DATE 17th Mar 2002
OPPOSITION Wayfare Sports
GROUND Away
 
Remember this day, Sunday 17th March 2002. This was the day The Argonauts Reserves gained their first point in their short history. The game was one in which Manager Neil thought we could get a result of some kind, even a win. But like so often this season, things went against us leading up to the game. Firstly Dave Fennell is still out with a broken wrist, Rich Scott is out for a couple of weeks injured. And John Davey and Alex Grovesnor were both unavailable. Ross Holbrook was then upped to the First Team. This was still OK as we still had 13 players. But then at 0420 on Sunday morning both Simon Preen and Paul Rogers pulled out! But that left us with the bear 11 and we were still OK with that. But then new signing Joe didn't turn up and we were left to play the game with just 10 players.
Ian Winter still recovering from his long lay-off didn't think he could make the whole game, and Kevin Downes injured his knee playing on Saturday. With just 10 players we decided to play a 4-4-1 formation leaving Stu Gardiner up front on his own. Baz Wilcox was back in his old position of goalkeeper instead of the missing Preen. And with new recruit Jordan playing his first game for us, the side had a slightly unfamiliar look about it.
The game started very evenly, neither side really having clear-cut chances. Matty Scott having a header from a Kevin corner go just wide. At the other end George Mullholand, playing alongside Neil Gardiner in the centre of defence headed against his own bar trying to clear a cross. Then Wayfarer made their extra man count, one-nil. A long cross-field ball went over George's head, bounced at an angle to by-pass Neil, and as Baz came out of goal, the Wayfarer centre forward calmly lobbed the ball over his head. This could have been it for the Argonauts players, especially as we were playing with only 10 players. But to our credit we kept going. Elvis picking up a short corner from Kevin riffled the ball towards the top corner. Only for the ball to stay straight and just miss the angle of the goal. Jordan was seeing a lot of the ball on his debut and linking well with Matt and Kevin. During the first half it looked like Ian was finding the pace hard to live with. At this point nobody's heads had dropped. Then a low cross from the left hand side was missed by both Neil and Baz, and as the ball broke lose it was put in by a Wayfarer player, 2-0. There weren't any more goalmouth incidents in the first half, but Stu having the ball hit into his face bit his tongue, drawing blood. (Which was quite funny) Sorry Stu.
 
At half time we were, for obvious reasons quite tired but the spirit in the team was still has high as it had been at any other time ALL season. Two down, one man down, but we still believed we could cause them problems in the second half. George had a free kick from the edge of the box, which skimmed off the top of Jordan's head and went out for a goal kick. Wayfarer still attacked and had a few long-range shots, which Baz was equal to. The only time they broke through in the 2nd half, Baz was quickly and bravely out to block the ball. In that challenge the centre forward cracked his shin pad. Our corner taking all season has been a weak point, but for some reason it was different in this game. Kevin delivering corner after corner, into the right area causing Wayfarer problems all day. With two corners already headed straight out for another corner, Kevin tried finding George, who was up from the back. George's little flick helped the ball on, and unlike our usual luck, it was one of our players Ian who reacted first. It was Ian's first goal since 16th January 2000. 2-1. Would you believe it?! 10 men Argonauts had pulled one back against the team that beat them 7-2 earlier in the season when it was 11 vs. 11. Attack after attack followed, both teams wanting the all-important next goal. Elvis having to keep his wits about him against their pacey right-winger, did well after not wanting to go left back. On the other side of defence, Paul Niblett was again having a good game, keeping the centre backs in formed of the men around them and putting in some crucial tackles. At the other end we always looked dangerous, with Kevin and Jordan supporting Stu when the ball was knocked up field. At one point a pass back to the keeper was closed down by Stu, as the keeper struck the ball against him it rebounded out to the left wing where Ian picked the ball up. The defence cleared his cross, aimed towards Kevin and Jordan. But the threat was there, and Wayfare knew this. As a few minutes later Kevin, who keeps going on about wanting to be top scorer ran through. 2-2!!!! No, not this time, as Kevin closed in on the keeper pressure from thedefence forced Kevin to shoot wide.
But not to worry, as for a few minutes later he made amends. This time Jordan played a lovely through ball, splitting the defence and Kevin ran onto it. Again closely followed by the Wayfare defence, Kevin this time kept his nerve. The keeper did get his hand to the ball, and a defender running back nearly cleared it off the line, but it went in. 2-2!!!! Game on! Wayfare, obviously not happy about it being 2-2 against the team that hadn't won all season, was bottom of the league and who had only 10 players pushed further and further forward. This almost played into the hands of The Argonauts. Once again as a Wayfarer attack broke down the ball was played through my Matt and Kevin again found himself running towards goal. Ian was along side him, but Kevin went alone and... the ball went wide. But there was still time for more drama, this time as the ball was played through, it was Jordan, on his debut running at the keeper, trying to keep in front of the defence. And as the ball left his foot, it looked in, only for it to hit the post and go across the goal. Jordan ran to collect the ball, but his follow up shot from a bad angle went wide. That was it, the game was now over, and a deserved point by the battling 10 men of The Argonauts.
 
The Game Ended Up 2-2
Goal Scored by: Ian, Kevin
Man Of The Match: George
Starting Line Up:
Mike Wilcox
Paul Niblett
Neil Gardiner
George Mullholand
Jonathan Nash
Jordan Donavan
Matt Scott
Kevin Downes
Ian Winter
Stu Gardiner
 
Man of the match voted for by the players.