Spartans vs French Kiss
Sunday 11th September 2017
Venue: Kings Park Pitch 1
Conditions: Hot as hell
Spartans have recruited well over the 2017 pre-season and with a new look assistant management team helping out the disabled Nick Day there was an air of optimism amongst the Spartans faithful heading into the new season. The majority of the squad arrived an hour before KO and banter was soon flying with the first social of the season providing some excellent topics of conversation. Newfor a cinema date after consuming plenty of tequila/rum and young Laurence losing a wallet, forgetting his address and giving Crossy the night of his life particular highlights.
Following a spritely warm up in the sexy new training tops, complete with sponsors logos (Avion Tequila and the second best bar in HK – Brickhouse) Romain started in net, a surprisingly tame outfit from him this week but I’m sure there will be more to come. Christian, C-Rex, Glenn and “I bet I can get more fucked up that you” Ted made up the back four. Three new signings started across the midfield with Gid and Rui out wide, whilst Sam and Crossy provided the steel and flair down the middle. Chee partnered MK up front with Casper (arriving in usual prompt fashion after missing the 45 messages and teamer notifications about KO time), Ed and Dickson (fresh off a pre-season training camp in Myanmar involving shagging and riding bikes across the country) made up the bench.
Spartans started well, very well in fact, a good channelled clip from the long limbed dinosaur of a centre half, Chris Grayland set Chee free down the right, he showed excellent composure and awareness to pull the ball back to the onrushing MK who finished first time into the bottom corner. Spartans were 1-0 and had controlled the early exchanges.
They say the 5 minutes after a goal you are at your most vulnerable and this turned out to be the case for Spartans, some sloppy attacking play gave French Kiss the ball and from their first attack of the game they worked their first corner. A low, slowish ball found the feet of a greasy haired Frenchie and he was able to guide the ball into the goal. 1-1, Spartans looked a little rattled.
Spartans continued to have most of the possession and although moved the ball well were unable to create any significant opportunities. French Kiss remained resilient and tough to breakdown and on the half hour mark pressed some Spartans attacking build up. The ball was nicked by the full back and the resulting break was direct, a great save from Romain kept the initial attempt out but the Kiss were able to work the ball to the edge of the area and their striker finished with an excellent low shot.
There were nervous times at the end of the first half for Sparts with C-Rex pulling off a perfectly timed block only for the Kiss striker to let out a little squeal that the referee bought quicker than a Casper proposal. The resulting free-kick was woeful however C-Rex had managed to talk his way into the refs little black book.
Half Time: Spartans 1 – 2 French Kiss
Subs: Gid for Casper
A half time team talk from the disabled Day lacked digital aid and had little impact on the Spartans, they started the second half in similar vein to the end of the first. Lots of possession but little penetration, could it be time for Dickson….
Clear attempts to waste a lot of time from French Kiss were starting to cause the game to become very scrappy and Sparts to get frustrated, however one side was clearly starting to get on top. Spartans corner count was racking up and although MK was attempting assists for C-Rex on and off the pitch, still no breakthrough. Casper had started to provide another outlet for Spartans and the game was feeling like it could change at any moment.
Day began to tinker. Edward Tizard entered the fray. Immediately there seemed to be a connection between the new Spartans strike force. MK dropped deep to pick up the ball after a nice inside pass from Ted, a perfectly placed 30 yard scuff found Ed’s feet, a great touch, turn and finish found the ball beating the keeper down the middle of the goal and Spartans felt they had got a deserved equalizer!
An excellent pre-season has clearly got the Spartans in 300esc shape ahead of this season opener and it started to tell, French Kiss at this point had made all 5 substitutes, more to waste time than provide greater options on the pitch, and this distracted them from their game plan. Sam is replaced by Dickson and Spartans began to bombard the Kiss goal in the last ten minutes, it only felt like a matter of time however what followed could be a very early contender for goal of the season.
The ball finds its way over to Casper on the left hand side, he clips a lovely through ball for MK into the left channel, MK cuts inside his man to find a screaming Scholesy galloping to the edge of the area, MK rolls the ball across the face of the 18 yard box and Crossy’s strike would still be rising right now if it wasn’t for the net. The Spartans faithful are elated and Tom Glenn immediately has them chanting “IT’S CROSSY YOU KNOW, HARD TO BELIEVE IT’S NOT SCHOLES”!!! Spartans have done it and with three minutes left on the clock French Kiss look defeated.
There was still time for more action though with Dickson starting a fight from KO and MK almost winning a penalty after chasing down a right channelled ball and appearing to try and bang his head off the bottom of another swimming pool, Tom Daley would have been proud. The resulting free kick forcing the Kiss into a panicked clearance. Full Time: Spartans 3 – 2 French Kiss
Spartans know there is still a lot of work to do following this performance, mistakes will prove costly if they are unable to eradicate them however the desire and heart shown to rally after falling behind was very impressive and the options that the bench provided showed that this squad is no one trick pony. With key players still to return to the team exciting times lay ahead for the 2017/2018 squad and with a squadron side beaten by GAS over the weekend Spartans will be hoping to make it 2 from 2 next weekend.
