Gossip Corner

May 2008

Leech & Co XI -v- Delta Legal (Cheadle Hulme FC's ground, 08/05/08)

The match eventually kicked off at approximately 7.00pm due to a number of late arrivals for Leech.

The first exchanges were at a furious pace as both sides struggled to settle however, it was Leech who mastered the tricky firm pitch first with slick passing and good running between the lines. Leech had a number of chances in the first ten minutes but the Delta goalkeeper stood equal to their attempts. Then, midway through the first half came the breakthrough. Latching on to a delightful through ball, James Pinder 'sprinted' forth and from a one on one position with the keeper, slotted coolly home to put Leech ahead. 1 - 0.

After the restart, a number of 'rolling' substitutions were made, perhaps as a result of the heat, though nothing to do with a lack of fitness of course!
Leech were back on the attack and squandered a few good chances to go 2 - 0 up with the midfield of Potter and Wild ably supplying the new front pairing of Brown and Rafiq. Sitting pretty with less than 10 minutes to go Delta mounted their first meaningful attack breaking down the left. A cross was floated in and the Delta right-sided midfielder popped up at the back post to toe poke past the diving Leech keeper. 1 - 1.

With all things level, the goal appeared to give Delta some confidence after being on the back foot for almost the entire first half. They broke down the right, a neat one two was played between right-sided midfielder and striker and at the edge of the box the Delta striker fired a vicious shot into the top corner. He'll never again hit one as good for the rest of his life and he admitted as much. 2 - 1 Delta. Half time.

During the break both teams made further changes and the second half began with pace as immediately Leech were on the attack. Shots were flying in from all angles, crosses flashing across the face of the goal, the woodwork was struck, but alas the goal wouldn't come. The Delta keeper was the busiest of their players for the whole half and continued to make important saves to deny Leech the equaliser that would have provided the impetus to go on and win the match.

Barring on solitary chance on the break by Delta, Leech pressed and pressed. Their momentous central defensive pairing of Phillips and Bardsley virtually erected a brick wall on the half way line enabling the Leech attack to maintain the pressure. However, the goal would not come.

As the minutes ebbed away, Leech grew increasingly desperate and threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Delta. Even with a few players falling victim to cramp or injury, shots continued to rain down on the Delta keeper, but both him and his defence stood strong. It was unfortunately, one of those days.

The final whistle went with Leech having had pretty much all of the chances and the majority of possession. Delta rightly wondered how they'd come away with a win.

It's a funny old game though isn't it?!