Match Report 4/25 o30's vs Old Boys - by Ben Weiner

Rovers Old Boys 3 Rovers o30 4

Two squads of old men from the Barnstonworth Football Club squared off in the pouring rain on Randalls Island this morning. The Old Boys and the O-30's battled in classic fashion as the scoreline see-sawed back and forth throughout the game. There are probably not two more well matched teams in the whole league. It was an important match for both teams as we struggled our ways up from the bottom of the table. Yet one team had to triumph and today lady luck was with the O-30's.

Both teams had a penalty kick, both teams scored on a header, and it was only a matter of when the whistle blew that would determine the winner. O-30 went up first on a Martino penalty that Sheero got his mitt on but still deflected into the right netting. The Old Boys were quick to respond with a nice run down the left flank ending in a loft to a far corner header that caught Pat Wisnom (kindly sitting in as back up keeper) off guard. The Boys then proceeded to put us back on our heels before the half on an unfortunate hand ball in the box, giving them the easy penalty. 2-1. The wind seemed behind their backs for a time as they continued to hound our defensive third. Halftime came as welcome relief.

The second half opened with both squads chewing at the bit but not getting any traction. The defense of both teams held attacks at bay, not allowing penetrations. Then Aidan dropped in behind on the right flank and popped in a lovely soft cross that found Ben at the 6 yard line reaching the header a split second before Sheero could punch it out. 2-2. Old Boys were not to be stopped and one of them launched a well-driven shot from the 30 yard line that found our back-up keeper wishing he had remembered where his line was as it slotted under the bar. 3-2. Martino slammed home number 2 for the day after an Un-mackers cross and side step pass from Ben left him open in the box. 3-3. Then the final nail came from Jason on a header at the back post - another perfect cross from Un-Mackers (?) 4-3. We held on in the final minutes praying for the whistle.....

A relatively well-reffed game and ,as always, a gentlemanly battle of intra-club squads. Well done to both.