly after latching onto Binky's smartly headed flick from Pricey's punt.

We may have lost but at both ends - thanks to Henry S and Ollie - we produced the highlights of the game. The clash would have been top of the bill on 'Match of the Day'

Player of the Week: generous applause for both goalies, thumbs up for Binky and Henry S but for leading the charge in the first game, Will