Cumby Rovers 1 - New Marske 7
With a free weekend due to being knocked out of the cup, the league brought this fixture forward, meaning that we were playing Cumby twice in our first four league fixtures. For Cumby it was their second game of the season, both against us!
The game kicked off on probably the smallest pitch we've played on for a while, with the edge of the penalty area only about six feet from the touchline. The early stages of the game were scrappy and congested with neither side able to work much space. Cumby got the best early chance from a free kick, when the ball found a Cumby player in the box, whose snap shot hit the post before going out of play.
There were a number of early free kicks, which in hindsight were a sign of things to come, in what was to turn out a niggly and fractious match. Cumby had started off pretty well but there were signs that we were starting to come into the game. We were getting balls up to Frank and Joe, but neither was able to get a couple of yards clear to get a decent shot in.
Things were steadily improving when we had our best move of the game. The ball was played out to Joe on the right and as he ran down the wing he put a lovely cross across the face of the goal. Liam racing in on the far post made contact but could only put the ball narrowly wide of the post. Cumby nearly worked a chance when Tim's attempted clearance saw him miss the ball, but the ball was eventually worked clear.
A good move up the right saw Frank get away and whip a cross in that the keeper could only palm away, the ball was begging to be put away but no midfielders were close enough to take advantage of the situation. The game started to take on a bit of an edge as the Cumby players tried to wind up Frank. Cumby were awarded a somewhat contentious free kick when Jack had done really well to take the ball off an opponent. The ball was played into the box and we threw ourselves into blocks to eventually get the ball clear. As the niggling continued we came more into the game, going close on a couple of occasions, and it looked to only be a matter of time before our pressure would tell. And so it proved as we went one nil up on 30 minutes. Frank got the ball on the left and rifled an unstoppable shot past the keeper into the far corner. That's the best way to shut up the opposition. Well normally it is, but it just seemed to increase the levels of whinging from some of the Cumby players.
Cumby responded with a shot that went well wide of the goal, never troubling Dean at all. A couple of minutes later Dougy came on to replace Tim in the defence. There were no other decent chances in the half as we managed to get to the half time whistle with a 0-1 lead, but the signs were there that Frank and Joe were starting to get on top of the Cumby defence.
Half-time: Cumby Rovers 0 - New Marske 1
No further changes were made to the team for the start of the second half, but early on Cumby were awarded a penalty when Andy gave a Cumby player an unnecessary shove in the back. The penalty was taken with Dean making a great save with his legs. As the ball fell back to the Cumby player he blazed the ball miles over the bar.
Cumby were keeping our defence under pressure, but we were coping well with it. There was a break in play while the referee spoke to the Cumby manager, presumably about the amount of back-chat he was getting from the Cumby team. Once the game restarted we went 0-2 up after 45 minutes. A through ball to Joe on the right saw him get away from the Cumby defender before placing the ball past the Cumby keeper into the net.
The pressure was now on Cumby as Danny had a couple of efforts at goal. Cumby were struggling to get out of their half as we pushed on in search of a third goal to kill Cumby off. When Cumby did manage to get forward they were facing a formidable wall of Greg and the defence, determined not to give anything away. The game was quite physical and we were proving that we were up for it, with stern challenges going in all over the pitch.
The third goal finally came on 52 minutes, and what a beauty it was. The move starting in defence, saw the ball being passed confidently around the pitch before finding it's way to Frank, who with typical determination forced his way past a couple of defenders before putting the ball into the corner of the net. 0-3 to New Marske.
Cumby were struggling to get into the game, but a chance came when a ball played into the box looked to be easy for Dean to hold. Somehow though, the ball bounced away from his grasp as it rebounded off his knee into the path of a Cumby player. Trying to take the ball in his stride he only managed to knock the ball out for a goal kick. The missed chance was to prove costly when on 55 minutes we scored again. Joe received the ball and played Frank in again as he completed his hatrick. 0-4 to New Marske.
Cumby tried to get back into the game but excellent tackling and pressure was forcing them to take any shots from well outside the box, as we coped comfortably with their attacks. Joe came really close to his second goal of the game when a great ball by Conor sent him away, he cut inside his man brilliantly before narrowly hitting his shot wide of the goal.
Our pressure was really starting to tell as Cumby had real problems getting out of their half, as they looked increasingly tired. Shots by Danny and frank went close but still the score stayed 0-4. It looked like we had the fifth goal as a free kick for us was taken quickly by Danny to set Joe away and he put the ball into the net. It didn't count though as the referee had stopped the game to talk to the Cumby captain. The fifth goal had to come sooner rather than later and it was Liam who got it. His free kick was hit into the box and ended up in the back of the net, assisted by the head of a Cumby defender. 0-5 to New Marske. Frank and Liam were replaced as Ben Leaper and Matthew came on to replace them.
After a couple more stoppages another great chance came our way when Joe flicked the ball on with his head to Ben, but his header went just wide of the goal. On 65 minutes we got our sixth goal of the afternoon. A quick break by Danny and Joe down the right saw Cumby frantically block a couple of shots, before Joe worked a bit of space for a shot and the ball finally nestled in the back of the opposition net. 0-6 to New Marske.
In the move for the goal, Danny got a knock and so was replaced by Robert for the remainder of the game. There was still some niggly challenges coming in from some of the Cumby players, but putting the goals past them was the best way to answer them. And so we did it again, with excellent play down the right between Matthew and Ben saw the ball go to Joe, as he rounded the keeper for his third goal of the day. 0-7 to New Marske.
The defence really deserved a clean sheet but due to a refereeing error it wasn't to be. A hopeful ball hit forward saw the defence hold a good line as a Cumby attacker found himself a good 2-3 yards off side. For some reason the referee decided to play on though much to the bewilderment of the New Marske defence and supporters, as he slotted the ball past Dean to make the score 1-7.
Even then we nearly scored again when a ball into the box saw Robert almost get to the ball on the far post for a tap in, but instead the ball went out for a goal kick. We did put the ball in the net once more, but the eagle eyed referee this time saw an off side and ruled the goal out. The referee had up until the last five minutes or so been having a pretty good game, but once again there was another poor decision. A Cumby player burst into our box and Jack stretched out a leg, making definite contact as the Cumby player went down. The referee decided there wasn't a foul and instead awarded a goal kick.
Some beautiful football by Matthew and Ben ended with a free kick to us, as finally the Cumby captain found his name in the referees note book. The only surprise being that it hadn't happened sooner. The free kick was hit into the box by Jack, finding Joe unmarked at the back post, but somehow he managed to knock it out for a goal kick when it looked easier to score.
That was the final action as the whistle blew to bring an end to a niggly game. If we can get the aggression and work rate shown in this game into most of our games we could see more of these type of score lines. Lets hope so.
Final Score: Cumby Rovers 1 - New Marske 7
MOTM:- : Danny Latham
Other images from the game...
