Ambience did not look like a team fighting for survival, more one wanting its tummy tickled.
Line-up: Jean, Ben, Nils, Sylvain, James, Joaquin, Steve, Rich, Hodge, Dan, Tommy
Subs: Didi, Kev
Twice so far this season we returned from empty/remised gameweeks with disappointing 1-1 draws. Not this time. Against a struggling Ambiance we came back with a strong team performance and a resounding victory.
John made sure the pre-game instructions were extra double super clear with some chalk illustrations. We knew where to play, what to do and more importantly, what not to do...namely try and play intricate football in our own half...it was made crystal clear that's not our strength! Best day of the week announced and warm-up complete it was time for action.
Didn't take long for us to realize that if we took the game to Ambiance their defense would not cope. First chance came to Hodgson as the ball found its way through a bunch of players to the back post. He took it down with his chest only to fire a well-struck volley straight at the keeper who parried it over.
Not 5 minutes later, after a sustained period of pressure we got a corner. Rich lined up his trusty left foot and decided he would save us the bother of having to actually attack his cross and instead curled it over the keeper and directly in. Planned all along, naturally. 1-0 to the good guys.
We didn't stop there. Another set of chances immediately followed. First the keeper made a smart save from a rasping left foot Hodgson volley before the same player put too much on a low cross which meant Donner was unable to get enough of a touch to direct it on target.
Our second arrived when some sustained high pressure lead ambiance to make a mistake in their own 6 yard box. Kellerman won the ball and selflessly squared to Hodgson who couldn't miss from 30cm out. 2-0. Provider turned to scorer a few minutes later when the German received the ball with his back to goal and turned neatly and struck low, wrong footing the keeper, to make it 3-0. An impressive first half had almost come to a close when Lamarra, despite some well timed challenges, picked up a yellow. More due to the continuous whinging by the opposition than anything else. More on that to come.
Half time instruction was clear. Keep possession nice and simple. Don't over complicate etc. Usual stuff. Oh, and don't get them riled up.
Guess Steve wasn't listening. Before much of note had happened in the second half he decided to start hacking away at ankles, from behind, 50 yards away from goal, out on the touch line. Hodgson politely reminded Lamarra this wasn't great game management and that a second yellow was not in his interests. Lamarra politely reminded Hodgson to STFU. 2 of RBBFC1's most capped current players, going at each other when comfortably 3-0 up in an easy game. You can't buy that kind of passion. Hugs and kisses 2 mins later, drama over.
Didi came on to replace Joaquin and Kev to replace Steve. It was the former who made an impressive early impact, scoring with his first touch. Hodgson played a neat one-two with McGeehan on the edge of the area, drove through and whilst everyone looked right, he slid the ball left to leave Didi with an open goal that he gladly took advantage of.
Somewhere along the way Ambiance denied Jean his clean sheet by slotting in to the bottom corner after we conceded a needless free-kick in our defensive third. In general though our defense was immaculate all day long. We wrapped things up when Rich firmly volleyed in at the back post after a cross from the left. 5-1 job well done.
MOM voting was spread, the first 7 votes were all for different players. That's how it should be! In the end captain Rich and vice-captain Hodge were tied. Some confusion in the Rock-Paper-Scissors followed but MOM officers Lamarra and Minne awarded the victory to Hodgson. With 2 of the previous 3 MOMs and an impressive run of form in 2018 it won't be long before McGeehan adds to his tally again.
