Match report Azur 4 vs RRBFC Vets 1 – 21 January 2006

Result W 0-5

Team:

Sejersen, MacDonald, Waite, Eriksen (sub Riley 52), Mazurkiewicz, Glover, Ledbury, Bentham, Sigurdsson, Harbusch (C), Lewis

Goals: Ledbury, Lewis, Bentham, Harbusch (2)

MoM: Mazurkiewicz

Weather: Typical Belgian

Pitch: Old synthetic – the type that makes your knees really ache.

Correspondent: Stephen Mazurkiewicz

Vets 1 had lost the previous week to the team just below them in what was apparently not a very convincing performance. The team was therefore intent on doing a little bit better against Azur - who were just a couple of points lower in the table. Team selection can’t have been easy this week as skipper Frank Harbusch had only 10 by Thursday, had apparently dropped the Man of the Match from the previous week and had at least three players complaining of various strained muscles. Matters became even more complicated just before kick-off by Chris Riley being dragged away to his mobile to sort out some important matter in world events. This meant a last minute change to the formation with Stephen Mazurkiewicz stepping into the breach (well actually central defensive midfield) until the world could be put to rights. So we started with the Sudoko formation of 3-1-4-2 – Tommy Sejersen in goal, Scott MacDonald, Roger Waite and Johan Eriksen forming a back three, Stephen Mazurkiewicz just in from of the back three, a four man midfield of Hjalmar Sigurdsson, Stewart Glover, Carl Ledbury and Jeremy Bentham, who were supporting Frank Harbuschand Brian Lewis in attack.

The game kicked off a bit late as Azur had had some difficulties finding a referee. However in the first 10 minutes RBBFC had all the pressure and the referee gave a number of close off-side decisions in our favour. Obviously Carl Ledbury’s offer before kick-off to lend the referee a tracksuit top to keep warm had had some influence. Unfortunately, despite the referee’s largesse, nobody was able to put the finishing touch. Jeremy Bentham was sending over some excellent crosses from the right, Frank Harbusch glanced a header narrowly wide and Stewart Glover saw his powerful shot marginally too high. Azur meanwhile had done very little in attack. Roger Waite was dealing calmly with everything through the middle, and Johan Eriksen and Scott MacDonald were also dealing very comfortably with any approaches out wide. Any balls that did get through were picked up with ease by Tommy Sejersen.

Eventually the RBBFC pressure paid off. A shot, or was it a cross, from the left saw a flick and a flap by the keeper and the ball bounced out invitingly towards the penalty spot. Carl Ledbury came running (well jogging) in and with one touch, or was it two or maybe three, from somewhere between his ankle and knee placed it into the net. Azur 0 RBBFC 1.

The next 10 minutes followed a similar pattern. Azur repeatedly doing the off-side samba just inside their half with the referee not obliging with any musical accompaniment on his whistle. Brian Lewis and Frank Harbuschboth had chances with through runs. Brian Lewis managed to stand on the ball with only the keeper to beat (excuse of the day, “I’ve got a groin strain and I was trying to avoid hurting it”). Then with another one-on-one Brian, for some inexplicable reason, passed to Jeremy Bentham who, unable to stop his sprint forward, was called back for offside (yes the ref got that one right). When this happened all the Azur team and the rest of the RBBFC team were already back at halfway line (well we had never actually moved anyway) waiting, expecting to kick-off. At long last Brian Lewis did get his timing and finishing right. A through run from the halfway line saw him put the ball into the corner. Azur 0 – RBBFC 2. And so to half time.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Hjalmar Sigurdsson was making a number of loping runs down the left which created space for Frank Harbuschand Brian Lewis but still their finishing was not up to the high standards we expect of them. Shots went wide, laybacks went straight to defenders, headers were off target. If we had taken advantage of half of these chances the crowd would have run out of fingers to keep score.

Chris Riley, having succeeded in soothing diplomatic nerves, then came on for Johan Eriksen. And Chris Riley started well. The ball was rolled to Chris across the back line, a challenge from an Azur player, Chris looked in trouble. Were we worried? (Well I was.) Need we have been worried? (Absolutely not.) Chris calmly beats three players glides a lovely pass to the overlapping Jeremy Bentham who takes it a full speed, outpaces the Azur defenders and slots a shot past the goalkeeper. Azur 0 – RBBFC 3.

Frank Harbuschwas obviously watching Jeremy. Soon after Frank picked up the ball on the left on the halfway line, turned and moved off towards the Azur goal. Ten seconds and 4 or 5 Azur defenders later the ball was nestling in the Azur net. Having shot wide, over and at the keeper all from 5 meters or less, Frank scores with a run from halfway. It’s a funny old game. Azur 0 – RBBFC 4.

And then just to show that he had worked things out skipper Harbusch does it again, popping up to make it Azur 0 – RBBFC 5.

Although Azur kept going throughout the second half they managed little in front of goal. They had a couple of shots but Tommy Sejersen was able to catch everything comfortably.

And so the final whistle. The final result was Azur 0 – RBBFC 5. We could have had a hatful more but we were glad to get back winning with a decent performance.

Man of the match went to Stephen Mazurkiewicz for his efforts in marking the Azur playmaker out of the game. (Hint to those who want to be voted man of the match – bring your children along, it makes a difference - although votes for “Daddy” will definitely be disallowed.)