New Marske 9 - Cumby Rovers 4
Although scheduled to be a home game, due to a waterlogged pitch we ended up reversing the game to enable it to be played before Christmas. And so the game kicked off on a somewhat smaller pitch than usual.
Within the first minute Frank got his first chance of ther game when Dean put him clear with a long kick. The chance was wasted as his shot went well wide of the goal. We kept the pressure on though, and from a Cumby free kick David came in and shot over the bar. The lads looked as if they were up for the final game of the year, and a win would be welcome as it was a long time until the next game.
Cumby came into the game when they broke through for a chance on goal, only for Jack to come in a clear the ball for a corner. The corner was whipped in over everybody and safe for a goal kick. A move from the back saw Frank get away again, but before his shot crossed the line a Cumby player cleared it to safety. Shortly after it looked like third time lucky as Frank put the ball into the net from a Matthew pass, however this time the referee ruled it out for off side.
Despite the efforts of the Cumby defence, we manage to claw one of the goals back we needed
Bash saw an effort once more cleared off the line and it was looking like only a matter of time before we opened the scoring. Attempts by Danny, Matthew and Frank once again couldn't manage to get the opening goal though. Cumby were limited to playing on the break up to this point and we nearly got caught out as Joe missed an attempted clearance that saw the Cumby attacker one-on-one with Dean. Luckily for us he put his shot wide of the goal.
Amazingly after all our chances it was Cumby who went ahead in the game. They were awarded a free kick near the left touchline and it was hit in quickly before people were set. The ball hit the bar and was hit back in by a Cumby attacker. Jack cleared it off the line, but the ball seemed to get stuck under his feet. Before it could be cleared fully a Cumby player came in and bundled it into the net. 0-1 to Cumby.
Frank looked like he'd brought us level when he got away, but his shot struck the bar and came back out to be cleared. Danny took advantage of hesitancy in the Cumby defence when he won the ball and broke through, but his shot cleared the bar. I'd never seen us have so many chances but not be able to put one of them away. Cumby worked their way to the edge of our box and a Cumby played lined up a shot. Just as he hit it Jack came in with a crunching block to send the ball the other way.
If he had his eyes open he may have realised the ball was behind him
Unbelievably the game went from bad to worse. A long ball over the top was missed by Joe, sending a Cumby attacker away, one-on-one with Dean, this time the chance was taken to make the score 0-2. The only good thing was the fact there was more than enough time left in the game to redeem things, although in truth we should have been well out of sight by now anyway. The game restarted following the same pattern of us dominating the play. Chances by Frank and a long range effort by Joe narrowly went wide.
A freekick from Cumby came to nothing followed by Liam getting a shot on target at the other end, before we finally managed to get the long awaited goal. From a Cumby attack David raced away with the ball deep into the Cumby half before playing the ball to Conor.It looked as if he had missed his chance but managed to get a shot in that nestled in the corner of the net. 1-2 to Cumby. Our general play was pretty good, but the final pass on too many occasions was going astray. A nice quick move down the right sent Frank away again. His initial shot was blocked, but he picked up the rebound and put it into the unguarded net, to make the score 2-2.
Half-time: New Marske 2 - Cumby Rovers 2
Two subs were made at half time as Jack and Liam were replaced by Andy and Ryan. Straight from the off, Conor worked the ball to Bash, but his shot went wide of the goal. Cumby replied with an attack down the left that saw Dean forced to make a save for a corner to Cumby, that didn't create any problem for us. Frank nearly put us into the lead but the Cumby keeper pulled off a great save, that saw Conor race in to the ball. As he was about to hit it, he appeared to stumble, and his shot trickled narrowly the wrong side of the post.
Midfield tussling for the ball
An attack down the left looked like the ball was going out of play, but a Cumby defender cleared the ball straight to Frank, who lobbed the ball past the stranded Cumby keeper to make the score 3-2 to New Marske. Cumby went on the attack down their right, and as David failed to get a challenge in on the ball two or three shots by Cumby put us under some pressure which ended in a corner. The ball came in, and Joe who had taken up a position on the near post, saw the ball sail well over his head leaving a Cumby player free. he didn't take his chance though and we managed to work the ball clear.
It was our turn to apply some pressure with a couple of shots goalwards, with the ball eventually falling to Danny who put the ball into the net to make the score 4-2 to us. This was more like it. Most of the pressure was from us, but with David getting caught up field, Joe needed to launch into a tackle to break up an attack. A throw from Cumby, saw an attacker unmarked in the box, but luckily his shot went straight into Deans arms.
Another break down their right saw Frank apparently nutmeg a Cumby player before racing away and burying the ball to make the score 5-2 to New Marske. Shortly after a nice pass by Danny picked out Conor in the box, but his shot went over the bar. From the goal kick we picked the ball up and knocked it around nicely before Danny shot narrowly wide of the goal. We were well on top at this point and looked as if we could score more. And so it was when a lovely ball to Ryan was flicked over to Frank who lobbed the keeper to make the score 6-2.
Wheeling away after scoring another goal
Cumby looked to be about to break into the box when David slid in and clattered the Cumby player. The referee deemed that the incident took place in the box and awarded a penalty. The penalty was despatched to make the score 6-3. After the penalty we found ourselves under a bit of pressure as Cumby tried to get back into the game. A free kick however didn't trouble Dean as it sailed over the bar. Our third sub of the game was made as Robert came on to replace Bash.
Cumby found themselves pulling another goal back as David found himself among three Cumby players, with the rest of our defence nowhere to be seen. Unable to get a tackle in Cumby scored to make it 6-4. What an amazing game this was. The pressure was relieved a bit when we were awarded a free kick in the Cumby half. Danny's free kick didn't cause any problem to Cumby as it nestled comfortably in the keepers arms.
The Cumby pressure eased off as the game settled down once more, and Frank had another opportunity to score and was only prevented by a great save by the Cumby keeper. A wayward pass by Robert looked to have set the Cumby attacker through until a challenge by David saw the ball run through comfortably to Dean. Danny was the next player to be subbed as Ben Hubbard came on.
And rounding the keeper for another one
Next came what looked to be the miss of the season, as Frank rounded the keeper with only an open goal ahead of him and under no pressure. Instead of stroking the ball in with his left foot, he opted to try and hit it with his right and some how managed to miss the goal completely. The referee had had a really poor game (as he usually seems to do when he refs our games) and capped it off by awarding us a penalty kick when Frank appeared to dive over a Cumby challenge. It really didn't look as if any contact was made at all. Greg took the penalty and made the score 7-4 to New Marske. The Cumby defender got himself a booking after disagreeing with the ref.
Shortly after another Cumby player was booked as he hacked Frank down as he looked to get clear, with the ref awarding a free kick about 7 yards outside the Cumby box. Ryan's free kick didn't trouble the keeper as it sailed well over the bar. The game looked like it had run it's course, when we broke away down the right, and Hubby slid the ball to Ryan who put the ball into the net to make the score 8-4.
Not every one went in though, was this miss of the season! Better work on that left foot
The final goal came just before the final whistle as a brilliant through ball from Conor sent Frank away to round the keeper and claim his fifth goal of the afternoon.
Final Score: New Marske 9 - Cumby Rovers 4
MOTM:- : Frank Duke