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Hachioji Park Sunday 9th January.
Happy New Year to all, and best wishes to footy lovers everywhere (except Man City fans).
Simply summed up. First half: bang, bang, bang. Second half: squeak, squeak, squeak.
With a 3 goal 20 minute blitz in the first half Sala over-powered Zion in this basement battle and wrapped up the points early. Brookey, Toby and Sam plundered the goals.
As for the second half? Well, it was just as well for Sala that their first half performance was so good because in the second half the team whimpered and idled around the pitch showing the bite of a gonad-less chihuaha and the street savvy of a Japanese tourist in Rome (remove your LV wallets from your back pockets please campers)!
Still 3-zip was a good performance, and consistency has never been a Sala watchword anyway.
Fresh from their supreme victory in the NewYear 7's Plate championship tournament extravaganza (world football's 2nd most important trophy in 2010), Sala were looking to put a bad start in the league behind them (Still?? I hear you ask. Yes, I know. Sala have been trying to put that said bad start into an ushiiro position for the last 4 months). Pointless in their last 7 league games, at last they f-ing well did it! Hurrah!
Anyway, enough of the pomp and pageantry.
Play was even at the start with Zion holding posession and displaying a good passing game, whilst Sala played more directly and with more threat than their nihonjin opponents. However, despite Sala's threat, Zion's offside trap was well worked and it stopped a lot of their attacks.
Just as Zion were starting to get the upper hand, Sala broke the deadlock. A mistake on a backpass from Zion's keeper saw Brookey steal in to tap into an empty net. 1-0 Sala.
Sala then stepped up a gear, got to grips with the Zion offside trap and started working some nice combination play leading to numerous chances. In the next 20 mins Sala powered ahead and wrapped up the game.
First, Shige's strength, determination and customary skill resulted in 2 shots, which the keeper blocked, before another move freed "Hot Shot" Lenny "Lennerington" for a shot which the keeper again blocked. Booooo the Zion keeper!
Sala's next attack was ruthlessly direct though, and it cut Zion wide open. Shige played a simple lateral pass from the left wing into the middle. Scotty strode onto it before playing a classy first time through ball to Toby whose run was perfectly timed. Left one on one with the keeper he made no mistake with a composed left foot finish into the bottom corner of the onion bag. 2-0 Sala.
After more Sala pressure the lead was increased to 3-0 from a corner. The big Scotsman, Clarkey, powered a downward header across the goal for the ever-alert Sam to nod in at the back post. 3-0 Sala.
A smarter and more accomplished passing team would have seen out the 2nd half with some possession play but Sala being Sala this would have been too easy. Instead they played the same direct way that had brought them so much success in the first half and decided to try and re-write the soccer addage book. Lo and behold that old tried and tested addage "Let the ball do the work" is still true. I shit you not readers! Whoever coined that phrase was onto something.
Whilst having to give credit to Sala for chasing more goals, it's like giving an old dog credit for chasing a sports car. With more and more tired and aging legs out there (this reporter included), and Pete off injured, Sala simply didn't possess the energy or youth to keep playing so directly. More and more passes went astray, less running was done and ultimately the 2nd half went to Zion who displayed again that they know how to pass well and keep the ball.
On the up side for Sala, in the 2nd half, their defence was solid with Clarkey, Ian, Dan, Yusuke and Taylor limiting Zion to few chances and keeping a clean sheet. Final score:
3-0 Sala.
Otsukaresamadeshita. What's the longest word written in Romaji, I wonder?
Man of the Match - Shige until he started hogging the ball?? Scotty until he started mouthing at all his team mates?? Strikers until they stopped doing anything well??
No! Soooooo....once again....Sala FC (first half).
Sinner of the Match - Sala FC (second half).
Report by Scotty Thomson
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