The parakeets could do no wrong today against the budgies, as we named them for their yellow kit, winning 10 – 1 against a side who had one excellent player at least but couldn't click as a team like Moor Mead did.
Hersham Hornets were today's opposition and whilst we expected lace up boots there were no corduroys a la the Hersham Boys Sham 69 song of the 70’s. However with a couple of good players in their side, we weren't sure that the Hornets didn't have a sting in their tail.
Moor Mead pressed early though, playing downhill in the first half, with Jake breaking down the wing after neat defending from Sam and a little pass into Jakes path, who showed his early intent by smacking the ball into the keepers gloves. This was hotly followed by a cheeky chip by Dilly but the keeper managed to grab it. However it was ever reliant Sam who opened the scoring after Ben picked it up in midfield, passed it to Sam who ran into the box and slotted it past the keeper. 1 - 0
Great goal and then a lovely bit of showboating from Sam again defending deep in the corner with a step over foxing the attacker letting Sam turn the other way, run down the wing and completely across the pitch, with Dilly eventually slotting it to Kiran who turned the ball in from close range. 2 – 0
The Hornets countered and attacked for a good few minutes, and finally scored with their best player slotting it home from the edge of the box. 2 -1
They continued to press and a muddle with Moor Mead not passing out to the wings from the keeper, but into the middle instead, gave Hersham a chance to steal the ball and a chipped shot would have hit the net if Jake hadn't tracked back and headed a goal bound shot over the bar.
It made it all the more impressive then when Jake turned up at the other end slotting home a four man passing move, after Sam won the ball, gave it to Mani, who passed it to Daniel who then crossed it in for Jake to finish. Good team goal. 3 – 1
Mani then scored three in a row, all of them crackers. Alec had made an excellent save at his near post again from their best player, and this time the goal kick did go down the wings, Ben passed to Daniel who
again got a decent cross and Mani passed it into the net. 4 – 1. Another Daniel cross to Mani, who trapped it with his left then banged it in with his right. 5 – 1 . To cap it all he then picked up the ball in midfield and had a direct solo run to the box, rounded the keeper and finished his hat trick with aplomb. 6 – 1
We must mention their player Jack again, he tried so hard without much reward, but he did impress with what Johnny reliably informs me was a Rabona, (kicking foot wraps behind standing foot and without falling over, the shot actually goes forward). He didn't score though. To be fair their team was often thwarted by Orla and Ben who covered really well and held up the play for long enough for everyone to get back and help
Back to the goal fest. 7 – 1 came from a Sam shot which Jake got a touch to which might have been going wide. 8 – 1 was a typical mazy Sam run and a lovely finish from the edge of the box into the corner. 9 – 1 and 10 – 1 were both Kiran, another Sam shot which hit the post which Kiran turned it in, and the last but not least goal came from some neat skill on the wing by him, he had dribbled the ball right to the byline, and just before it went out poked it across the box, along the goal line and it had just enough of an angle on it to sneak in at the far post under a despairing keeper.
10 - 1, freezing cold, but great team effort. It felt as if Hershem weren't that bad, but maybe it was a Sham.