Wellington Utd Legends 1 v BNU16 1

Legends Foil Bid for Straight 10

Grade 16 has a Top 6 Playoff Competition and what a great round of games it promises to be! BNU16 are proudly participating after a run of 9 straight wins, in which the team has scored 30 goals and conceded just 5. However the bid for a straight 10 was foiled by a determined and skillful Legends side at Miramar. In what was always going to bean enthralling encounter, the outcome was in doubt right until the final whistle, with both sides guilty of spurning some gift-wrapped chances late on.

After an evenly balanced first twenty-five minutes, Legends went ahead when a miscued place kick from keeper Doug ‘Freddie’ Hammond was pounced on by an alert Legends striker and despite a desperate effort by Little Mike to clear the danger, the ball was rammed low into the corner of the net.

With skipper Silky Skills looking and unfortunately playing distinctly under par, a tough decision  was made early in the game to replace him with Scotty B, but we’ll put this down to a managerial master-stoke, as the scouser began to boss the midfield right from his first touch. Meantime, Angus ‘Striker’ Deacon manufactured a couple fine chances, the best of which was drilled too straight at keeper Zoff.

Five minutes before the break, a superb move down the left  involving Scotty, Yankee Chris & Kaka Lee ended with Twinkle-Toes finishing expertly at the near post. A great time to get the equaliser, leaving everything to play for in the second half.

The game to continued to flow from end to end but BNU were guilty in particular of some wayward long range efforts. Dangerman, 19-goal Kaka, continued to be constantly guarded by at least two Legends defenders, but the game was there for taking as the home side began to visibly tire, became increasingly panicky at the back and lost their composure going forward. They still managed to create two clear opportunities, one hopelessly miscued, the other rolling just wide. The late introduction by yours truly, in a clear attempt at grabbing all the glory by scoring the winner, failed miserably.

At the end of pulsating encounter, probably a fair result, but nevertheless, a great all round squad effort and a richly-deserved point. We say farewell and thanks for a limited, but a vital contribution, to Yankee Chris who is now homeward bound.