HT: 0-1
West Riding County FA Veterans League: Bradford League Division Two:
Summer Season 2023,
14th August 2023
Venue: St Mary's School, Menston, Ilkley
GOALS:
Chee (Pen)
Jonno
Dorey
ASSISTS:
Dorey
Stu
Joyce
Bramhope MFC Vets Team Line Up:
GK: Alex
LB: Sam (Vets Debut)
CB: Nicolson (c)
CB: Jonno
RB: Joey
LW: Joyce (me)
CM: Hugh
CM: Chee
RW: Stu
FW: Dorey
FW: Pete
It has been a familiar theme all summer season from Bramhope - start rugged and slow but gradually grow into the game and come alive in the second half.
Although several recent key players were missing on Monday night, Bramhope welcomed back further key players from injuries. Striker Dorey was back after a heavily bruised thigh, Stu was back from a knee injury and striker Pete made his comeback after several months on the side-line with a re-occurring knee ligament injury.
Pete had an almost instant impact linking up with Dorey through the middle early on only for Addingham to snuff out the attack. Moments later, a Chee pass saw Joyce run in from behind down the left into the box and cut the ball inside for Dorey to latch onto but there was a little too much pace for Dorey to fully connect.
After a couple of early chances, Addingham then quickly took control of most of the possession for the first half as Bramhope were a little off the pace and Alex made a superb save in goal to hold Addingham out. Addingham earned a couple of corners which saw good clearances from Jonno, full back Joey and skipper Nicolson.
Left full back Sam, making an impressive debut for Bramhope was lively in both defence and attack down the left in the first half both breaking up attacks from Addingham and starting some nice play from the left wide positions but also linking well with his closest centre back Nicolson. Nicolson and Jonno were both called upon on more than one occasion to block Addingham shots and midfielders Hugh and Chee were also working hard defensively. Addingham's attacking purpose eventually paid off however and saw them score a wonderful team goal with skill, however Bramhope were a little slow to close them down.
Going one goal down seemed to kick Bramhope into gear and saw some great play down the right from Joey putting a nice ball over for Stu who earned Bramhope a corner. Bramhope, trying to earn some pride back saw Hugh and Chee begin to link up well in the middle and Dorey was coming more into the game up top.
Pete was playing some nice one twos with Joyce and Chee but Addingham were managing to defend well by sitting back so Bramhope were unable to take advantage of their pace from behind.
Bramhope went in 1-0 down and Nicolson had work to do to build his troops back up, against an Addingham team that were maybe becoming a bit of a bogie team for Bramhope?
Unlike the last game, where Bramhope changed tactics to play with more width in the second half, as Addingham were playing quite deep defensively, we were struggling to get in behind using our pacey players so we switched it up and played more narrow to drag their full backs inward and this worked a treat right away.
Stu was linking up well with Chee through the middle on the right side of midfield which brought Dorey into the game more and it was a Dorey dribble through the middle into the box which caused carnage and saw the Addingham defender take his legs to earn a penalty.
Chee, Bramhope's top scorer this season slotted home a coolly taken penalty, his 4th goal in 2 games and in rich form.
Bramhope then began to find more space and saw Hugh link up with Joyce and Pete down the left with nice one two combinations between the three of them. Then Chee again linked up with Stu and Dorey which saw the ball come to Pete in the box but his shot was deflected out for a corner.
Stu took a delightful corner which caused havoc in the penalty box and almost curled in and centre back Jonno somehow forced the ball in off the post, although there was much debate as to who could claim the goal? Was it Stu, was it Jonno or was it an own goal? Bramhope claimed it was a Jonno goal.
At 2-1 up, Bramhope were in the ascendancy and back in the groove whilst Addingham were down but not out just yet and had their moments, trying to chase the equaliser mid way through the second half. Bramhope had to snuff out several counter attacks from Addingham but the back four stood firm.
Full backs Joey and Sam on opposite sides were both solid when called upon and both were able to break up play and create attacks for their wide players whilst Jonno and Nicolson did well to block Addingham half chance efforts and protect goalkeeper Alex who although didn't have a great deal to do in the second half, his distribution was great from goal kicks.
Bramhope were looking to seal the win and Stu was put through on goal by Chee and was agonisingly close with his powerful effort, just hitting the side netting.
Moments later, Hugh played a superb one two with Joyce down the left hand side which saw Joyce dart down the wing and pick out centre forward Dorey with a left footed high cross and Dorey slotted the ball home beautifully to all but seal the victory.
Bramhope wanted more and Joey produced a trademark delightful ball from right back to put Dorey in who made a great run just into the box and tried to audaciously caress the ball over the 'keeper but it just missed at the far post by a whisker.
Bramhope Vets will now look forward to the start of the Winter 2023/24 season which will now change formats to be more in line with the standard amateur football seasons and be a home and away league with a possible league or district cup competition too. Exciting changes from the West Riding County FA.
Bramhope MFC Vets 5-a side were set to play in a 4 team mini vets tournament last weekend on Saturday 5th August at Goals Soccer Centre Leeds Kirkstall, hosted and organised by myself (RJ Sports Network), however, frustratingly 2 of the teams dropped out during the week so it became a one-off match between Bramhope and RJ Sports Select Vets.
Team Line-Up was:
GK: Alex
DF: Nicolson (vc)
MF: Adam Dennis
MF: Danny T
ST: Joyce (c)
Adam Dennis made some wonderful assists, Danny T scored a couple of screamers, Nicolson was a tower at the back again, living up to the name I gave him years ago as the 'John Terry of 5-aside' and I scored a hat-trick. If we were to award a Man Of The Match it would have had to have gone to goalkeeper Alex who was outstanding.
It was disappointing two teams dropped out but it is what it is and was a good laugh and some of us had a catch up in the bar after to collect our novelty certificates I had made ha ha.
GK: Jonny Roberts (later played outfield)
DF: Matty Stephenson
DF: Nathan Long
MF: Adam Ellwood
ATT: Luke Redfearn
ATT: John Gascoyne
The select team was a make shift team after 2 team drop outs and had an extra player but gave Bramhope a very competitive game.
Hopefully next year when I organise the Galacticos Cup again we can get a full tournament organised as we have in previous years. I first organised the Galacticos Cup way back in 2007 at South Leeds Stadium 5 a side pitches.
INSTAGRAM: @joycinho
TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague
SPIRITUAL TWITTER: @JoyceParanormal