• First Team
• Reserve Team
• A Team

Previous   Next Match reports

1-1 29th March 2008 at 3:00 PM

Cambridge University Press : League match

We can hold our heads up!

Today could easily of been a complete disaster. Going into the day three teams shared the Kershaw Premier leadership with Hundon and Waterbeach and Gt Shelford all  having played the same number of games. It has to be said that, on paper, it looks as though Gt Shelford have the toughest run in of the three. Having said that both Hundon and Waterbeach have to come to Woollards lane to play us over the next few weeks.
Gt Shelford have also taken a decision to compete fairly in the Shelford tradition and not to stoop to the depths of some of our rivals in this league by taking advantage of loopholes the FA rules. We'll hold our head up and do things right and hope it's true that cheats never prosper!
Todays game started in a strong wind blowing down the pitch from the river end. Once again a much changed starting eleven took the field today as due to injury suspension and unavailable we had six players missing. The starting line up was as follows:- P Peachey, M Flack, S Holden, M Bonner, R Woodrow, D Bates, M Columbus, J Lambert, B Harradine, C Smith (Capt), N Finney on the bench were D Richards, C Pyke, A Smith and C Tovey.
Gt Shelford played the first half with the wind at their backs and immediately started to dominate the game, for long periods Press found it difficult to get out of their own half. Chance began to be created Mark Columbus hit the bar from a free kick just outside the area, Matt Bonner powered a header just over the bar and the CUP 'keeper pulled of a couple of good saves and a stunning stop from a Nick Finney volley high to his right. The referee seemed intent in getting involved in a game of few serious fowls and for some unknown reason suddenly throwing yellow cards around like confetti. The opening goal came from a rare Press breakaway down their left, a good cross was fired across the penalty area and the scorer did well to get in front of his marker to head home off the post. With the players starting to get frustrated with the referees apparant lack of knowledge of the game and yellow cards still being brandished for little reason it was inevitable that someone would soon receive two cards, that person was Mark Columbus who was dismissed for two foul tackles. Half time 0-1.
The second half started with 10 man Shelford defending the car park end goal against the wind. However the home side defended really well and got stronger as the half progressed. Press won a number of corners which were defended very well and the home team worked well as a team and at times began to play some good attacking passing football. Being a player short however Shelford found it difficult to get players forward to support Nick Finney. Nick decided to take things into his own hands breaking into the area at pace and was blatently tripped by a defender. Nick got up to slot home the penalty for a much deserved goal. CUP continued to press forward and Phil Peachey was called on to make a superb double save to maintain a level scoreline. He has surely developed this season into the best goalkeeper in this league. Final score 1-1.
Today was a terrific wholeharted display by all the players. Our best wishes go to Mark Columbus. Mark was sent off today, which of course we don't condone, but his mind was probibly elsewhere. Whilst at todays game his wife was admitted to hospital where they are expecting the birth of their first child, who could be playing for Gt Shelford in 2024.