After the encouraging draw in midweek against the African Warriors, where the boys were unlucky not to take home all 3 points, it was crucial that the team got back to winning ways against an opponent who secured the 3 points with a last minute winner at the beginning of last season.
With a new 3-5-2 system in play, the onus was on the wide players, Phillip and John to provide support to the attacking players and keep their discipline defensively. Much like the game last weekend GAS got off to the perfect start with an early goal that they play so far had deserved. After winning the ball back in defence it was played out with to John to whip the ball in to the back post where Thomas hit it first time in off the post, a good team goal.
It wasn’t long before 1-0 became 2-0 as that man again, Thomas, was slipped through by a lovely slide-rule pass from captain for the day Tommy Almond, and brilliantly slide it into the opposite corner across the keeper. The Sportsman boys didn’t know what had hit them a GAS soon went 3-0 up through returning salmon, Federico, who didn’t have to leap on this occasion as he was through one on one with the keeper where there was only ever going to be one outcome… 3-0 GAS, a great finish from the Argie!
GAS kept up the pressure for the remainder of the half and could’ve had another before the break and Thomas could’ve had his hattrick as the ball was played across the box and…. Well the less said about that the better. Blame the pitch – dodgy bounce! The fourth goal did arrive shortly after though as some nice interplay between Carlos, John and Fede initially led to Damian “passing” the ball to Tommy inside the box who duly set up Fede to smash home his 2nd and GAS’s fourth.
HT – 4-0 GAS
GAS started the 2nd half with two new wide players and Phillip and John were given a breather and they started the half much the same as it had finished with GAS pilling on the pressure in search of their 5th goal of the afternoon. That goal arrived midway through the second half as the ball came in from the right and captain for the day, Tommy “Superman” Almond took one touch and then stabbed the ball home with his left foot to cap a fine individual performance. Credit to the boys, despite the obvious changes in the second half and the scoreline, they didn’t stop pressing their opponents and kept up the intensity until the final whistle. The final goal arrived as a result of this pressing where the ball was won back in midfield and Tommy slipped a delightful ball through to Phillip who was unlucky to see his effort bounce back off the post, but luckily for the boys in gold the ball fell to the man from Madrid, Mr. Ivan Cintado, who smashed home with his trusty left peg in a finish Lionel Messi would’ve been proud of. Cue wild celebrations on the touchline and chants of “Ivan’s on fire, your defence is terrified”
And that’s the way it finished as GAS did get back to winning ways and in some style, going a long way to avenge that bitter defeat 12 months previous to set up a mouth-watering clash in Sin City next weekend.
COYG
MOM – Mr. Tommy Almond no. 16
