Match Report
Match Report - 26 Nov 2011, Old Modernians Football Club Reserves beat Gildersome Spurs OB Reserves
Mods picked up 3 league points for the first time since Semptember 17th against a good Gildersome Spurs side whose form has picked up over recent weeks.
Mods task was to reprduce the cup form that has seen them progress through to the quarter-finals of both the Leeds Senior cup and Marflitt cup, starting the game at a high tempo. Unfortunately this did not really happen and, despite going 1-0 up courtesey of a headed O.G from a Jonny Wilson corner, Gildersome started to exert a worrying authority on the game.
The score soon became 1-1 with a great lobbed effort that caught stand-in keeper Sam Lawson off his line. Lawson was to redeem himself on more than one occasion in the second half, never more so than with the Schmeichel-esque one on one save. From this point onwards Gildersome took control, and, until the half-hour mark were unfortunate not to take the lead.
During this spell of domination by Gildersome Mad-Dog had his now customary 10 minutes of madness, albeit aided by the ref who didn't blow up for his cynical scythe on the opposition midfielder, who proceeded to repeatedly attempt to stamp down MD's knee. Following his moment of madness Mad Dog hung his head and looked lost, but soon enough became interested in chasing the round white thing again and normal service was resumed.
Mods' quality began to show through toward the end of the first half and March finished a slick move to make the score 2-1 at the break. This was proof that the midfied of March, Leadbeater, Gilligan and Craig could impose themselves and dominate the game in the key areas.
The second half began better than the first and when Mods decided to play like the sum of their parts, gaps were exposed and Jonny Wilson made it 3-1 with a shot that was deflected in but was no way going wide before being deflected. No Sir that's a goal for Wilson and there won't be any dubious goals panel involvement here.
Mods then soaked up the inevitable onslaught as Gildersome pushed extra men forward, the back four of Wilkinson, Bergan, Mallinson and Mellor standing firm and when neccessary making unbelievable headed clearances from in-swinging corners when it seemed impossible not to score an O.G. More and more gaps were opening up for Mods' to exploit, Unsworth brough a great save from the keeper with a dipping effort.
With 10 minutes to play the ref decided to make the remainder of the game interesting by awarding a penalty for a ball smashed into Bergan's hand from 1 yard away. Penalty dispached, 3-2 with 8 minutes left.
Mods soaked up the pressure with the assistance of the fresh legs of Andy Shirley, Adam Matthews, and Rich 'sunsun-soaked 5-weeks of living it up in Hawaii and other great places' Ewen. A true Mod.
In the end, a defeat here would have seen Mods drop to second-bottom in an extremely tight Senior B but the win keeps them right in the mixer.
Old Modernians Football Club Reserves 3 - 2 Gildersome Spurs OB Reserves