MIKE EXCELS AS LOCO MAKE HARD WORK OF WEST HOWE

ROBBINS CUP ROUND 2:

TEAM – Jim Redford, Levi Roots, Jim Legg, Cunny, HipHopkins, Andy Smithpiece, Dave Hall, Mike Excel, Lawrence of Arabia, Sam Canty Score, Si Ward   SUBS- Oly, Jonny

On a leaf covered pitch in the middle of the ghetto, two teams were to do battle for the honour to have their name in the next round of the ROBBINS CUP.

All the money was on Locomotive in the lead up to the game with 6 divisions separating the sides but it was West Howe that started the brighter.  Ferndown were being harried by the younger and hungrier side and outrun through the midfield on this tiny little pitch.  West Howe deservedly took the lead after an uncharacteristic Constable error at the back.  With the opportunity to clear, he instead dilly dallied and teed the ball up for a Fernheath player to then knock it over his head for the striker to run onto.  Redford in goal came rushing out but a little toe poke saw the ball trickle in to the back of the net.

In all fairness, the first half as a whole was bloody awful, but on 30 minutes a true piece of class from Mike Excel got Loco an undeserved equaliser.  The ball came in to the box, was cleared by a defender and after one bounce, Excel smashed an unstoppable volley in to the far corner.

Loco began to press as West Howe slowed and finished the first half in the ascendency.  It was Mike Excel again who sparked the magic as he swung a free kick in from the left hand side of the area, with it avoiding everyone and skidding off the surface and in to the far corner with the West Howe keeper put off by Smith’s attempt at kicking it.

A chomping-at-the-bit Oly came on for an intoxicated Smithy who pulled out a top drawer impression of a 5 year old as he stomped of to the changing rooms, luckily for Loco the influential midfielder returned to watch the second half.

The second half was all one way traffic with Fernheath being restricted to the odd break that was marshalled well by the Loco defence. Ward smashed in a sumptuous volley from Oly Sutcliffes’s cross to put Loco in control at 1-3 shortly after the restart.  Next was flying winger Lawrence’s turn to shoulder barge his own player off the ball, took a touch and smashed a shot that the keep palmed in off the bar.  The keeper won’t want to see the replay and will undoubtedly feel he should have saved it.

With Loco at 4-1, Dave Hall was replaced so that Loco goal-scoring machine Haines could have a run out.  Dave and Mike controlled the game for Loco in the centre of the park and Dave got a deserved break after putting in a good shift. Ward dropped back in to centre midfield and Haines went up top to partner Sam ‘can’t get off the mark’ Canty. 

Loco were passing the ball relatively well and under little pressure from West Howe and Ward scored his second after a bit of a bundle in the area ending with a left foot strike to scream it in to the far corner. 

Ward now has 6 in 5 games, but Haines, not wishing to be overtaken as top scorer this season smashed in an unstoppable volley from 12.5 yards out.  The defender misjudged his header and after one bounce Haines smashed it over the stranded goalkeeper.

Overall it was a deserved victory, with Loco not really getting out of third gear, hopefully the momentum can now carry on for next week!

MOM – Mike Excel for his goal scoring antics and level headed influence on the game throughout.

GIMP – Andy Smith for him half time tantrum!