We took a squad of eight for the Corby Town FC 65+ tournament in excellent weather for walking football.
The squad was:
back row: Jez Norris, Paul Beard, John Hutchins front row: David Hampson, Taff Lovesey, Peter Oppenheimer, Tim Marsden, John Phythian
Corby Blues 1 Strollers 0
As per our usual we were slow to start and found ourselves chasing the game after an encroachment into our own area resulted in a penalty to our opponents. Peter Oppenheimer dived acrobatically to his left only to see the ball pass him to his right. Despite pushing hard for an equaliser, with just 12 minutes per match, this one got away.
Loughborough 0 Strollers 1 (Norris)
A lively, buit fair, game against a team we know very well, was decided when Taff Lovesey broke down the right and whipped a cross in for Jez Norris to find the back of the net with a well driven shot.
Harborough Hornets 2 Strollers 2 (Hampson, Marsden)
This was a game we let slip away after starting strongly. David Hampson scored a good individual goal after winning the ball in midfield and striding forward, to hit an accurate shot to put us one ahead. We looked like increasing this lead but Harborough suddenly found some energy and broke away to score an equaliser, closely followed by a second, to put us on the back foot.
With time slipping away, John Phythian carried the ball down the right wing and slipped it inside to Norris, who in turn rolled the ball into the path of Tim Marsden, 2-2 with almost the last kick of the game.
Norwich Seniors 2 Strollers 1 (Norris penalty)
Although Norwich enjoyed the lions share of possession in this game, excellent defending from Paul Beard and John Hutchins kept them at bay. Slightly against the run of play, it looked like Norris had put us one up. With the ball bouncing back off the keeper, he waited for the ball to clear the area and slammed it home, only for the referee to disallow the goal for alleged encroachment into the area. Soon afterwards Norwich took advantage of a break and went one ahead.
With our lads pushing for an equaliser, a shot on the edge of the Norwich area rebounded high over the heads of the players and landed at the feet of their striker who broke away and took his chance well. The second controversial decision of the game had gone against Strollers.
Strollers kept their heads and when Norris broke free of his marker, a tackle from behind resulted in a DOGSO penalty and we were back in the game at 2-1. With a man in the sin bin for Norwich, they sat back for the last few minutes and we were unable to break them down.
Crick v Stamford (BYE)
Crick pulled out att he last minute so we were given a bye for this match.
Moulton Master 1 Strollers 0
With both Moulton and Strolelrs needing the points to finish in the top four and progress to the semi finals, this one proved to be a tight affair. In a game that flowed from one end to the other, Moulton came out on top with the single goal of the game.
Corby Whites 0 Strollers 3 (Lovesey x 2, Hampson)
Going into the last group game, our lads knew that a win was a must in this one, plus needing other games to go our way.
With this in mind we played our best football of the day. The first goal came when Phythian slid a well placed pass down the wing for Lovesey who turned and beat the keeper on his near post.
A few minutes later, Hampson won the ball in midfield and put Lovesey in behind the Corby defence, with the keeper advancing off his line, he was beaten with a little flick into the corner.
Later in the game we sewed it up when a one-two between Hampson and Lovesey from a free kick, put Hampson in for his second goal of the day.
After an unnecassary delay by the organsiers to run the raffle, there was a cluster of teams trying to work out who had finish in the top four. Fortunately for us the point count went our way and we progressed into the semi finals for a return match with Norwich Seniors.
Semi Final: Norwich Seniors 1 Strollers 0
Defenders were on top in this one, with neither side creating much by way of chances. Beard and Hutchins were strong again, frustrating Norwich each time they came forward.
The decisive goal was messy. A shot from one of their players was saved well by Oppenheimer, only to bounce back out of the goal area. Two Norwich players went for the ball with Beard and one fell into the area. The second was able to shoot and with the Strollers keeper still floored, found the back of the net. A scruffy goal that could easily have been disallowed by some referees due to the player falling into the area.
A good day all around and a successful one for the club with our 65+ and 50+ men reaching the semi-finals as well as our 40+ women's team.
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