Boldmere St. Michaels 4-2 Rocester
The Mikes made it three wins in five days with a hard fought victory over Rocester. Although the Mikes were dominant for long spells and created a number of good chances, this was never a game in which they were completely comfortable until the very end.
The Mikes started on the offensive and spurned a good opportunity in the first minute. Rocester carried a threat in the opening stages, but most of the danger was coming from situations of Boldmere's own making.
Adam Jenkins, who for some reason had chosen to wear a rather fetching multicoloured kit, seemed to be affected as he lost his footing just as Aaron Hamilton played the ball back for him to clear. The ball rolled alarmingly across the face of goal before Adam Swain cleared.
Moments later, a miscued backp* left Jenkins off limits as he raced to divert the ball away from an onrushing striker, the ball rebounding towards the touchline. As he attempted to shepherd the ball out for a throw in, the ball stopped dead on the touchline. For a moment it looked like Rocester would work a chance, but the loose ball was eventueally cleared following two excellent blocks by recovering defenders.
The Mikes gradually got a foothold in the game, their neat p*ing slicing through their opponents. Lee Osborne miscued a shooting chance then should have done better when released towards the by-line, with Jason Holmes and Danny Dubidat waiting for the cross.
That was forgotton on 16 minutes when Osborne was released through on goal in the inside left channel by Baker. The visiting defence stood appealing for offside, but their left full back on the far side of the field was stood five yards deeper than his colleagues playing him onside. With Holmes and Dubidat looking for the ball to be squared, Osborne showed he didn't need nay help, drilling a perfect low shot between the keeper and his near post.
Incredibly, the visiting full back failed to learn his lesson and four minutes later Osborne was again clearly played onside by the hapless defender in an identical scenario. The outcome was the same as the chance was clinically despatched high into the net for 2-0.
Rocester still posed a threat on the counter and Jenkins was called upon to make a great save, plunging full-length to his left to keep out a fizzing 20 yard shot that was heading for the bottom corner.
Play swung back to the other end. Osborne turned his marker for dead and bore down on goal. Presented with a carbon copy chance for his hat trick, he did everything right and drilled the shot low to the keeper's left. As the ball arrowed towards the bottom corner, the visiting keeper matched Jenkins earlier stop, producing a top draw save to divert the ball onto the post and to safety.
Jenkins was called upon to make a more routine save from distance just before the break, so the Mikes headed back to the dressing room two to the good.
Matt Jackson was substituted at half time, with Anthony Juxon slotting in at full back.
The second half started in somewhat peculiar fashion. It looked as though the visitors were expecting a third goal, and seemingly waiting for it to happen.
Osborne obviously didn't want to disappoint, and only made the crowd wait 8 minutes before completing a superb hat-trick. As the ball bounced awkwardly through the middle, Osborne used his strength to claim possession when he wasn't clear favourite, before shrugging off his marker and firing emphatically into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
The Mikes nearly went four ahead when Kirk smith latched onto a loose ball 20 yards out. His rising half volley looked destined for the top corner before the visiting kepper showed excellent agility to palm the ball away for a corner.
Danny Dubidat soon came even closer to extending the lead. Baker danced through the defence and stood the ball up to the far post, where Dubidat headed back across the keeper in text-book fashion, only for the ball to strike the post and bounce back into the grateful keeper's arms
Lyndon Weller, who was on for Dubidat, curled in a wicked delivery from a corner which should have yielded a goal. Club Captain Tom Stevenson, returning to MFA action in place of the suspended Adam Wood, arrived perfectly at the near post but could only divert the ball wide from close range, when it seemed easier to score.
With the game seemingly driting to towards a comfortable win for the Mikes, the home side became sloppy and started to give possession away cheaply. Stevenson missed his kick 25 yeards from goal and hauled down his opponent in the process. The referee played advantage as the visiting striker got to his feet and was clean through on goal. He blazed the ball high and wide with only Jenkins to beat.
The young striker must be praised for his honesty in pursuing the chance on goal. Had he stayed grounded, the referee admitted he would have had no alternative but to show a red card. Others may say it was the naiivity of youth, but who knows what effect that may have had on the outcome.
A minute later, Rocester had their goal and were back in it. This time it was the Mikes who failed to heed their lesson, and Shaw slotted past Jenkins from a similar ball.
If that was a lifeline for the visitors, it truly was game on a minute later from a carbon copy goal made it 3-2. The ball dropped between Juxon and Jenkins and substitute Bagley was on hand to slot home.
The game fired into life as the visitors looked to complete what had seemed an unlikely comeback. They threw more and more men forward, but this seemed to congest some of their attacking play, so despite plenty of huffing and puffing, they did not create another clearcut chance.
The Mikes were ever dangerous on the break, and Kirk Smith made the game safe in the 88th minute. After shooting horribly wide when presented with a glorious chance moments earlier, he was played in after Baker and Osborne combined delightfully. If his earlier finish was somewhat lacking in composure, this time he was coolness personified as he camply sidefooted the ball past the advancing keeper to secure the points.
There was still time for Osborne to be denied a fourth goal by another fine save, before he was replaced by Declan Clarke, making his first team debut.
Although disappointed to concede two goals in a game that should have been safe, manager Rob Mallaband was delighted with the three points. Reflecting on a mammoth 10 games in 24 days, he stated 'any win is a good win!'.
The glut of fixtures shows no sign of abating though, as the Mikes travel to Highgate United on Tuesday night (7.45pm) for the first leg of the Polymac Services League Cup semi-final.
We then welcome the 'Gate' to the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground for a league fixture next Saturday (3.00pm). They return in the second leg of the semi final on Tuesday 7th April (7.30pm)
Boldmere: Adam Jenkins; Adam Swain; Matt Jackson; Aaron Hamilton; Tom Stevenson; Stuart McNaught; Danny Dubidat; Kirk Smith; Jason Holmes; Lee Osborne; Ricky Baker.
Subs: Declan Clarke (Osborne); Rob Clarke; Anthony Juxon (Jackson); Lyndon Weller (Dubidat); Stuart Grosvenor.
