Match number: 2801Weysiders’ reserve team this week played an away game against Onslow. With a fierce storm that gripped the South of England in the days leading up to the match, the team arrived at the Onslow Village Recreation Ground. The wind swept the high vantage point of Guildford and the rain was unforgiving. In the morning manager Russ Minns tested positive for Covid, so was sadly unable to manage. First team manager Phil Ney took over responsibility for the team. The pitch was inspected by the referee who was unsure if the game should be played due to large puddles of mud laying in the goal mouth and the clay underneath not allowing any drainage. This would play a massive part in the outcome of the match. The team selected by Minns was: Ash Bradbury in goal; a back four of Stuart Jones, Tony Ney (captain), Jack Porter and new boy Jimmy Cahill; a three-man midfield consisting of Chris Murch, Brad Burden and Andy Wright; and a front three of Ryan Parlett, Gino Raccuglia (playing his 150th game for the club) and the return of Joe Braden. The game kicked off early due to the horrid weather and the away team started off well. A few balls played over the top allowed Ryan Parlett and Joe Braden to stretch their legs and cause the opposition some real problems. Brad Burden played a ball to Gino Raccuglia who in turn released Parlett who was held back. Sure that the defending player was the last man, Weysiders felt aggrieved that only a yellow card was issued. Murch’s free kick went just over the top of the goal with the keeper well beaten. Onslow then started attacking themselves and, if not for some poor shots, could have been ahead. Cahill was replaced by Matt Hilton. The pitch was getting more and more like a quagmire as the first half went on with the ball and feet of both teams getting stuck in the mud. Bradbury made some fine saves and it looked as though the first half was going to end in a stalemate. Braden was replaced around the 40th minute with James Martin, and Glenn Noble came on for Wright in midfield. Hilton had a free kick just inside the Onslow half and whipped the ball across with Raccuglia just unable to meet it which would have certainly led to the opening goal. The Onslow keeper kicked the ball long leading to a shot just inside the area which made its way through and hit the bottom corner. This was the last kick of the first half. The weather had subsided slightly for the beginning of the second half as Dima Minskiy replaced Stuart Jones and Harry Barlow came on for Gino Raccuglia. With the pitch getting worse, both teams tried to control the ball but this would not be a game of football by any standard. Brad Burden was getting stuck in the middle of the park, winning headers and making important tackles. He was able to release the ball to Parlett on the wing who beat his man with ease and as he ran into the box the keeper came charging out and Parlett was unable to lift the ball over him. The game was descending into a stop-start affair with players slipping in the mud and giving away fouls. This played a large part in the second goal for Onslow in the 68th minute as Jack Porter slipped and handled the ball outside the area. The resulting free kick was placed in the top corner of the goal with Bradbury unable to reach it. With few actual chances falling to either team, the match was again running away from Weysiders Reserves. A few half-chances came but there just wasn’t a final touch for a goal. With that there was a sucker-punch of a goal on 65 minutes to make it 3-0. Heads had now dropped and no one was enjoying playing, almost unable to run with boots caked in mud and the rain starting again. Braden and Raccuglia came back on with 25 minutes to go, replacing Martin and Parlett. Weysiders tried to play some football and for the first time in the match were able to put some good passes together and carved up Onslow. However, they weren’t able to get that elusive goal. A foul and free kick in the middle for Onslow built up to the fourth and final goal of the game. A long ball took an awkward bounce just in front of Bradbury who was unable to keep hold of it and it bounced favourably for the Onslow front man to tap in. There was a final chance for the visitors with Chris Murch shooting just wide of the goal and the referee blew the final whistle. “A bad day for Weysiders and for football in general, but we will continue with some really important games coming up,†was all Phil Ney could say about the game. MOTM: Brad Burden - a shining performance in an otherwise forgettable match.
Words by Phil Ney. |
