report22-9-01

Four goals and a much improved second half display maintained Upney Royal Oak's winning start to the season, after conceeding the first goals of this campaign.

After a great performance last week, confidence was high coming into this game against Cromer Park. However, the Upney management may have to reconsider the pre-match rendezvous point as the alcohol consumed prior to the match seemed to have a detrimental effect on a number of players in the first half. Reports suggest that a certain left sided midfielder was seen leaving the meeting point swigging what eyewitnesses described as "a bottle of popular lager" and entering a "battered Vauxhall Astra". Another witness stated that the mentioned player struck an uncanny resemblance to Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick, although this is thought to be a false report as Chadwick was seen by thousands playing against Ipswich at Old Trafford less than two hours later. Investigations continue.....................

Despite pre-match events, and after last weeks debacle getting to the ground, the entire team managed to enter the field of play on time, cheered on by the growing band of supporters. Perhaps the prolonged warm up had a detrimental effect on the players as the team didn't start too well. Cromer managed to trouble Upney in the first ten minutes of the game and put the defence under considerable pressure. This pressure soon got to Mickey Carmody who after a tussle on the edge of the box felt that he had been caught in the eye illegally. Mickey retaliated in what has become know as the customary Carmody style; lashing out at the Cromer forward's ankles, a response that the referee deemed to be violent conduct, therefore warranting a yellow card and a stern talking to. The resulting free-kick posed few problems, however a few minutes later Upney found themselves 1-0 down after a Cromer midfielder was given too much time on the edge of the box and was allowed to chip Trotter.

After this early set-back, Upney were able to assert themselves more on the game and managed to create numerous chances - which were unfortunately squandered; Andy Jeffs managing to sky the ball over the crossbar and the tree behind the goal, from just outside the six yard box. Only those present at the match will ever appreciate what a truely great miss this was; the aforementioned tree approximately 20ft high and just as wide. Good work fella!!

Despite Upney's improved play, Cromer continued to push into the final third of the pitch and were awarded a dubious penalty ten minutes before half time. As the ball squirmed around the area, it was firmly struck against Garrod's torso and the referee blew for the spot kick, turning down the Upney appeals. However, the penalty taker had not anticipated the cat like reflexes of Trotter as he flung himself to his right hand side to push the well struck penalty away to safety. The team breathed a collective sigh of relief, and in all fairness were lucky to enter the half time break trailing by only one goal.

The pattern of play before the break continued in the first ten minutes of the second half, Cromer pushing forward to increase their lead, Upney striving for the breakthrough to equalise. However, Upney gave themselves a mountain to climb when a defensive mix-up allowed Cromer to double their lead, as the uncleared ball was neatly placed under Trotter and into the back of the net. However, this Upney team is made of sterner stuff and going two goals down seemed to invigorate the team. The situation was further aided when the Cromer no.9 was ordered from the field of play for what can only be desribed as "foul and abusive language" toward the referee. A combination of the sending off, and the fact that half the team were only just beginning to sober up meant that the team finally began to play. The deficit was halved from a well worked free kick down the left hand side. Intricate passing between Hurry, Gutridge and Randall eventually saw the ball played in to the penalty box where Mickey slid in from two yards to finish off the move. Five minutes later with the Cromer defence beginning to panic, Dave Randall produced one of his trademark burst from midfield to latch onto an expertly weighted ball from Mickey. With the offside trap was well and truely broken, Randall produced a calm finish to lob the ball over the keeper and in to the empty net.

Upney were now rampant, winning the ball in defence and midfield and unleashing attacks down both flanks. A succession of corners were forced as the Upney forwards finally enjoyed some success, Steve Silk holding the ball up well and flicking on passes for Nash to chase onto. A well struck volley from Nash forced the keeper into a scrambling save which he could only force behind for another corner. From the resulting corner, Jeffs produced a deep cross which hung in the air just beyond the back post, which left the keeper in no-mans land. Darren Silk rose above the Cromer defender and powered the ball into the back of the net between the cross-bar and the defender on the post. Upney had come form 2-0 down to lead 3-2 in the space of 20 minutes. The Upney lead was further extended five minutes later, as Nash scored his first goal of the season by losing his marker in the box, and making the most of a defensive mistake, to calmly place the ball in the bottom left hand corner.

The game was still far from finished though, as Cromer fought back again to score a third in the dying minutes, to the dismay of the watching Upney supporters. However, it proved to be too little too late as the final whistle blew to give Upney Royal Oak F.C. their second win in two games to maintain the unbeaten record.