Irish Eyes Are Smiling

We’ve seen some strange things over the years watching Cumnor Minors. Dazzling goals, mazy footwork, wild challenges, tantrums, tears, joyous celebrations, near misses, outrageous decisions, flukey chances and nail biting  last minute escapes. What we haven’t seen is a performance from a keeper like we saw in our 6-1 defeat against Oxford Irish. A crushing defeat where we actually played well in filthy, foul conditions. Where we moved the ball wide, unlocked the opposition and set up chances time and time again. And yes, a couple went over the bar, but the majority were hit with force and accuracy, hit towards the bottom corner, hit towards the roof of the net, but the sheer size speed and anticipation of the keeper, thwarted us. It was reminiscent of Big Neville Southall in his pomp (and that’s just the moustache) and it was superb. Should we have done better? Yes. But any other day, any other keeper (who is heading to Oxford) and we would have walked away with a bag full of goals rather than Adam’s solitary header… which was a very nicely worked team goal.

Yet, we did concede 6. And we are conceding a lot of goals. Ox Irish kept exploiting us down the left, utilising their immensely physical and fast no.11, who bagged a hat trick. Mistakes were made, conditions blamed but the simple truth is: they took their chances and we didn’t. We cannot fault our boys’ creativity but we can question their desire to do the rough stuff, to close down, to tackle hard, to work the ref, to impose themselves on the opposition. We are ‘nice Cumnor’ and we play ‘nice football’. Unfortunately, we play teams who play tough football. And at this time of year, we play on terrible pitches where ‘nice football’ just doesn’t seem to work.

We need to fight our way out of this rut. Positions are up for grabs. Now is the time for scrappers. Let’s start the comeback at training.

Ducked Off

Beautiful Winter’s day, no gale, nice pitch and the chance to finally show Ducklington what we are all about. And we very nearly did. Joseph and Will were paired in central midfield and told, in no uncertain terms, to impose themselves on proceedings. And they did. They crunched and blocked and bullied. They ended up being spoken to by the ref and Joseph (don’t worry Joe, as a one-off we’ll pay the fine) even ‘took one for the team’. And for an hour, it worked. Our increased fervour and bite put Ducky on the back foot as we worked two exceptional team goals. Twice the ball was played wide from an inspired Nathan into the path of Adam who finished superbly. All was good until just before half-time when we conceded a soft goal from a set play and all our fears kicked in.

Ducklington are an excellent team but they also know how to manage and control a situation. From taking a little bit longer at half-time to working the ref. Decisions seemed to go against us much to the obvious disgust of our onlookers. A few jeers, a few comments and the ref was right on our case. In truth, the boys didn’t need this added grief as, in the second-half, the superior fitness, movement and technique of the opposition won through. We fought them, we scared them, but we lost 4 – 2.

Player of the Week: Special mention to Will and Joe in central midfield but the final POW 2015 went to Adam for an all-round barnstorming performance including two very well taken goal.