MMB 2-7 OTFC Vets

On Saturday we played MMB away. We welcomed Keri and Carl our new close season signings for their first games and Sniffer Smith back from a gangia break in the West Indies.

It took a little time for the new members to adjust to the fluid way our vets like to play but the early signs were positive as we threatened the MMB goal early on. However, an early mix up with a back pass resulted in an indirect free kick deep in our penalty area which was converted by an unmarked player standing on our goal line. A tragic oversight. 0-1.

Undaunted by this we continued with our characteristic pattern of play and soon Michael Barnett, making his first appearance of the season, stroked the ball into the corner of the goal after some intricate passing in the opposition penalty area.

We were then disappointed to concede a second goal after some slack marking allowed the centre forward to beat the agile and gymnastic efforts of our new keeper Dave Smith. That was the end of the low point of the game however as we then scored two remarkable goals: first by Carl who responded to a headed clearance with a bullet header directly into the net from a good 25 yards out. The second was a Beckhamesque 45 yard shot from the wily old campaigner, Ted Wightwick who spotted the MMB goalkeeper doing a spot of gardening on the edge of his penalty area and knocked it over his head.

Half time: 3-2 to Tiffs.

In the second half we introduced Rob and Steve as fresh old legs and soon we began to take the game away from MMB. Steve clinically took two chances high inside the near post after good support passing from Mike and the two Simons: Burton and Baile. Then Ricci opened his season’s league account with two identical goals which involved him dribbling round the goalkeeper and putting it into the empty net.

Mention must be made of Dave Smith, the goalkeeper, athletic saves apart, whose clearances travel extraordinary distances and provides us with passing options at the back.